New York – I am a big Joe Biden fan. The vice president is an indefatigable defender of U.S. interests abroad. So it pains me to say that on his recent trip to Israel, when Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu’s government rubbed his nose in some new housing plans for contested East Jerusalem, the vice president missed a chance to send a powerful public signal: He should have snapped his notebook shut, gotten right back on Air Force Two, flown home and left the following scribbled note behind: “Message from America to the Israeli government: Friends don’t let friends drive drunk. And right now, you’re driving drunk. You think you can embarrass your only true ally in the world, to satisfy some domestic political need, with no consequences? You have lost total contact with reality. Call us when you’re serious. We need to focus on building our country.”
Subscribe to our Daily Roundup Email
I think that — rather than fuming and making up — would have sent a very useful message for two reasons. First, what the Israelis did played right into a question a lot of people are asking about the Obama team: how tough are these guys? The last thing the president needs, at a time when he is facing down Iran and China — not to mention Congress — is to look like America’s most dependent ally can push him around.
And second, Israel needs a wake-up call. Continuing to build settlements in the West Bank, and even housing in disputed East Jerusalem, is sheer madness. Yasir Arafat accepted that Jewish suburbs there would be under Israeli sovereignty in any peace deal that would also make Arab parts of East Jerusalem the Palestinian capital. Israel’s planned housing expansion now raises questions about whether Israel will ever be willing to concede a Palestinian capital in Arab neighborhoods of East Jerusalem — a big problem.
Israel has already bitten off plenty of the West Bank. If it wants to remain a Jewish democracy, its only priority now should be striking a deal with the Palestinians that would allow it to swap those settlement blocs in the West Bank occupied by Jews for an equal amount of land from Israel for the Palestinians and then reap the benefits — economic and security — of ending the conflict.
Unfortunately, that is not what happened last week. For nine months now, America’s Middle East special envoy, George Mitchell, has been trying to find a way to get any kind of peace talks going between Israelis and Palestinians. The Palestinians don’t trust Netanyahu, and Netanyahu has serious doubts as to whether the divided Palestinian leadership can deliver.
Nevertheless, Mitchell was eventually able to persuade the two sides to agree on “proximity talks” — the Palestinians would sit in Ramallah and the Israelis in Jerusalem and Mitchell would shuttle 30 minutes between them. After a decade of direct talks, this is how far things have fallen.
Mitchell’s and Netanyahu’s aides struck an informal deal: If America got talks going, there would be no announcements of buildings in East Jerusalem, nothing to embarrass the Palestinians and force them to walk. Netanyahu agreed, U.S. officials say, but made clear he couldn’t commit to anything publicly.
So what happened? Biden arrived the day after the proximity talks started and out came an announcement from Israel’s Interior Ministry that Israel had just approved plans for 1,600 new housing units in Arab East Jerusalem.
Netanyahu said he was blindsided. It’s probably true in the narrow sense. The move seems to have been part of a competition between two of Netanyahu’s right-wing Sephardi ministers from the religious Shas Party over who can be the greater champion of building homes for Sephardi orthodox Jews in East Jerusalem. It is a measure of how much Israel takes our support for granted and how out of touch the Israeli religious right is with America’s strategic needs.
Biden — a real friend of Israel’s — was quoted as telling his Israeli interlocutors: “What you are doing here undermines the security of our troops who are fighting in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan. That endangers us and endangers regional peace.”
This whole fracas also distracts us from the potential of this moment: Only a right-wing prime minister, like Netanyahu, can make a deal over the West Bank; Netanyahu’s actual policies on the ground there have helped Palestinians grow their economy and put in place their own rebuilt security force, which is working with the Israeli Army to prevent terrorism; Palestinian leaders Mahmoud Abbas and Salam Fayyad are as genuine and serious about working toward a solution as any Israel can hope to find; Hamas has halted its attacks on Israel from Gaza; with the Sunni Arabs obsessed over the Iran threat, their willingness to work with Israel has never been higher, and the best way to isolate Iran is to take the Palestinian conflict card out of Tehran’s hand.
In sum, there may be a real opportunity here — if Netanyahu chooses to seize it. The Israeli leader needs to make up his mind whether he wants to make history or once again be a footnote to it.
Amazing, Truly Amazing. I am not even going to waste my time with a long response. Simple question? How many civilians has Israel killed in the last many years of “peace attempts” How many have the PEACE LOVING MUSLIMS killed? I love the Liberals, so much, that should all move to one place and impose their ideas on each other.
I guess the definition of ally has been changed to one that follow another countries rules. I wonder if the US requested permission from their only mideast ally prior to attacking not one but two populations.
This is another typical NYT anti-Israel diatribe, and I wish the editors and its op-ed anti-Semites would start finding these things embarrassing.
The land that was taken by Israel in 1967 belongs to Israel, fair and square. No one asked any of the Arab countries to wage war. It’s high time the rest of world understood that.
The Palestinians are not a nation, and they never were. Check history. They were ejected from Jordan. If they don’t like it in Israel, go Home! That’s Jordan.
Israel can build anywhere it wants on its own land. Not Biden, Obama, EU, the UN, or any other “power” has any say in the matter. The PA keeps making points of negotiation into prerequisites to talk. Meanwhile, they continue to engage in terror, and Israel cannot demand that terror stop as a prerequisite.
NYT & Friedman: when you will deal with this affair with reason and fairness, I’ll pay attention. Otherwise, the NYT should be used for housetraining and cleaning up after puppies.
just from reading the headlines, to me it sounds like the ny times is drunk and even more so the guy in the white house and joe biden. to me it sounds like those people should be attending alcholics ananomis before they do anything.
It amazes me -time and time again- how sane people are led to believe that there’s a chance of peace in the region!
We all know it, and was proven many times in the past, peace aint happening!
When you will live in Israel and pay taxes in Israel you can express your opinion In the mean time NO ONE asked you for your opinion. Are you African American or one of those leftist Jews like Emanuel and Axelrod?
Listen to this. The national securitiy of the American people has been jeprodized by Israel building a large apartment building.
I think the one who s drunk is the guy writing this article.
May G-d grant the leaders of Israel the strength to stand up for what is right and not give up even one inch of our Holy Land to those who wish to destroy us. So-called peace talks have PROVEN to lead to r”l more deaths and tragedies in Israel.
Israel, Netanyahu, stand strong and G-d will be with you!
Don’t get sawyed by these people who couldn’t care less if we live or die!!!
I think the person who wrote this oped is drunk. Israel has given up plenty of territory in order to appease the murderers. No other country has ever given up so much. Is this the thank you we get from our “Friends”? With such friends who needs enemies. Israel should have told Biden and Obama go mind your own buissiness
Can the “Palestinians” people be relocated to San Fransisco?
Israel building housing is not affecting the American troops. Its the people that oppose the existence of Israel that are affecting the American troops and the reason that America is there in the first place.
The writer is right-America needs to focus on building its country. So America should stop trying to make “peace” talks, stop trying to deal with “Palestinians”, and focus on building the US economy and making it “one nation under G-d” by strengthening the seven laws of Noah.
Hello again NYT . why repeat yourself with your anti Isreal stance? Has your fan club or publication soared? What’s embarresing is moss of your writers are jews. Than again I must assume they must be converts to be that anti semetic.
First, Freidman is Jewish and not an anti-semite; sewcond he is the winner of 3 Pulitzers and a major mumcheh in foreign affairs – though clearly not as expert as those writing on this blog while stiull in their pajamas.
Hey NY Slimes, why don’t you report on how Obama snubbed the Israeli delegation about a year ago? I remember something about it but it sure wasn’t from your fishwrap.
Oh btw Slimes, can I call you Slimes? The area they were talking about wasn’t in East Jerusalem, unless of course you go all the way around the world, in which case everything is in East Jerusalem.
All of you who think he is wrong and claiming what about the Palestinians are all nuts. You are right, there will be no peace in Israel, there hasn’t been in 2000+ years and there won’t be now. However, the author of this editorial is not saying that they shouldn’t build but that Israel should have more tact than to announce plans of building more apartments contrary to what their main ally is saying in public. The U.S. will never totally alienate Israel, it just won’t happen. All this editor is asking is that the Israelis don’t muddy the waters, especially right when the U.S. VP visits to “state” the exact opposite.
Hey USA – BUD OUT OF ISRAEL”S DECISIONS. People who live in glass houses shouldn’t be throwing stones – GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER in your country first.
The USofA is its own worst enemy and here’s why. Why is it that the US is so obsessed with solving the Israeli Palestinian conflict. They’re always busy sending diplomats and government officials to Israel in an attempt to solve this everlasting conflict. Thus, the Palistinian’s feel they don’t have to do anything because the US will deliver Israel to them on a silver platter, sooner or later. If the US (and Europe) are so eager to make peace the best hey can and should do is NOTHING, that’s right NOTHING, the result of which will be that the Palistinian’s will realise that they aren’t the world’s center of attention anymore and will eventually come to the table with Israel with realistic terms and expectations leading to a final settlement of this conflict once and for all.
If the medine wants to right its suicidal course, it has to tell the US, thank you but we answer to a Higher Authority. Then, it needs to refuse aid and begin selling arms to the next superpowers, India and China, both highly learned societies with little history of anti-Semitism.
The US is in decline, finally about to get its due for refusing to admit Jewish refugees during the Shoah. Had it done so, the talent it would have gotten would have ensured its place at the forefront of the world for many generations (and much more siyata deShmaya).
Let there continue not to be peace talks ie land for terror. Talking about giving away land, leads to a worse possition for israel.
I am embarrased to share a last name with that mamzer. When the day of reckoning comes Tom Friedman will have a lot anti-semitism he has caused to answer for….and this article doesn’t even touch his hatred for frum yidden. This man is real “sonai Yisroel” who married a wealthy woman from Chicago whose family is close to President Obama and he doesn’t even disclose it.
“Apartments don’t kill people, terrorists do”
The writer of this article is truly clueless and ignorant about the dynamics of the middle eastern issues, what a sad fool.
What a bigot with blood dripping Anti-Semitism all over this (and every other) article of his….
I am sorry, but the way Netanyahu did it was stupid and crazy. He should at least have waited till V.P.Biden flies back home. The “apology” was even worse.
P.M.Netanyahu’s apology and subsequent claim that everything is now straightened out was ridiculous and insulting.
every concession made by israel endangerd the united states. common sense dictates that arafat who invented modern day terrorism on innocent civillians taught the rest of the arab world that terrorism works. if israel would have destroyed the plo in lebanon, we would clearly no have had the wtc bombing on september 11. obama and his henchmen are endangering every US citizen by being so desperate to reward and further enhance terrorism.
There are 2 million Iraqi refugees and the number is increasing every day. But, is there outcry in the pages of the NYT or on the floor of the UN? It is time to stop apologizing and just build Eretz Yisroel
Any artical that begins with the word “I” is obviously very self centered and self promoting. There is no place for the word “I” in any news report, referring to the reporter. As soon as the word “I” popped up as the first word in the artical, the content was already written.
Without delving into the actual issue of the building & anouncement, Natanyahu’s handling of this affair is mind boggling.
1) Making this declaration with VP Biden in Israel after he came to assure Israel of America’s continued support. Lest we forget, the US is Israel’s only supporter in the world, providing it with billions in foreign aid and loan guarantees.
2) Apologizing and than asserting that the issue is behind us. This joke made a bad situation even worse.
This whole episode was just needless provocation from Israel!!!
the editor of this article should move to a muslim community, and we will see what he has to say after that
what i can’t figure out is why would any jew buy this paper, let alone subscribing to yearly subscriptions? what important news do they provide, that other news outlets don’t report?
With all their loses in daily readers, losing another few thousand jewish readers would be a wake up call to stop bashing israel; this is the only thing we can do, because they seem to be disenchanted with the jewish state. and unfortunately, this is a nuisance that we will have to deal with for the rest of our lives.
Let’s all be brave and not touch that paper again!!!
why did a lot of jews vote for this anti Israel president. i knew that this is going to happen, despite all of obama’s visits to the jewish community’s institutions in chicago. now, once and for all, hopefully, we are learning a lesson.
If Bibi came 2hrs late for dinner the white house would have cancelled it or Pres. Obama would have had a fit. But Biden can come LATE!! The white House messengers lately leave a lot to be desired. Poor manners. Poor diplomacy. Calling a news conference on shabbat is like stabbing Bibi in the back!!
Yasir Arafat accepted that Jewish suburbs there would be under Israeli sovereignty in any peace deal that would also make Arab parts of East Jerusalem what is freidman smoking?? btw his sisiter is a Luby in MIami Beach who disowned this self hating jew
Jews in America most protest! Where are the Jewish orgs? They must speak up to protest! This is not only anti-Israel, it is anti-Jewish. Declaring that Jews may not build homes in YERUSHALAYIM(!) is an affront to all Jews, where ever they may be. First came the condemnation of Israel over the “heritage sites” (yes, me’arat hamachpela is our heritage!!! now comes this.
It is clear what this is really about: this is a pre-emptive diplomatic strike against Israel, to prevent it from attacking Iran. Obama CLAIMED that he is against nuclear Iran, but what he is REALLY against is Israel stopping Iran from going nuclear. He most likely hopes that Israel disappear off the map (r”l – it will never happen!!).
May fellow Jews, we must speak up and criticize, yes CRITICIZE this administration and its treatment of the Jewish people!
Obama and his malchus harisha have launched a political attack against us, the Jewish people! This is not only an “Israeli issue” this is a Jewish issue. He is denying our right to Yerushalayim, of all places!
For all of you who need a PASUK: “Im tishkach yerushalayim tishkach, etc” was not written about “West Jerusalem” which was not even settled then, it was about the so called “occupied East Jerusalem” which, mind you, includes the Har Habayis! Hey, Obama, perhaps you should prosecute all the Jewish people all over the world who have written in their siddur, and pray every day, for the Beis Hamikdash to be rebuilt in — gasp — non other than “OCCUPIED EAST JERUSALEM!”
Fellow yidden, we must speak up and say that this attack on our heritage is not acceptable! If this goes down without a strong voice of protest, they will TRAMPLE all over EY and Yerushalayim.
Thomas Freidman, is an ignorant Jew. He thought It was still Purim,and the Israeli’s were still drinking. So, what is friend for. Warning, Don’t drive while you drink !
I completely disagree with the author of this article. My only issue here if Bibi promised (even privately) not to build in East Jerusalem nad then broke his promise.
I know it happens in politics every day but still very unpleasant to the other side. He should not have promised if the whole thing is true.
This is drivel. Obama doesn’t know his head from his tail and when he gives back all the land to the Native Americans (Indians) that the settlers stole from them, they can talk about the Palestinians.
What garbage!!
Dear Mr. Biden;
In 635, the Muslims occupied Israel after the battle of the Yarmuk. They never made Jerusalem the capital. The regional capital, under Muslim rule, was always Damascus.
In 711, the Muslims invaded Spain. In 1453, after numerous attempts, they seized Constantinople. In the 1500’s, the Venetian garrison on Cyprus surrendered to the Muslims. Despite promised safe conduct, the general and hundreds of his men, were beheaded. In the 1520′ and 1670’s, Vienna was besieged. In the early 1800’s Americans were captured by the Tripoli pirates. Perdicaris, an American citizen, was captured by Ahmed Raisuli in 1906. The Mahdi destroyed a British garrison in Khartoum, beheading General Gordon. The list goes on.
Was that all because Israelis were going to build some apartments in 2010? Give me a break, Mr.VP. Islam lives by the sword, it always has, it always will. Eventually, the sword will destroy it. Stop giving lame excuses for these barbarians!
Look people, I am privilidged to live in Jerusalem and I am as right wing as you can get and not be on the police radar.
However, it was a STUPID thing to announce at that time. I beleive we should build when and where we, as a Jewish Nation want, but the apartments will take years to be built, why not save the announcement until Biden left?
after the many incidents (confrontations from the obama team towards israel) im not surprised how the israelis behaved, this is a result of how they got treated for how thay get treated.
yet to be honest and look on the facts, it was uhmiliating, and it was not right, and it shouldn’t have come to this point.
Its surprising how Israel is always punished, for minor ‘offences’ when its the Palestinians who get away scott free doing what they want. Gilad Shalit still has not been visited by the Red Cross, yet we hear no outcry about that?! Neither do we hear an outcry on any single violation by the Palestinians – are they not building in Jerusalem?!?!- I guarantee they are building as much as they can! Jerusalem should remain Israeli because we are the only country that grants all religions access – imagine what would be if the Muslims were in charge – just go back to when the old city was captured in 1948 – how many Jews got to go to the western wall??? An so what if Israel decided to build some housing that was in a place that we never agreed to stop building??? -this is blown completely out of proportion by left wing media and Palestinian
Jerusalem had tens of thousands of Jewish dwellings three thousand years before Washington DC was planned on paper.
Jerusalem will have hundreds of thousands of Jewish dwellings when no one will remember that Washington DC exited.
OBAMA: Stop wasting your time on pressuring Israel and criticizing it for developing the Jewish state. It is futile as much as it is unjust.
the only are that are drunk are the american administration and its president they are drunk from power