Brilliant Orator; Damn Fool: Netanyahu Addresses Congress
Brilliant Orator; Damn Fool: Netanyahu Addresses Congress For those who missed the speech, MSNBC has a video which displays the P.M.'s passionate connection with his primary audience who responded with many standing ovations.
The speech is preceded by an advertisement and a news clip; I am not certain that I grabbed the correct embed code.Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
A five page pdf file containing the prepared remarks was found here. As is my habit, I will mark important parts with superscripts linked to an enumerated list of my comments. Clicking the superscripts will bring my comment into view, pressing your Backspace key will return to the text.TUESDAY, MAY 24, 2011
Speech by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to a Joint Meeting of the United States Congress
May 24, 2011
I am deeply honored by your warm welcome. And I am deeply honored that you have given me the
opportunity to address Congress a second time.
Mr. Vice President, do you remember the time we were the new kids in town?
And I do see a lot of old friends here. And I do see a lot of new friends of Israel here. Democrats and
Republicans alike.
Israel has no better friend than America1. And America has no better friend than Israel. We stand together to
defend democracy. We stand together to advance peace. We stand together to fight terrorism.
Congratulations America, Congratulations, Mr. President. You got bin Laden. Good riddance!2
In an unstable Middle East, Israel is the one anchor of stability. In a region of shifting alliances, Israel is
America’s unwavering ally. Israel has always been pro-American. Israel will always be pro-American.
My friends, you don’t need to do nation building in Israel. We’re already built. You don’t need to export
democracy to Israel. We’ve already got it. You don’t need to send American troops to defend Israel. We
defend ourselves. You’ve been very generous in giving us tools to do the job of defending Israel on our own.
Thank you all, and thank you President Obama, for your steadfast commitment to Israel’s security.3 I know
economic times are tough. I deeply appreciate this.
Support for Israel’s security is a wise investment in our common future. For an epic battle is now unfolding in
the Middle East, between tyranny and freedom.4 A great convulsion is shaking the earth from the Khyber
Pass to the Straits of Gibraltar. The tremors have shattered states and toppled governments. And we can all
see that the ground is still shifting. Now this historic moment holds the promise of a new dawn of freedom
and opportunity. Millions of young people are determined to change their future. We all look at them. They
muster courage. They risk their lives. They demand dignity. They desire liberty.
These extraordinary scenes in Tunis and Cairo, evoke those of Berlin and Prague in 1989. Yet as we share
their hopes, but we also must also remember that those hopes could be snuffed out as they were in Tehran
in 1979. You remember what happened then. The brief democratic spring in Iran was cut short by a
ferocious and unforgiving tyranny. This same tyranny smothered Lebanon’s democratic Cedar Revolution,
and inflicted on that long-suffering country, the medieval rule of Hezbollah.
So today, the Middle East stands at a fateful crossroads. Like all of you, I pray
that the peoples of the region choose the path less travelled, the path of liberty. No one knows what this
path consists of better than you. This path is not paved by elections alone. It is paved when governments
permit protests in town squares, when limits are placed on the powers of rulers5, when judges are beholden
to laws and not men, and when human rights cannot be crushed by tribal loyalties or mob rule.
Israel has always embraced this path, in the Middle East has long rejected it. In a region where women are
stoned, gays are hanged, Christians are persecuted, Israel stands out. It is different.
As the great English writer George Eliot predicted over a century ago, that once established, the Jewish
state will "shine like a bright star of freedom amid the despotisms of the East.” Well, she was right. We have
a free press, independent courts, an open economy, rambunctious parliamentary debates. You think you
guys are tough on one another in Congress? Come spend a day in the Knesset. Be my guest.
Courageous Arab protesters, are now struggling to secure these very same rights for their peoples, for their
societies.6 We're proud that over one million Arab citizens of Israel have been enjoying these rights for
decades. Of the 300 million Arabs in the Middle East and North Africa, only Israel’s Arab citizens enjoy real
democratic rights. I want you to stop for a second and think about that. Of those 300 million Arabs, less than
one-half of one-percent are truly free, and they're all citizens of Israel!
This startling fact reveals a basic truth: Israel is not what is wrong about the Middle East. Israel is what is
right about the Middle East.7
Israel fully supports the desire of Arab peoples in our region to live freely. We long for the day when Israel
will be one of many real democracies in the Middle East.
Fifteen years ago, I stood at this very podium, and said that democracy must start to take root in the Arab
World. Well, it's begun to take root.8This beginning holds the promise of a brilliant future of peace and
prosperity. For I believe that a Middle East that is genuinely democratic will be a Middle East truly at peace.9
But while we hope and work for the best, we must also recognize that powerful forces10 oppose this future.
They oppose modernity. They oppose democracy. They oppose peace.
Foremost among these forces is Iran. The tyranny in Tehran brutalizes its own people. It supports attacks
against American troops in Afghanistan and Iraq. It subjugates Lebanon and Gaza. It sponsors terror
worldwide.11
When I last stood here, I spoke of the dire consequences of Iran developing nuclear weapons. Now time is
running out, and the hinge of history may soon turn. For the greatest danger facing humanity could soon be
upon us: A militant Islamic regime armed with nuclear weapons.
Militant Islam12threatens the world. It threatens Islam. I have no doubt that it will ultimately be defeated. It will
eventually succumb to the forces of freedom and progress. But like other fanaticisms that were doomed to
fail, militant Islam could exact a horrific price from all of us before its inevitable demise.
A nuclear-armed Iran13 would ignite a nuclear arms race in the Middle East. It would give terrorists a nuclear
umbrella. It would make the nightmare of nuclear terrorism a clear and present danger throughout the world.
I want you to understand what this means. They could put the bomb anywhere. They could put it on a
missile. It could be on a container ship in a port, or in a suitcase on a subway.
Now the threat to my country cannot be overstated. Those who dismiss it are sticking their heads in the
sand. Less than seven decades after six million Jews were murdered, Iran's leaders deny the Holocaust of
the Jewish people, while calling for the annihilation of the Jewish state.
Leaders who spew such venom14, should be banned from every respectable forum on the planet. But there is
something that makes the outrage even greater: The lack of outrage. In much of the international
community, the calls for our destruction are met with utter silence. It is even worse because there are many
who rush to condemn Israel for defending itself against Iran’s terror proxies.
But not you. Not America.15 You have acted differently. You've condemned the Iranian regime for its genocidal
aims. You’ve passed tough sanctions against Iran. History will salute you America.
President Obama has said that the United States is determined to prevent Iran from developing nuclear
weapons. He successfully led the Security Council to adopt sanctions against Iran. You in Congress passed
even tougher sanctions. These words and deeds are vitally important.16
Yet the Ayatollah regime briefly suspended its nuclear program only once, in 2003, when it feared the
possibility of military action. That same year, Muammar Qadaffi gave up his nuclear weapons program, and
for the same reason. The more Iran believes that all options are on the table, the less the chance of
confrontation. This is why I ask you to continue to send an unequivocal message: That America will never
permit Iran to develop nuclear weapons.
As for Israel, if history has taught the Jewish people anything, it is that we must take calls for our destruction
seriously. We are a nation that rose from the ashes of the Holocaust. When we say never again, we mean
never again. 17Israel always reserves the right to defend itself.
My friends, while Israel will be ever vigilant in its defense, we will never give up on our quest for peace. I
guess we’ll give it up when we achieve it. Israel wants peace. Israel needs peace. We've achieved historic
peace agreements with Egypt and Jordan that have held up for decades.
I remember what it was like before we had peace. I was nearly killed in a firefight inside the Suez Canal. I
mean that literally. I battled terrorists along both banks of the Jordan River. Too many Israelis have lost
loved ones. I know their grief. I lost my brother.
So no one in Israel wants a return to those terrible days. The peace with Egypt and Jordan has long served
as an anchor of stability and peace in the heart of the Middle East.
This peace should be bolstered by economic and political support to all those who remain committed to
peace.18
The peace agreements with Egypt and Jordan are vital. But they're not enough. We must also find a way to
forge a lasting peace with the Palestinians19. Two years ago, I publicly committed to a solution of two states
for two peoples: A Palestinian state alongside the Jewish state20.
I am willing to make painful compromises to achieve this historic peace21. As the leader of Israel, it is my
responsibility to lead my people to peace.
This is not easy for me. I recognize that in a genuine peace, we will be required to give up parts of the
Jewish homeland. In Judea and Samaria, the Jewish people are not foreign occupiers.22 We are not the
British in India. We are not the Belgians in the Congo.
This is the land of our forefathers, the Land of Israel, to which Abraham brought the idea of one God, where
David set out to confront Goliath, and where Isaiah saw a vision of eternal peace. No distortion of history
can deny the four thousand year old bond, between the Jewish people and the Jewish land.
But there is another truth: The Palestinians share this small land with us. We seek a peace in which they will
be neither Israel’s subjects nor its citizens. They should enjoy a national life of dignity as a free, viable and
independent people in their own state.23 They should enjoy a prosperous economy, where their creativity and
initiative can flourish.
We've already seen the beginnings of what is possible. In the last two years,
the Palestinians have begun to build a better life for themselves. Prime Minister Fayad has led this effort. I
wish him a speedy recovery from his recent operation.
We've helped the Palestinian economy by removing hundreds of barriers and roadblocks24 to the free flow of
goods and people. The results have been nothing short of remarkable. The Palestinian economy is
booming. It's growing by more than 10% a year.
Palestinian cities look very different today than they did just a few years ago. They have shopping malls,
movie theaters, restaurants, banks. They even have e-businesses. This is all happening without peace.
Imagine what could happen with peace. Peace would herald a new day for both peoples. It would make the
dream of a broader Arab-Israeli peace a realistic possibility.
So now here is the question. You have to ask it. If the benefits of peace with the Palestinians are so clear,
why has peace eluded us? Because all six Israeli Prime Ministers since the signing of Oslo accords agreed
to establish a Palestinian state. Myself included. So why has peace not been achieved? Because so far, the
Palestinians have been unwilling to accept a Palestinian state, if it meant accepting a Jewish state alongside
it.
You see, our conflict has never been about the establishment of a Palestinian state. It has always been
about the existence of the Jewish state.25 This is what this conflict is about. In 1947, the United Nations voted
to partition the land into a Jewish state and an Arab state. The Jews said yes. The Palestinians said no. In
recent years, the Palestinians twice refused generous offers by Israeli Prime Ministers, to establish a
Palestinian state on virtually all the territory won by Israel in the Six Day War.
They were simply unwilling to end the conflict. And I regret to say this: They continue to educate their
children to hate.26 They continue to name public squares after terrorists. And worst of all, they continue to
perpetuate the fantasy that Israel will one day be flooded by the descendants of Palestinian refugees.
My friends, this must come to an end. President Abbas must do what I have done. I stood before my people,
and I told you it wasn’t easy for me, and I said… "I will accept a Palestinian state."27 It is time for President
Abbas to stand before his people and say… "I will accept a Jewish state."28
Those six words will change history. They will make clear to the Palestinians that this conflict must come to
an end. That they are not building a state to continue the conflict with Israel, but to end it. They will convince
the people of Israel that they have a true partner for peace.29 With such a partner, the people of Israel will be
prepared to make a far reaching compromise. I will be prepared to make a far reaching compromise.
This compromise must reflect the dramatic demographic changes that have occurred since 1967. The vast
majority of the 650,000 Israelis who live beyond the 1967 lines, reside in neighborhoods and suburbs of
Jerusalem and Greater Tel Aviv.
These areas are densely populated but geographically quite small. Under any realistic peace agreement,
these areas, as well as other places of critical strategic and national importance, will be incorporated into the
final borders of Israel.
The status of the settlements will be decided only in negotiations. But we must also be honest. So I am
saying today something that should be said publicly by anyone serious about peace. In any peace
agreement that ends the conflict, some settlements will end up beyond Israel’s borders. The precise
delineation of those borders must be negotiated. We will be very generous on the size of a future Palestinian
state. But as President Obama said, the border will be different than the one that existed on June 4, 1967.
Israel will not return to the indefensible lines of 1967.
We recognize that a Palestinian state must be big enough to be viable, independent and prosperous.
President Obama rightly referred to Israel as the homeland of the Jewish people, just as he referred to the
future Palestinian state as the homeland of the Palestinian people. Jews from around the world have a right
to immigrate to the Jewish state. Palestinians from around the world should have a right to immigrate, if they
so choose, to a Palestinian state. This means that the Palestinian refugee problem will be resolved outside
the borders of Israel.
As for Jerusalem, only a democratic Israel has protected freedom of worship for all faiths in the city30.
Jerusalem must never again be divided. Jerusalem must remain the united capital of Israel. I know that this
is a difficult issue for Palestinians. But I believe with creativity and goodwill a solution can be found.
This is the peace I plan to forge with a Palestinian partner committed to peace. But you know very well, that
in the Middle East, the only peace that will hold is a peace you can defend.31
So peace must be anchored in security. In recent years, Israel withdrew from South Lebanon and Gaza. But
we didn't get peace. Instead, we got 12,000 thousand rockets fired from those areas on our cities, on our
children, by Hezbollah and Hamas. The UN peacekeepers in Lebanon failed to prevent the smuggling of this
weaponry. The European observers in Gaza evaporated overnight. So if Israel simply walked out of the
territories, the flow of weapons into a future Palestinian state would be unchecked. Missiles fired from it
could reach virtually every home in Israel in less than a minute. I want you to think about that too. Imagine
that right now we all had less than 60 seconds to find shelter from an incoming rocket. Would you live that
way? Would anyone live that way? Well, we aren’t going to live that way either.32
The truth is that Israel needs unique security arrangements because of its unique size. Israel is one of the
smallest countries in the world. Mr. Vice President, I'll grant you this. It’s bigger than Delaware. It’s even
bigger than Rhode Island. But that’s about it. Israel on the 1967 lines would be half the width of the
Washington Beltway.
Now here’s a bit of nostalgia. I first came to Washington thirty years ago as a young diplomat. It took me a
while, but I finally figured it out: There is an America beyond the Beltway. But Israel on the 1967 lines would
be only nine miles wide. So much for strategic depth.
So it is therefore absolutely vital for Israel’s security that a Palestinian state be fully demilitarized. And it is
vital that Israel maintain a long-term military presence along the Jordan River. Solid security arrangements
on the ground are necessary not only to protect the peace, they are necessary to protect Israel in case the
peace unravels. For in our unstable region, no one can guarantee that our peace partners today will be there
tomorrow.33
And when I say tomorrow, I don't mean some distant time in the future. I mean -- tomorrow. Peace can be
achieved only around the negotiating table. The Palestinian attempt to impose a settlement through the
United Nations will not bring peace. It should be forcefully opposed by all those who want to see this conflict
end.
I appreciate the President’s clear position on this issue. Peace cannot be imposed. It must be negotiated.
But it can only be negotiated with partners committed to peace.34
And Hamas is not a partner for peace. Hamas remains committed to Israel's destruction and to terrorism.
They have a charter. That charter not only calls for the obliteration of Israel, but says ‘kill the Jews wherever
you find them’. Hamas’ leader condemned the killing of Osama bin Laden and praised him as a holy warrior.
Now again I want to make this clear. Israel is prepared to sit down today and negotiate peace with the
Palestinian Authority.35 I believe we can fashion a brilliant future of peace for our children. But Israel will not
negotiate with a Palestinian government backed by the Palestinian version of Al Qaeda.36
So I say to President Abbas: Tear up your pact with Hamas! Sit down and negotiate! Make peace with the
Jewish state! And if you do, I promise you this. Israel will not be the last country to welcome a Palestinian
state as a new member of the United Nations. It will be the first to do so.37
My friends, the momentous trials of the last century, and the unfolding events of this century, attest to the
decisive role of the United States in advancing peace and defending freedom. Providence entrusted the
United States to be the guardian of liberty. All peoples who cherish freedom owe a profound debt of
gratitude to your great nation. Among the most grateful nations is my nation, the people of Israel, who have
fought for their liberty and survival against impossible odds, in ancient and modern times alike.
I speak on behalf of the Jewish people and the Jewish state when I say to you, representatives of America,
Thank you. Thank you for your unwavering support for Israel. Thank you for ensuring that the flame of
freedom burns bright throughout the world. May God bless all of you. And may God forever bless the United
States of America.
Speech by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to a Joint Meeting of the United States Congress
May 24, 2011
I am deeply honored by your warm welcome. And I am deeply honored that you have given me the
opportunity to address Congress a second time.
Mr. Vice President, do you remember the time we were the new kids in town?
And I do see a lot of old friends here. And I do see a lot of new friends of Israel here. Democrats and
Republicans alike.
Israel has no better friend than America1. And America has no better friend than Israel. We stand together to
defend democracy. We stand together to advance peace. We stand together to fight terrorism.
Congratulations America, Congratulations, Mr. President. You got bin Laden. Good riddance!2
In an unstable Middle East, Israel is the one anchor of stability. In a region of shifting alliances, Israel is
America’s unwavering ally. Israel has always been pro-American. Israel will always be pro-American.
My friends, you don’t need to do nation building in Israel. We’re already built. You don’t need to export
democracy to Israel. We’ve already got it. You don’t need to send American troops to defend Israel. We
defend ourselves. You’ve been very generous in giving us tools to do the job of defending Israel on our own.
Thank you all, and thank you President Obama, for your steadfast commitment to Israel’s security.3 I know
economic times are tough. I deeply appreciate this.
Support for Israel’s security is a wise investment in our common future. For an epic battle is now unfolding in
the Middle East, between tyranny and freedom.4 A great convulsion is shaking the earth from the Khyber
Pass to the Straits of Gibraltar. The tremors have shattered states and toppled governments. And we can all
see that the ground is still shifting. Now this historic moment holds the promise of a new dawn of freedom
and opportunity. Millions of young people are determined to change their future. We all look at them. They
muster courage. They risk their lives. They demand dignity. They desire liberty.
These extraordinary scenes in Tunis and Cairo, evoke those of Berlin and Prague in 1989. Yet as we share
their hopes, but we also must also remember that those hopes could be snuffed out as they were in Tehran
in 1979. You remember what happened then. The brief democratic spring in Iran was cut short by a
ferocious and unforgiving tyranny. This same tyranny smothered Lebanon’s democratic Cedar Revolution,
and inflicted on that long-suffering country, the medieval rule of Hezbollah.
So today, the Middle East stands at a fateful crossroads. Like all of you, I pray
that the peoples of the region choose the path less travelled, the path of liberty. No one knows what this
path consists of better than you. This path is not paved by elections alone. It is paved when governments
permit protests in town squares, when limits are placed on the powers of rulers5, when judges are beholden
to laws and not men, and when human rights cannot be crushed by tribal loyalties or mob rule.
Israel has always embraced this path, in the Middle East has long rejected it. In a region where women are
stoned, gays are hanged, Christians are persecuted, Israel stands out. It is different.
As the great English writer George Eliot predicted over a century ago, that once established, the Jewish
state will "shine like a bright star of freedom amid the despotisms of the East.” Well, she was right. We have
a free press, independent courts, an open economy, rambunctious parliamentary debates. You think you
guys are tough on one another in Congress? Come spend a day in the Knesset. Be my guest.
Courageous Arab protesters, are now struggling to secure these very same rights for their peoples, for their
societies.6 We're proud that over one million Arab citizens of Israel have been enjoying these rights for
decades. Of the 300 million Arabs in the Middle East and North Africa, only Israel’s Arab citizens enjoy real
democratic rights. I want you to stop for a second and think about that. Of those 300 million Arabs, less than
one-half of one-percent are truly free, and they're all citizens of Israel!
This startling fact reveals a basic truth: Israel is not what is wrong about the Middle East. Israel is what is
right about the Middle East.7
Israel fully supports the desire of Arab peoples in our region to live freely. We long for the day when Israel
will be one of many real democracies in the Middle East.
Fifteen years ago, I stood at this very podium, and said that democracy must start to take root in the Arab
World. Well, it's begun to take root.8This beginning holds the promise of a brilliant future of peace and
prosperity. For I believe that a Middle East that is genuinely democratic will be a Middle East truly at peace.9
But while we hope and work for the best, we must also recognize that powerful forces10 oppose this future.
They oppose modernity. They oppose democracy. They oppose peace.
Foremost among these forces is Iran. The tyranny in Tehran brutalizes its own people. It supports attacks
against American troops in Afghanistan and Iraq. It subjugates Lebanon and Gaza. It sponsors terror
worldwide.11
When I last stood here, I spoke of the dire consequences of Iran developing nuclear weapons. Now time is
running out, and the hinge of history may soon turn. For the greatest danger facing humanity could soon be
upon us: A militant Islamic regime armed with nuclear weapons.
Militant Islam12threatens the world. It threatens Islam. I have no doubt that it will ultimately be defeated. It will
eventually succumb to the forces of freedom and progress. But like other fanaticisms that were doomed to
fail, militant Islam could exact a horrific price from all of us before its inevitable demise.
A nuclear-armed Iran13 would ignite a nuclear arms race in the Middle East. It would give terrorists a nuclear
umbrella. It would make the nightmare of nuclear terrorism a clear and present danger throughout the world.
I want you to understand what this means. They could put the bomb anywhere. They could put it on a
missile. It could be on a container ship in a port, or in a suitcase on a subway.
Now the threat to my country cannot be overstated. Those who dismiss it are sticking their heads in the
sand. Less than seven decades after six million Jews were murdered, Iran's leaders deny the Holocaust of
the Jewish people, while calling for the annihilation of the Jewish state.
Leaders who spew such venom14, should be banned from every respectable forum on the planet. But there is
something that makes the outrage even greater: The lack of outrage. In much of the international
community, the calls for our destruction are met with utter silence. It is even worse because there are many
who rush to condemn Israel for defending itself against Iran’s terror proxies.
But not you. Not America.15 You have acted differently. You've condemned the Iranian regime for its genocidal
aims. You’ve passed tough sanctions against Iran. History will salute you America.
President Obama has said that the United States is determined to prevent Iran from developing nuclear
weapons. He successfully led the Security Council to adopt sanctions against Iran. You in Congress passed
even tougher sanctions. These words and deeds are vitally important.16
Yet the Ayatollah regime briefly suspended its nuclear program only once, in 2003, when it feared the
possibility of military action. That same year, Muammar Qadaffi gave up his nuclear weapons program, and
for the same reason. The more Iran believes that all options are on the table, the less the chance of
confrontation. This is why I ask you to continue to send an unequivocal message: That America will never
permit Iran to develop nuclear weapons.
As for Israel, if history has taught the Jewish people anything, it is that we must take calls for our destruction
seriously. We are a nation that rose from the ashes of the Holocaust. When we say never again, we mean
never again. 17Israel always reserves the right to defend itself.
My friends, while Israel will be ever vigilant in its defense, we will never give up on our quest for peace. I
guess we’ll give it up when we achieve it. Israel wants peace. Israel needs peace. We've achieved historic
peace agreements with Egypt and Jordan that have held up for decades.
I remember what it was like before we had peace. I was nearly killed in a firefight inside the Suez Canal. I
mean that literally. I battled terrorists along both banks of the Jordan River. Too many Israelis have lost
loved ones. I know their grief. I lost my brother.
So no one in Israel wants a return to those terrible days. The peace with Egypt and Jordan has long served
as an anchor of stability and peace in the heart of the Middle East.
This peace should be bolstered by economic and political support to all those who remain committed to
peace.18
The peace agreements with Egypt and Jordan are vital. But they're not enough. We must also find a way to
forge a lasting peace with the Palestinians19. Two years ago, I publicly committed to a solution of two states
for two peoples: A Palestinian state alongside the Jewish state20.
I am willing to make painful compromises to achieve this historic peace21. As the leader of Israel, it is my
responsibility to lead my people to peace.
This is not easy for me. I recognize that in a genuine peace, we will be required to give up parts of the
Jewish homeland. In Judea and Samaria, the Jewish people are not foreign occupiers.22 We are not the
British in India. We are not the Belgians in the Congo.
This is the land of our forefathers, the Land of Israel, to which Abraham brought the idea of one God, where
David set out to confront Goliath, and where Isaiah saw a vision of eternal peace. No distortion of history
can deny the four thousand year old bond, between the Jewish people and the Jewish land.
But there is another truth: The Palestinians share this small land with us. We seek a peace in which they will
be neither Israel’s subjects nor its citizens. They should enjoy a national life of dignity as a free, viable and
independent people in their own state.23 They should enjoy a prosperous economy, where their creativity and
initiative can flourish.
We've already seen the beginnings of what is possible. In the last two years,
the Palestinians have begun to build a better life for themselves. Prime Minister Fayad has led this effort. I
wish him a speedy recovery from his recent operation.
We've helped the Palestinian economy by removing hundreds of barriers and roadblocks24 to the free flow of
goods and people. The results have been nothing short of remarkable. The Palestinian economy is
booming. It's growing by more than 10% a year.
Palestinian cities look very different today than they did just a few years ago. They have shopping malls,
movie theaters, restaurants, banks. They even have e-businesses. This is all happening without peace.
Imagine what could happen with peace. Peace would herald a new day for both peoples. It would make the
dream of a broader Arab-Israeli peace a realistic possibility.
So now here is the question. You have to ask it. If the benefits of peace with the Palestinians are so clear,
why has peace eluded us? Because all six Israeli Prime Ministers since the signing of Oslo accords agreed
to establish a Palestinian state. Myself included. So why has peace not been achieved? Because so far, the
Palestinians have been unwilling to accept a Palestinian state, if it meant accepting a Jewish state alongside
it.
You see, our conflict has never been about the establishment of a Palestinian state. It has always been
about the existence of the Jewish state.25 This is what this conflict is about. In 1947, the United Nations voted
to partition the land into a Jewish state and an Arab state. The Jews said yes. The Palestinians said no. In
recent years, the Palestinians twice refused generous offers by Israeli Prime Ministers, to establish a
Palestinian state on virtually all the territory won by Israel in the Six Day War.
They were simply unwilling to end the conflict. And I regret to say this: They continue to educate their
children to hate.26 They continue to name public squares after terrorists. And worst of all, they continue to
perpetuate the fantasy that Israel will one day be flooded by the descendants of Palestinian refugees.
My friends, this must come to an end. President Abbas must do what I have done. I stood before my people,
and I told you it wasn’t easy for me, and I said… "I will accept a Palestinian state."27 It is time for President
Abbas to stand before his people and say… "I will accept a Jewish state."28
Those six words will change history. They will make clear to the Palestinians that this conflict must come to
an end. That they are not building a state to continue the conflict with Israel, but to end it. They will convince
the people of Israel that they have a true partner for peace.29 With such a partner, the people of Israel will be
prepared to make a far reaching compromise. I will be prepared to make a far reaching compromise.
This compromise must reflect the dramatic demographic changes that have occurred since 1967. The vast
majority of the 650,000 Israelis who live beyond the 1967 lines, reside in neighborhoods and suburbs of
Jerusalem and Greater Tel Aviv.
These areas are densely populated but geographically quite small. Under any realistic peace agreement,
these areas, as well as other places of critical strategic and national importance, will be incorporated into the
final borders of Israel.
The status of the settlements will be decided only in negotiations. But we must also be honest. So I am
saying today something that should be said publicly by anyone serious about peace. In any peace
agreement that ends the conflict, some settlements will end up beyond Israel’s borders. The precise
delineation of those borders must be negotiated. We will be very generous on the size of a future Palestinian
state. But as President Obama said, the border will be different than the one that existed on June 4, 1967.
Israel will not return to the indefensible lines of 1967.
We recognize that a Palestinian state must be big enough to be viable, independent and prosperous.
President Obama rightly referred to Israel as the homeland of the Jewish people, just as he referred to the
future Palestinian state as the homeland of the Palestinian people. Jews from around the world have a right
to immigrate to the Jewish state. Palestinians from around the world should have a right to immigrate, if they
so choose, to a Palestinian state. This means that the Palestinian refugee problem will be resolved outside
the borders of Israel.
As for Jerusalem, only a democratic Israel has protected freedom of worship for all faiths in the city30.
Jerusalem must never again be divided. Jerusalem must remain the united capital of Israel. I know that this
is a difficult issue for Palestinians. But I believe with creativity and goodwill a solution can be found.
This is the peace I plan to forge with a Palestinian partner committed to peace. But you know very well, that
in the Middle East, the only peace that will hold is a peace you can defend.31
So peace must be anchored in security. In recent years, Israel withdrew from South Lebanon and Gaza. But
we didn't get peace. Instead, we got 12,000 thousand rockets fired from those areas on our cities, on our
children, by Hezbollah and Hamas. The UN peacekeepers in Lebanon failed to prevent the smuggling of this
weaponry. The European observers in Gaza evaporated overnight. So if Israel simply walked out of the
territories, the flow of weapons into a future Palestinian state would be unchecked. Missiles fired from it
could reach virtually every home in Israel in less than a minute. I want you to think about that too. Imagine
that right now we all had less than 60 seconds to find shelter from an incoming rocket. Would you live that
way? Would anyone live that way? Well, we aren’t going to live that way either.32
The truth is that Israel needs unique security arrangements because of its unique size. Israel is one of the
smallest countries in the world. Mr. Vice President, I'll grant you this. It’s bigger than Delaware. It’s even
bigger than Rhode Island. But that’s about it. Israel on the 1967 lines would be half the width of the
Washington Beltway.
Now here’s a bit of nostalgia. I first came to Washington thirty years ago as a young diplomat. It took me a
while, but I finally figured it out: There is an America beyond the Beltway. But Israel on the 1967 lines would
be only nine miles wide. So much for strategic depth.
So it is therefore absolutely vital for Israel’s security that a Palestinian state be fully demilitarized. And it is
vital that Israel maintain a long-term military presence along the Jordan River. Solid security arrangements
on the ground are necessary not only to protect the peace, they are necessary to protect Israel in case the
peace unravels. For in our unstable region, no one can guarantee that our peace partners today will be there
tomorrow.33
And when I say tomorrow, I don't mean some distant time in the future. I mean -- tomorrow. Peace can be
achieved only around the negotiating table. The Palestinian attempt to impose a settlement through the
United Nations will not bring peace. It should be forcefully opposed by all those who want to see this conflict
end.
I appreciate the President’s clear position on this issue. Peace cannot be imposed. It must be negotiated.
But it can only be negotiated with partners committed to peace.34
And Hamas is not a partner for peace. Hamas remains committed to Israel's destruction and to terrorism.
They have a charter. That charter not only calls for the obliteration of Israel, but says ‘kill the Jews wherever
you find them’. Hamas’ leader condemned the killing of Osama bin Laden and praised him as a holy warrior.
Now again I want to make this clear. Israel is prepared to sit down today and negotiate peace with the
Palestinian Authority.35 I believe we can fashion a brilliant future of peace for our children. But Israel will not
negotiate with a Palestinian government backed by the Palestinian version of Al Qaeda.36
So I say to President Abbas: Tear up your pact with Hamas! Sit down and negotiate! Make peace with the
Jewish state! And if you do, I promise you this. Israel will not be the last country to welcome a Palestinian
state as a new member of the United Nations. It will be the first to do so.37
My friends, the momentous trials of the last century, and the unfolding events of this century, attest to the
decisive role of the United States in advancing peace and defending freedom. Providence entrusted the
United States to be the guardian of liberty. All peoples who cherish freedom owe a profound debt of
gratitude to your great nation. Among the most grateful nations is my nation, the people of Israel, who have
fought for their liberty and survival against impossible odds, in ancient and modern times alike.
I speak on behalf of the Jewish people and the Jewish state when I say to you, representatives of America,
Thank you. Thank you for your unwavering support for Israel. Thank you for ensuring that the flame of
freedom burns bright throughout the world. May God bless all of you. And may God forever bless the United
States of America.
- With friends like America, who needs enemies? A series of American Presidents have let Israel down and sabotaged her, beginning with Carter. Obama must be numbered among the enemies of Israel. The Congress and electorate are friends of Israel, but they don't make our foreign policy.
- That is a prime example of meaningless emotional bonding, much too shallow. "Getting" Usama, while necessary, is insufficient.
- That statement should have been dripping with sarcasm, I failed to detect any. Obama is not committed to Israel's security, far from it.
- The real battle is between tyrants, not between tyranny and liberty. Those who seek liberty are an insignificant minority, unlikely to prevail.
- Netanyahu brought out one crucial point concealed by Obama: the necessity of limited government. Without it, libertarian revolts are doomed to failure.
- One crucial element is missing: acknowledgment of the fact that those rights are contradicted by Islam; the two are incompatible.
- That brilliant statement of the blindingly obvious truth is a slap in the face to the E.U. & U.N. It should be restated early and often.
- Until Islam is removed, the seed will fall upon rocks and be consumed by birds or scorched by the sun. It can not sprout and blossom until Islam is eliminated.
- Peace is not a function of democracy. Democracy and aggression are not mutually exclusive. Democracies will only be peaceful if their electorates want peace and eschew aggression.
- The powerful force which opposes peace & freedom is Islam. Netanyahu should have named it.
- Why does Iran oppose liberty and sponsor terrorism? What "powerful force" motivates those policies? "Its Islam, stupid!".
- If you thought my headline was outrageous, now you will learn the reason, its in that statement: "militant Islam" "Its Islam, stupid!". The name stands alone, without adjectives, qualifiers or modifiers. "Its Islam, stupid!". Islam's purpose is the accrual of power, wealth & income. Its method is martial. These fatal facts are fully documented in another blog post: Islam's Mercenary Mission, there you will find the relevant ayat & ahadith quoted and linked. Islam is militant by definition.
- Pakistan already has the bomb. It is just a matter of time before the regime falls to those more ready to use the bomb. Nobody is willing to take effective action against Iran to prevent it from building a nuke.
- The leadership of Iran is not the problem. Its Islam, stupid!". Open the Qur'an to 9:29 and read it. Read JM Rodwell's translation for its outstanding clarity. Turn next to 7:167. Who will Allah send to torment the Jews? Next, read Sahih Bukhari 4.52.177. Iran did not invent Islamic genocide of Jews. Who did? For the answer, turn to 8:67.
- Every time Israel counter attacks, our President demands "restraint". Have you so soon forgotten the bitter bitching about "Cast Lead"?
- Those sanctions are necessary and insufficient. Iran's nuke program must be destroyed by military force.
- This line had strong emphasis in the video and for good reason. There is no reason why Israel should submit to genocide.
- A nice retroactive swipe at Obama's support for the revolt against Mubarak. It will probably be misinterpreted to support paying tribute to the new Muslim Brotherhood regime.
- Islam does not make lasting peace, only ten year hudnas, which are contracts at will, subject to revocation when the Muslims gain sufficient strength to renew their aggression.
- They do not want a state, if they did, they would have accepted the partition plan in '47 instead of waging war against Israel. They want Israel destroyed and the Jews massacred. Nothing less will satisfy their blood lust. Besides which, they are not a people, they are undifferentiated Arabs from Egypt & Syria.
- Compromising, negotiating & appeasing Islam result in more aggression, not in peace. All such gestures are perceived as signs of weakness, which emboldens the predator. Land for "peace" is a fool's bargain, you will have neither land nor peace.
- A rarely stated truth: Jews are occupied, not occupying. Few will accept that fact.
- It is called Jordan.
- When you remove check points and security barriers, Jews die as a result, not a wise move.
- In a previous blog post:Victory: the Path to Peace. I detailed the Islamic foundation of violence against Israel. Rejectionism is about Allah's promise of victory and his failure to make it permanent. Israel's recovery of stolen hand and Islamic failure to reconquer it proves Allah to be an impotent idol. Muslims can not tolerate that blasphemous reality.
- Inculcating hate in the schools is an egregious violation of the Oslo Accords. While that violation continues, no new negotiation should be started.
- A foolish act of treason against Israel and the human race.
- The demand is impossible. Even if possible, no such statement could be trusted by any sentient person. Tolerance of Israel is tantamount to apostasy.
- In that case, the people of Israel would be damned fools, doomed to destruction and they would deserve it. Islam is a lie and Muslims are liars. Arafat talked peace in English to the press and war in Arabic to his brethren.
- That is a damned lie. Jews and Christians are restricted in their access to the Temple Mount and arrested if they attempt to pray there.
- Cognitive dissonance is right on the surface of that statement, easily seen and recognized. If Muslims wanted peace, the conflict would end. Instead, they want victory and expanded conquest. Peace must be complete, absolute, exclusive and permanent. It can not exist while Muslims are Hellbent on world conquest.
- Then start expelling Muslims from the land of Israel, send them home, far beyond your borders. Rocket fire will only stop when there are no living Muslims within rocket range.
- More cognitive dissonance: he knows that peace is impossible but he can't confess his knowledge, he can only vaguely imply it.
- Cognitive dissonance is clearly evident. We all know blessed well that Abbas has no interest in peace: "from the river to the sea". Israel has no partner for peace, never had one and never will.
- What do HAMAS and P.A. have in common? They are Muslims. They believe the same crap. They observe the same "religious obligation" to make annual military attacks against disbelievers. "Its Islam, stupid!". How can Netanyahu be so damned stupid?!
- Al-Qaeda, HAMAS Muslim Brotherhood & Islam are one. They are all the same. Read the HAMAS Charter. "The Islamic Resistance Movement: The Movement's programme is Islam. From it, it draws its ideas, ways of thinking and understanding of the universe, life and man. It resorts to it for judgement in all its conduct, and it is inspired by it for guidance of its steps." ... "Allah is its target, the Prophet is its model, the Koran its constitution: Jihad is its path and death for the sake of Allah is the loftiest of its wishes." Anyone having a brain located outside of his anus should be able to comprehend the obvious identity. Al-Qaeda and HAMAS are Al-Ikhwan offshoots. The HAMAS Charter echoes that of the Brotherhood. Get a clue, for Chrissake!!! Why in Hell is it called the Muslim Brotherhood? "Its Islam, stupid!"!!!
- Idiot! There are 57 Islamic members outvoting us already, we don't need any more!! Such stupidity is incomprehensible.
