Obama - Closer to the Palestinians

It seems Aaron David Miller had an epiphany (k.t=Jennifer Rubin via ML)

...Obama appears to believe that Israel needs to understand that if it doesn't move, the United States will be hard pressed to continue to give it complete support. In this respect, when it comes to Israel, Obama is more like Jimmy Carter minus the biblical interest or attachment, or like Bush 41 minus a strategy. My sense is that, if he could get away with it, the president would like to see a U.S.-Israeli relationship that is not just less exclusive, but somewhat less special as well...when it comes to Israel, Obama is more like Jimmy Carter minus the biblical interest or attachment, or like Bush 41 minus a strategy. My sense is that, if he could get away with it, the president would like to see a U.S.-Israeli relationship that is not just less exclusive, but somewhat less special as well...  on the issue of a peace settlement, Obama's views are much closer to the Palestinians than to Israel... the U.S.-Israeli relationship is in for a turbulent period. There will be no transformative moment here for the two main players. If Obama had a wish regarding Israel, it would be that anyone --Shaul Mofaz, Tzipi Livni, Ehud Olmert -- replace Bibi. And when Bibi blows out the candles on his next birthday, he'll be wishing that Mitt Romney defeats Obama in November. It's fascinating to consider that in the two most recent cases where American presidents clashed with Israeli prime ministers -- Carter and Bush 41-- both were defeated.

and this now:

^

Tomasky's Jaw-Drop - And Mine

Michael Tomasky over at The Guardian believes Aaron David Miller who wrote:

Then there's the settlements issue. In 25 years of working on this issue for six secretaries of state, I can't recall one meeting where we had a serious discussion with an Israeli prime minister about the damage that settlement activity—including land confiscation, bypass roads and housing demolitions—does to the peacemaking process.

Here's the comment I left there after closing my jaw:

Michael, you mean you really believe his claptrap? 25 years back is what, 1975? (he hasn't worked for a recent S of S) or let's say 1980. Sorry, I checked: "Miller worked within the United States Department of State for twenty four years (1978-2003). Between 1988 and 2003, Miller served six secretaries of state as an advisor on Arab-Israeli negotiations,"

I have been in personal touch with all the American Consulate-General Political Officers in Jerusalem since 1983 as a representative of the Yesha communities and have met also with the Consulate-Generals themselves, singularly and with others. All have been quite intensive in investigating and gathering info on the Jewish communities in Judea, Samaria and Gaza. Requests for further information came back. I visited the State Dept. in Washington at the Near East Division, met with Philip Wilcox there after he finished his Jerusalem tour and other officials. All had questions based on B'tselem publications and others.

It was obvious and clear that the issue, artificial and untrue as it is, of the "damage" done to the peacemaking process was very much an agenda item that wasn't the personal whim of this or that official. Doesn't ADM recall debates on "obstacle to peace" vs. "unhelpful" or demands for "settlement freeze"? Please. If this is not an outright lie, he's hypnotized himself. Or maybe he missed a few meetings. Just a half year ago, I was contacted to provide info for Condi Rice on a community and its problems with a nearby Arab village. Her harping on the so-called "harassment" issue is maybe what ADM would have liked to see more often but that there was no in-house discussion is an impossibility of belief.

An aside: ask ADM about a conversation he had with a Yesha rep at the Madrid Conference, Mr. LMZ.

and I rechecked. He worked for Baker who pulled the spongeability analogy on US credit vs. investments in "settlements". Who is ADM kidding?

Three Reasons for No Peace

Aaron David Miller counts three reasons for no peace between the Arabs of Judea and Samaria and Israel in an op-ed:-

First, there are the issues...The gaps have now narrowed, perhaps impressively, but closing them, particularly on the identity issues such as Jerusalem and refugees, is still beyond the reach of negotiators and leaders.

...my second point. The dysfunction and confusion in Palestine make a conflict-ending agreement almost impossible. The divisions between Hamas (itself divided) and Fatah (even more divided) are now geographic, political and hard to bridge...

...Third, there is serious dysfunction at the political level in Israel as well. Israel has its own leadership crisis.

Makes it seem so simple.

So simple that Condi Rice has another take:-

The fact that Israel and the Palestinians have not reached a peace agreement and will likely fail to do so by the end of 2008 is "largely due to" political turmoil in Israel, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Sunday night.

"Even though there was not an agreement by the end of the year, it is really largely because of the political situation in Israel," Rice told reporters.

How Now Brown Cow

Sorry, but my mind works associatively and that's the first thing that popped into my mind when I saw this:-

Peace How?

A Forum on Mideast Diplomacy With Yossi Beilin, Daoud Kuttab, Aaron David Miller, Khalil Shikaki and Ephraim Sneh

The Forward, in the sacred right of objective and balanced presentations for their readership, selected these outstanding far-left, radical, progressive and Arab forces (that's not all-inclusive, you can pick and choose from Column A, B, C or/and D) to provide an across-the-board perspective of peace.

What happened to Leonard Fein?

Oh, and The Forward describes them, quite generously, as

a group of Israeli, Palestinian and American experts

Such BS.

And, knowing me, you know what 'brown' is suggesting to me.