Kerry winds up peace shuttle after Palestinians refuse to start talking without preconditions
There can be little doubt that Netanyahu means what he says when it comes to the peace process and that he is not just playing a game as many suggest or hope. When I read how far he is will to go just to get negotiations started, I am horrified.Ted Belman
DEBKAfile Exclusive Report June 30, 2013, 2:04 PM (IDT)
US Secretary of State John Kerry wound up his fifth peace shuttle trip for reviving Israel-Palestinian peace talks at the end of a fruitless third conversation with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah Sunday, June 30. Abbas turned down Kerry’s blueprint for both sides to forego preconditions and return straightaway to the long-stalled peace talks. The Secretary left Ramallah empty-handed after the Palestinians reverted to their three-point ultimatum: Israel must first accept 1967 borders as the basis for negotiations, release Palestinians jailed more than 20 years and freeze West Bank and Jerusalem construction.
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu told the Israeli cabinet Sunday that he had offered to join the Palestinians to negotiate a final settlement without preconditions or further delay.(Read more…)
Europe’s Obsession with the Palestinians
By Richard Mather, View from UK
In the past few days, two very high-profile figures have spoken out about the dangers of anti-Semitism. Both Prince Charles and Pope Francis have expressed concern that Judeophobia is a growing problem in Britain and Europe.
In a speech praising the outgoing British chief rabbi, Lord Sacks, the Prince of Wales warned that Britain was suffering from an “apparent rise in anti-Semitism, along with other poisonous and debilitating forms of intolerance.”
Meanwhile, Pope Francis has condemned anti-Semitism, calling it unchristian. “Because of our commons roots, a true Christian cannot be anti-Semitic,” he said at a meeting with representatives of the international Jewish community at the Vatican.
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Bibi wants to use referendum to by-pass government
By law, any deal involving giving up parts of Jerusalem must be approved by a 50% majority in a referendum. But no deal goes to a referendum unless the government approves of the deal.
But this statement by Bibi has a different ring. Bibi knows it is tougher to sell a deal to his own government than it is to sell it to the Israeli people. He’s hoping that the government will pass the buck to the people rather than split up over the deal.
I don’t like it.
Bibi says; “We will not compromise on security and there will be no agreement that will endanger the security of Israeli citizens,”. My concern is that he will endanger our rights not our security. If only he would guard our rights as he does our security, we would have nothing to worry about.
Very Good News Israel
· Israeli researchers have discovered how to switch off alcohol dependency
· Israeli surgeons treat 4 Syrian children who were badly wounded in the civil war.
· Israel has appointed the first woman Ambassador to a Moslem country.
· Israeli software restores archaeological ruins on your smartphone screen.
· Only in Israel, start-ups donate part of their success to charitable causes.
· The Russian Bolshoi Opera makes its first ever visit to Israel.
· London marathon paraplegic celebrity Clare Lomas meets ReWalk’s inventors.
· Last week’s JPost Israel Good News descriptive summary
Click here for “Israelis Wanted” (fast-loading, text-only version, no adverts).
Page Down for more details on these and other good news stories from Israel.
Melanie Phillips answers her critics
By Ted Belman
Yesterday I posted two posts, Experts weigh in.. and Strict Sharia in the UK: First Our Ban, Now Planned Arrests from Atlas Shrugs under the title Melanie Phillips is on the wrong side of this issue. Both articles dealt with Melanie’s reaction to the banning of Geller and Spencer from Britain.. Melanie took great exception to me doing so without “doing my homework”. She pointed out the Andy Bostom had it wrong about her position on Ed Husain. While she held such views at one time she subsequently publicly repudiated him here. For this I apologize. I should have contacted her before posting it.
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Ted Belman
Jerusalem, Israel
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