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Israel's Red Lines - Make Clear to Our U.S. Allies Where We Stand on Key Issues

(Ynet News) Ari Harow - The professional pundit class seems split in their predictions on how President Obama will react to last week's "shellacking" of Democrats. Some think that the president will realize that the American public is disappointed with his performance to date, resulting in a refocusing of his efforts on his domestic agenda and attempting to turn the economy around. Other experts warn that once it becomes apparent to Obama that there is little he can do within his power to actually lower the stubbornly high unemployment rate, he will turn to overseas adventures where the president has much more authority to act without congressional approval. As President Obama and his advisors contemplate which of these paths to chose, it is vital that Prime Minister Netanyahu once again clearly state Israel's red lines in negotiating with the Palestinians. Whether this clarification serves to bolster our friends in Congress, or remind the administration as they plan any new initiatives, it is crucial that our American allies understand where we stand on these issues as we inch closer to returning to direct negotiations with the Palestinians. In his historic speech at Bar-Ilan University in June of 2009, Netanyahu laid out three key areas where Israel's red lines cannot be crossed. The Palestinians must agree to recognize Israel as the nation state of the Jewish people. Israel must remain within defensible borders as the result of any peace agreement. We cannot compromise on territorial concessions in the Jordan Valley or on the mountain ridges of Judea and Samaria which overlook the center of our country. Finally, Jerusalem can never be divided again. Jerusalem - Zion itself - is the raison d'etre for our national existence here in Israel and it is the glue that holds the entire Jewish people together. The writer served as the Director of Prime Minister Netanyahu's Bureau and is a public affairs and international business strategic consultant.
2010-11-10 08:55:49
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