ANY PORT IN A STORM!
May 12, 2007
http://www.tribulationperiod.com/
The recent panic at high levels, because of an unfavorable assessment handed down on Israeli governmental blunders in last years conflict with Hizbullah, could cause events to follow the path described in the Michael Freund Blog, which follows.
When personal survival is placed above national interests, some quite weird decisions are often made to stay in power.
I prepared this Blog just after midnight on Saturday morning. When I arose on Saturday morning to get ready to go to the nursing home, a new article appeared in the Jerusalem Post that lends credence to the first article which follows, so I attached it at 10 AM to what you have just read above.
It appears below as the second article. This development is worth watching. Michael Freund may be correct in his prediction of a “Peace” Surprise!
Begin Arutz Sheva Blog Article
Beware of a Possible “Peace” Surprise!
24 Iyar 5767, 12 May 07 08:48
“Fundamentally Freund” – Michael Freund
(IsraelNN.com) we might very well find ourselves in a situation where the Government will be willing to make far-reaching concessions to
our neighbors not because they believe them to be in the broader national interest, but rather because they serve their own narrow political self-interest.
Ehud Olmert is in trouble.
Big trouble.
Between the findings of the Winograd Commission, and the slew of criminal investigations being conducted against him, the Prime Minister’s popularity has sunk to all-time lows. His governing coalition appears increasingly fragile, and calls for him to resign grow louder with each passing day.
And this should have us all very, very worried – because in his hopelessly weakened state, the premier may very well decide to take rash or desperate steps in the diplomatic sphere in an attempt to stave off the possibility of being forced from office.
And the spurt of diplomatic activity over the past few days may just point in such a direction. Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni met with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, and agreed to a visit by an Arab League delegation in Israel. King Abdullah of Jordan will be meeting soon with PA Chairman Abu Mazen, and the Lebanese Prime Minister published an op-ed in the New York Times calling on Israel to accept the Saudi peace plan.
And so, we might very well f ind ourselves
in a situation where the Government will be willing to make far-reaching concessions to our neighbors not because they believe them to be in the broader national interest, but rather because they serve their own narrow political self-interest.
Sound cynical? Perhaps. But it wouldn’t be the first time that a prime minister made fateful decisions based on political, ra
ther than strategic, calculations.
So brace yourselves for a possible diplomatic surprise – one that is likely to be detrimental, rather than advantageous, to Israel and its interests.
Begin Jerusalem Post Article 2
Livni: Israel must hand over W.
Bank for two-state solution
JPost.com Staff, THE JERUSALEM POST
May 12, 2007
Any future Palestinian state will require Israel to withdraw from the West Bank, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni said in an interview to Egyptian newspaper al-Ahram on Saturday.
According to Livni, Israel is ready to move forward in negotiations with the Palestinians,
and is waiting for the Palestinians to take responsibility for the violence and extreme forces within Palestinian society.
“The majority of the Israeli nation understands not only the need for peace, but also the need to compromise for a solution to achieve this peace.
“And in this context, I present the vision, shared by the majority, of a two-state solution, one for Jews and one for Palestinians… the path to the [creation of] a Palestinian state begins with the denunciation of terrorism. I am convinced that this reflects not only the interests of Israel, but also the interests of the Palestinians.
During the interview, which took place as part of the foreign minister’s visit to Cairo, Livni said that the 2005 Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip was a necessary and crucial step in the peace process. Livni said that in order to complete this process and create a Palestinian state, Israel will need to withdraw from the West Bank as well.
Livni also said that Israel does not want to control the Palestinians.
Livni’s visit culminated in a meeting with Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit and Jordanian Foreign Minister Abdelelah Al-Khatib in Cairo, where the Arab League peace initiative was discussed.
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