Biden to Israel: U.S. Has No Better Friend

(AP)  U.S. Vice President Joe Biden on Thursday implored Israelis and Palestinians to move beyond a diplomatic spat that has marred his trip to the region, urging the sides to waste no time in resolving their decades-old conflict despite daunting obstacles.

Biden used conciliatory language as he wrapped up a three-day visit to the area in an apparent attempt to get past the uproar sparked by an Israeli plan for new settlement construction in disputed east Jerusalem. The Israeli announcement - seen as a slap in the face to Biden - drew a sharp condemnation from the vice president as well as a Palestinian threat to withdraw from U.S.-mediated peace talks before they even begin.

The 22-nation Arab League, which gave Abbas the backing to resume talks with Israel, has recommended withdrawing support for indirect talks in the wake of the Israeli settlement plan.

Biden's speech appeared aimed at not letting the row with Israel derail the Obama administration's latest drive for Mideast peace. However, the vice president's effusive praise for the Jewish state - saying the U.S. has "no better friend" than Israel - could disappoint those who had hoped he would talk tougher in the wake of the new settlement plan.

Speaking at Tel Aviv University, Biden said the sides must get down to the business of making peace.

"To end this historic conflict, both sides must be historically bold," Biden said. "If each waits stubbornly ... this will go on for an eternity."

The vice president's trip had been meant to repair strained ties between Israel and the Obama administration. However, the Israeli plan to build new homes in east Jerusalem - the section of the city claimed by the Palestinians for a future state - quickly overshadowed the visit. Traditionally strong U.S. relations with Israel have been strained recently precisely because of Israeli settlements.

Biden reiterated his condemnation of the building plan, urging both sides to avoid acts that could undermine the negotiations.

"I, at the request of President Obama, condemned it immediately and unequivocally," he said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has apologized for the announcement's timing, saying he had no intention of embarrassing Biden, though he has refused to scrap the plan. He also said the project must clear additional bureaucratic hurdles and construction would not begin for years.

Biden said Netanyahu's explanation was "significant" and showed the construction plan need not hinder peace talks. He also opened his speech by stressing the U.S. has "no better friend" than Israel and saying the relationship is "impervious to any shifts in either country or either country's partisan politics."

But the vice president also urged Israel to make a serious attempt to reach peace, saying an agreement is "profoundly" in Israel's interests. At the same time, he urged the Palestinians - and the broader Arab world - to do more to work for regional peace.

Netanyahu has said he is eager to start negotiations with the Palestinians. But the hawkish Israeli leader has given few indications that he is prepared to make the sweeping concessions widely believed to be necessary to reach a deal. The planned east Jerusalem construction has only deepened Palestinian suspicions.

The Israelis and Palestinians agreed this week to resume indirect peace talks through U.S. mediation, ending a 14-month breakdown in negotiations. Biden stressed, however, that "the only path" to resolving the conflict is through direct negotiations.

"The most important thing is for these talks to go forward and go forward promptly," he said. "We can't delay."

The Palestinians seek the West Bank and east Jerusalem - areas captured by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war - as parts of a future state, along with the Gaza Strip.

Netanyahu has signaled he wants to keep parts of the West Bank along with east Jerusalem under Israeli control. Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005, and the territory was subsequently overrun by Hamas militants.

In his speech, Biden outlined the contours of what the U.S. believes should be a final settlement. He said a Palestinian state must be based on the pre-1967 borders, with some modifications and strong guarantees for Israel's security.

He acknowledged the formidable obstacles that remain: the Hamas presence in Gaza, the continued captivity of an Israeli soldier in Gaza, the strength of Hezbollah guerrillas to Israel's north in Lebanon, and ongoing Palestinian incitement against Israel. He said such challenges are strong reminders of Israel's security concerns.

But he also urged Israel to embrace the moderate Palestinian leadership in the West Bank, with whom he met on Wednesday.

"Israeli leaders finally have willing partners who share the goal of peace," Biden said. "Their commitment to peace is an opportunity that must be seized."

[gorgeousm]

TIME TO GROW UP AND PLAY NICE WITH YOUR NEIGHBORS

If the concerned parties fail to transcend their state of belligerency, much of which is based on crippling misconceived religious belief, then they banish themselves from truth, good will, justice, and likely other essential elements required to accommodate one another toward achieving genuine peace.

If The ONLY way is 'my ancient, traditional RELIGIOUS WAY', then we can expect more of the same from their immutable, divisive, destructive, dangerous and deadly, religious mindsets.

Based on the highly-deficient religious 'reasoning' process that we continue to witness with regard to the Israelis and Palestinians, it will not only be the Israelis and the Palestinians who will suffer bigtime harm, death and destruction. The entire world will suffer a slow and agonizing death from nuclear fallout. That is guaranteed by the current religio-fascist Iranian regime, compliments of Ahmadinejad and his Ayatollas, whose religious duty is to provoke or precipitate a nuclear conflagration, to 'usher in' the Mahdi or Moslem Messiah.
[see Mahdi, hidden Imam,
or Moslem Savior]

To sum it up, WE better help these "damaged-by-imposed-religion" people/victims, before they effect (either by their own or by others doings), the blowing up of the whole world, and render it uninhabitable for a thousand years - and maybe FOREVER - from radioactive poisoning.


SYMBOLIC SMARTS AND GOOD, OVER SYMBOLIC IGNORANCE AND EVIL

Adopting such code and attitude is constantly being squelched by those who remain in the hate business and intentionally sabotage any efforts toward better relations.
Because my father, grandfather, and so on, erred and failed, does that mean I must follow and honor similar repeat-patterned DumbWrongism?
So how do we impart the ability to achieve and maintain such a world of wonderful relations in a world so diverse and torn by religioethnic 'traditional' conflict?
With a Halal/Kosher McMahmoudStein's Happy Meal for the Kosher Cousins?

One recommendation for serious consideration, is convincing perhaps a number of our world leaders to make statements about the weaknesses and shortfalls of religious mindsets as applied to the modern real world, and/or which religious teachings purvey less negative, less punishing, less hateful tenet, and foster reconciliation, better relations and better understanding among different people with different backgrounds?

One harsh, cold brutal fact we must ALL bear in mind, is that the (nuclear) Doomsday Clock is wrongly set, due to the introduction of INCREMENTALLY DESTRUCTIVE WEAPONS. It should be re-set at no more than THREE MINUTES TO MIDNIGHT!

[NowBeWithThat]

VP Biden can't be so ignorant of history or so dense that he doesn't get that it's not about land acquisition. The Palestinians can live anywhere. They're like two kids in the playground who want the same toy but one kid got it first.

The Palestinians want all of Jerusalem. They want the Dome of the Rock along the extermination of the Jewish people which is NEVER going to happen.

The Palestinians ought to join their Hamas brothers and sisters and relocate to the land they hijacked from Lebanon.

[tsigili]

More political tripe.

[jayrh]

by SIKCHUTNAY
THE "OUTLAW" STATE OF ISRAEL SHOULD NOT EXIST IF NOT FOR POST WAR U.N. MEDDLING
-----------------------------------------------
You don't really know much history do you? Let me guess, just what you've seen on the news over the years?

Maybe you're forgetting about every surrounding nation attacking Israel in 1948... I would say that was more like a war of independence...

[KeithDrippingSprings]

Yes, no better fiend. Oh! I forgot the r, just as well I suppose.

[babooph]

Where has the Israeli troop help been in the endless US wars-some great friend....

[infantryman1968]

Biden to Israel: U.S. Has No Better Friend


LOL


Obama is cool with Isreal!


Change We Can Believe In?

[sparkbox]

Ah Israel...Our incorrigible step child. Now you kids play nice with the neighbor kids or we'll stop buying your diamonds and quit watching the banal movies from Hollywood that you produce and cram down our throats.
Ignore these arrogant idiots.
Yes we know you "Will not forget".
Get over it.

[SIKCHUTNAY]

WITH FRIENDS LIKE THAT WHO NEEDS ENEMIES? ISRAEL WILL DRAG THE U.S. INTO ANOTHER UNPOPULAR WAR. JUST LOOK AT THE HUMAN AND MONETARY COSTS TODAY. ARAB STATES HATE THE U.S. BECAUSE OUR FOREIGN POLICY SUPPORTS THE ISRAELI GENOCIDE MACHINE.

[Harden_Tar]

Ever since Moses got the Israelites to the door of the promised land, they have been fighting with their neighbors who want to kill them and vice versa. I am convinced that untold generations of hate has invaded the DNA of both sides that there is no hope for these people. There can be no peace as long as one side or the other exists. Israel as a state will never be safe. There will always be war and these peasants will never cease hating each other.

[SIKCHUTNAY]

THE "OUTLAW" STATE OF ISRAEL SHOULD NOT EXIST IF NOT FOR POST WAR U.N. MEDDLING