PONY UP

It has been ten days since the settlement freeze ended.

Peace negotiations aren’t officially over and there are daily rumors running around, like Carl Lewis, that Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu will get his cabinet to okay another three months of “refreeze.”

If Bibi does manage to get his cabinet to approve this re-frosting of settlement building, what will President Obama give in return?

Rumors of security guarantees are floating around.

But what can America really guarantee Israel in the area of security? NOTHING!

Israel does not need any more security guarantees from the U.S. At the end of the day there is only one thing that can provide security to Israel, and that is the IDF.

What Israel truly needs right now from the US is an American demand that the Arabs recognize Israel as the Jewish Nation State. Further, along with Arab acceptance, they must acknowledge there will never be a Right of Return for Palestinians to Israel. The new state of Palestine is where these refugees can return.

The words “Israel is and always will be the Jewish Nation State” must come out of President Barack Obama’s mouth in front of the world.

Obama’s recognition of Israel’s right to be the Jewish nation state and acceptance of the Jewish people’s right to self-determination in the Land of Israel needs also to be backed by America’s allies in the EU.

PM Netanyahu must also demand a firm American and European stance against the delegitimization of Israel.

Countries and institutions that encourage flotillas in support of HAMAS in the Gaza strip must be recognized as backing a terrorist organization and must pay the consequence.

Organizations and learning institutions that back the hypocritical, one-sided and racist Israel boycott should pay by way of fines, loss of government assistance and investigation for hate crimes.

Personally I think Bibi should tell Barack Obama to take a hike; if he can’t get Uncle Mahmoud Abbas to play ball, that is his fault -- not ours. We did our job when we gave ten months of settlement freeze for free.

If Bibi does decide -- and can persuade his cabinet to extend or refreeze the freeze -- then America had better pony up something better than “security guarantees” that aren’t worth the paper they are written on.