22 mar 2013
Obama: The Jewish organ grinder's monkey
By Khalid Amayreh
It should be amply clear by now that President Obama's visit to Occupied Palestine has been a great disappointment, especially for those who had counted on him to revive the moribund peace process between Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA).
Indeed, during his 3-day visit, the lion's share of which was devoted to heaping praise on the racist Zionist entity, the American president said very little apart from regurgitating the same old lies, half-truths and platitudes that we had heard ad nauseam from every American President since Truman.
Obama showed off his Zionist credentials by praising "Israel's enduring vigor." However, he utterly ignored the fact that every Jewish settlement, Kibbutz or Moshav was built right on top of a depopulated Arab village or hamlet.
His excessive praise of the biggest thieves of history is more than a moral blunder; it is an unforgivable sin bordering on crime.
The fact that Obama allowed the Israeli hasbara machine to utilize every moment of his visit to promote and advance the mendacious Zionist narrative underscores a stunning absence of rectitude and moral honesty on his part.
He should have pointed out that Israel was a consummation of violence and terror and that Israel triumphed not because of its moral excellence, human pursuit or religious values but rather because it excelled in the utilization of organized terror and violence against a helpless people, the Palestinians. Needless to say, this happened thanks to unlimited and unrestricted American backing and support of the evil Zionist scheme in Palestine.
But one can not give what one doesn't have, and Obama, like most or all of his predecessors in the White House, seems to utterly lack the basic moral requirements to qualify for a true leader and statesman.
The man has just proven himself to be just another political animal, a petty politician with a hopelessly parochial vision and little or no moral orientation.
Obama spoke of the cancerous Jewish colonies in the West Bank and Jerusalem as if they were only a minor obstacle to peace when in fact these ubiquitous settlements constitute the ultimate killer of any remaining hope for any semblance of dignified peace between Jews and Muslims in occupied Palestine.
Verbal theatrics
To counter-balance, or perhaps blur his infatuation with Zionism, Obama indulged in some flimsy verbal theatrics about peace. He warned that Israel should allow for the establishment of a viable and territorially contiguous Palestinian state, citing the "unfavorable" demographic realities west of the River Jordan.
However his often repeated and reasserted "iron-clad commitment to Israeli military supremacy" was construed in Israel as a clear green light to fly in the face of his advice since Israel would only receive carrots and more carrots but no sticks regardless of whether it heeded American warnings or demands.
Indeed. For many decades, successive US administrations urged Israel to reach a peace settlement with the Palestinians and refrain from expanding settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories.
However, the same administrations signaled to Israel that no matter what Israel does or doesn't, the Zionist state would still enjoy America's unflinching support and backing. In other words, Israel learned not to take America’s warnings and demands seriously as defying the US carried no risks or negative ramifications for Israel.
Obama did provoke Palestinians, Arabs and Muslims when he urged them to recognize Israel as a Jewish state. Unfortunately, Obama, like previous American administrations, seems to have swallowed the Jewish hook, line and sinker.
It is really hard to imagine that a president who has at his disposal mountains of information about what a "Jewish state" really means in real terms from the Israeli view point would rather nonchalantly invoke this evil mantra.
Didn't any of Obama's advisers tell him that a Jewish state is merely a euphemism for transforming Israel by way of ethnic cleansing into a pure Talmudic Jewish entity free of Christians, Muslims and others who don't adhere to the Jewish faith?
In other words, we are taking about a Nazi-like Jewish state of the master race or Chosen people, for the Chosen People and by the Chosen people.
I am not making inaccurate statements or indulging in groundless accusations. Even Tzipi Livni, who is considered a peace dove by much of the Western media, believes in the ultimate ethnic cleansing of Israel’s Palestinian citizens.
Didn't she say on numerous occasions that if Israel’s Palestinian citizens sought national rights, e.g. human and cultural rights, they would have to leave for the "future Palestinian state?" If this is not ethnic cleansing, then what is it?
Obama spoke about a general formula that would give Israel the security it needs and the Palestinian the dignity they deserve. Well, do the Palestinians, the most tormented and uninterruptedly savaged people under the sun, not need security? Dignity alone is no guarantee against Jewish terror and criminality. After all, Palestinian children, school and college students, villagers, workers as well as ordinary Palestinian women are murdered on a daily basis by the terrorist soldiers of the only true democracy in the Middle East.
On the other hand, Israel is a regional superpower. It has a huge nuclear arsenal of hundreds of nuclear weapons along with their delivery systems. And above that, it has America, its president, Congress, and media at her beck and call. So who really needs security and security guarantees Israel or the Palestinians?
Another point. Obama said Israel shouldn't be expected to negotiate with those dedicated to its destruction, an allusion to the Islamic Liberation Movement, Hamas.
Well, to begin with, Hamas is not salivating for negotiations with Israel. Hamas will not recognize the greatest theft in history in order to be invited to the White House or be called moderate. For Hamas and the rest of the Muslim people, Israel is and will always be a criminal thief. Hamas is not fighting Israel because Israel is Jewish, Hamas is fighting Israel because Israel is the Palestinian people's murderer and grave digger, and I am not speaking metaphorically.
Besides, one would wonder why that Obama is and other western leaders are ignoring the decidedly fascist Israeli parties that are dedicated to the national destruction of the Palestinian people? Some of these parties are part of the Israeli government, such as the Bayt Hayehudi.
To conclude, genuine peace is made by great men who pay no attention to petty political considerations; men who have their eyes transfixed on justice, men who don't seek complacency at the expense of truth.
Unfortunately, it seems Barack Obama is not one of these men.
It should be amply clear by now that President Obama's visit to Occupied Palestine has been a great disappointment, especially for those who had counted on him to revive the moribund peace process between Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA).
Indeed, during his 3-day visit, the lion's share of which was devoted to heaping praise on the racist Zionist entity, the American president said very little apart from regurgitating the same old lies, half-truths and platitudes that we had heard ad nauseam from every American President since Truman.
Obama showed off his Zionist credentials by praising "Israel's enduring vigor." However, he utterly ignored the fact that every Jewish settlement, Kibbutz or Moshav was built right on top of a depopulated Arab village or hamlet.
His excessive praise of the biggest thieves of history is more than a moral blunder; it is an unforgivable sin bordering on crime.
The fact that Obama allowed the Israeli hasbara machine to utilize every moment of his visit to promote and advance the mendacious Zionist narrative underscores a stunning absence of rectitude and moral honesty on his part.
He should have pointed out that Israel was a consummation of violence and terror and that Israel triumphed not because of its moral excellence, human pursuit or religious values but rather because it excelled in the utilization of organized terror and violence against a helpless people, the Palestinians. Needless to say, this happened thanks to unlimited and unrestricted American backing and support of the evil Zionist scheme in Palestine.
But one can not give what one doesn't have, and Obama, like most or all of his predecessors in the White House, seems to utterly lack the basic moral requirements to qualify for a true leader and statesman.
The man has just proven himself to be just another political animal, a petty politician with a hopelessly parochial vision and little or no moral orientation.
Obama spoke of the cancerous Jewish colonies in the West Bank and Jerusalem as if they were only a minor obstacle to peace when in fact these ubiquitous settlements constitute the ultimate killer of any remaining hope for any semblance of dignified peace between Jews and Muslims in occupied Palestine.
Verbal theatrics
To counter-balance, or perhaps blur his infatuation with Zionism, Obama indulged in some flimsy verbal theatrics about peace. He warned that Israel should allow for the establishment of a viable and territorially contiguous Palestinian state, citing the "unfavorable" demographic realities west of the River Jordan.
However his often repeated and reasserted "iron-clad commitment to Israeli military supremacy" was construed in Israel as a clear green light to fly in the face of his advice since Israel would only receive carrots and more carrots but no sticks regardless of whether it heeded American warnings or demands.
Indeed. For many decades, successive US administrations urged Israel to reach a peace settlement with the Palestinians and refrain from expanding settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories.
However, the same administrations signaled to Israel that no matter what Israel does or doesn't, the Zionist state would still enjoy America's unflinching support and backing. In other words, Israel learned not to take America’s warnings and demands seriously as defying the US carried no risks or negative ramifications for Israel.
Obama did provoke Palestinians, Arabs and Muslims when he urged them to recognize Israel as a Jewish state. Unfortunately, Obama, like previous American administrations, seems to have swallowed the Jewish hook, line and sinker.
It is really hard to imagine that a president who has at his disposal mountains of information about what a "Jewish state" really means in real terms from the Israeli view point would rather nonchalantly invoke this evil mantra.
Didn't any of Obama's advisers tell him that a Jewish state is merely a euphemism for transforming Israel by way of ethnic cleansing into a pure Talmudic Jewish entity free of Christians, Muslims and others who don't adhere to the Jewish faith?
In other words, we are taking about a Nazi-like Jewish state of the master race or Chosen people, for the Chosen People and by the Chosen people.
I am not making inaccurate statements or indulging in groundless accusations. Even Tzipi Livni, who is considered a peace dove by much of the Western media, believes in the ultimate ethnic cleansing of Israel’s Palestinian citizens.
Didn't she say on numerous occasions that if Israel’s Palestinian citizens sought national rights, e.g. human and cultural rights, they would have to leave for the "future Palestinian state?" If this is not ethnic cleansing, then what is it?
Obama spoke about a general formula that would give Israel the security it needs and the Palestinian the dignity they deserve. Well, do the Palestinians, the most tormented and uninterruptedly savaged people under the sun, not need security? Dignity alone is no guarantee against Jewish terror and criminality. After all, Palestinian children, school and college students, villagers, workers as well as ordinary Palestinian women are murdered on a daily basis by the terrorist soldiers of the only true democracy in the Middle East.
On the other hand, Israel is a regional superpower. It has a huge nuclear arsenal of hundreds of nuclear weapons along with their delivery systems. And above that, it has America, its president, Congress, and media at her beck and call. So who really needs security and security guarantees Israel or the Palestinians?
Another point. Obama said Israel shouldn't be expected to negotiate with those dedicated to its destruction, an allusion to the Islamic Liberation Movement, Hamas.
Well, to begin with, Hamas is not salivating for negotiations with Israel. Hamas will not recognize the greatest theft in history in order to be invited to the White House or be called moderate. For Hamas and the rest of the Muslim people, Israel is and will always be a criminal thief. Hamas is not fighting Israel because Israel is Jewish, Hamas is fighting Israel because Israel is the Palestinian people's murderer and grave digger, and I am not speaking metaphorically.
Besides, one would wonder why that Obama is and other western leaders are ignoring the decidedly fascist Israeli parties that are dedicated to the national destruction of the Palestinian people? Some of these parties are part of the Israeli government, such as the Bayt Hayehudi.
To conclude, genuine peace is made by great men who pay no attention to petty political considerations; men who have their eyes transfixed on justice, men who don't seek complacency at the expense of truth.
Unfortunately, it seems Barack Obama is not one of these men.
Abbas' Speech in the news conference in Ramallah with President Obama
Below is the full text of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' speech in Ramallah in the press conference with US President Barack Obama on Thursday as interpreted.
In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate.
Mr. President Barack Obama, I wish to warmly welcome you and your accompanying delegation to Palestine.
Mr. President, during your visit to our country you will meet a people proud of their history, heritage, culture, and symbols — a young, creative and entrepreneurial people who have made the miracle and rose from the calamities of the Nakba, and continue the path of their ancestors, extending since the ancient times over this land — their land. A people who adhere to their rights and are in harmony, and keep abreast with the realities of the age, its language and methods. A people who build institutions of the state of Palestine, giving an exemplary model despite all hardships and hurdles.
The people of Palestine, Mr. President, who receive you today aspire to attain the simplest rights — the right to freedom, independence and peace, and look forward to that day to come in which they exercise normal and natural life over the land of the state of Palestine — the independent state of Palestine — along the borders of the 4th of June, 1967, with Jerusalem, the “Lady of the Cities,” as its capital, alongside the state of Israel.
We, Mr. President, believe that peace is necessary and inevitable, and we also believe that it is possible. We believe that peacemaking, as much as it requires political courage, also requires an expression of good faith, a recognition of people’s rights, respect for the other, and dissemination of a culture of peace and a commitment to international legitimacy and its resolutions. Certainly, peace shall not be made through violence, occupation, walls, settlements, arrests, siege and denial of refugee rights.
We are extremely in pleasure to receive you today in our country. Our people share with American people, and with you personally, the belief in the values and principles of freedom, equality, justice and respect for human rights. And we, together with the peoples of the world, are partners in the pursuit to achieve a just peace that ends occupation and war, and achieves security, stability and prosperity to all the peoples of our region.
Today, ladies and gentlemen, we have conducted a good and useful round of talks with His Excellency President Obama. It was an opportunity to focus, on our side, on the risks and the results that exists that a continuation of settlement activity represent on the two-state solution, and over the need to release prisoners.
I asserted to His Excellency the President that Palestine has taken long and additional steps for the sake of making peace. I hereby assert again that we are ready to implement all our commitments and obligations, and to respect the signed agreements and international legitimacy resolutions in order to provide for the requirements of launching the peace process and achieving the two-state solution — Palestine and Israel.
We are also serious in ending the division and achieve the Palestinian reconciliation, which constitutes an additional source of power for us to continue our march towards making peace, security and stability in the region.
I have renewed confidence that the United States, represented by his excellency President Obama and Mr. John Kerry, shall intensify its efforts to remove the obstacles ahead of the efforts to achieve a just peace, which the peoples of the region have long awaited.
Here I wish to thank the President for his continuous confirmation of the U.S. commitment to provide support to the Palestinian people, and to thank him and his administration for the support that has been provided during the past years — various forms of support — to the Palestinian treasury, to development projects, and to the UNRWA.
Mr. President, once again you are welcome in Palestine. Thank you.
In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate.
Mr. President Barack Obama, I wish to warmly welcome you and your accompanying delegation to Palestine.
Mr. President, during your visit to our country you will meet a people proud of their history, heritage, culture, and symbols — a young, creative and entrepreneurial people who have made the miracle and rose from the calamities of the Nakba, and continue the path of their ancestors, extending since the ancient times over this land — their land. A people who adhere to their rights and are in harmony, and keep abreast with the realities of the age, its language and methods. A people who build institutions of the state of Palestine, giving an exemplary model despite all hardships and hurdles.
The people of Palestine, Mr. President, who receive you today aspire to attain the simplest rights — the right to freedom, independence and peace, and look forward to that day to come in which they exercise normal and natural life over the land of the state of Palestine — the independent state of Palestine — along the borders of the 4th of June, 1967, with Jerusalem, the “Lady of the Cities,” as its capital, alongside the state of Israel.
We, Mr. President, believe that peace is necessary and inevitable, and we also believe that it is possible. We believe that peacemaking, as much as it requires political courage, also requires an expression of good faith, a recognition of people’s rights, respect for the other, and dissemination of a culture of peace and a commitment to international legitimacy and its resolutions. Certainly, peace shall not be made through violence, occupation, walls, settlements, arrests, siege and denial of refugee rights.
We are extremely in pleasure to receive you today in our country. Our people share with American people, and with you personally, the belief in the values and principles of freedom, equality, justice and respect for human rights. And we, together with the peoples of the world, are partners in the pursuit to achieve a just peace that ends occupation and war, and achieves security, stability and prosperity to all the peoples of our region.
Today, ladies and gentlemen, we have conducted a good and useful round of talks with His Excellency President Obama. It was an opportunity to focus, on our side, on the risks and the results that exists that a continuation of settlement activity represent on the two-state solution, and over the need to release prisoners.
I asserted to His Excellency the President that Palestine has taken long and additional steps for the sake of making peace. I hereby assert again that we are ready to implement all our commitments and obligations, and to respect the signed agreements and international legitimacy resolutions in order to provide for the requirements of launching the peace process and achieving the two-state solution — Palestine and Israel.
We are also serious in ending the division and achieve the Palestinian reconciliation, which constitutes an additional source of power for us to continue our march towards making peace, security and stability in the region.
I have renewed confidence that the United States, represented by his excellency President Obama and Mr. John Kerry, shall intensify its efforts to remove the obstacles ahead of the efforts to achieve a just peace, which the peoples of the region have long awaited.
Here I wish to thank the President for his continuous confirmation of the U.S. commitment to provide support to the Palestinian people, and to thank him and his administration for the support that has been provided during the past years — various forms of support — to the Palestinian treasury, to development projects, and to the UNRWA.
Mr. President, once again you are welcome in Palestine. Thank you.
Bardawil: Obama has turned his back to all Arabs
Hamas leader Dr. Salah Bardawil called on Palestinian political leaders in the Authority and the factions to review the Palestinian political program to face the repercussions of the remarks made by Obama on Thursday during his visit to Jerusalem and West Bank. Bardawil described in a press statement to Quds Press the U.S. President statements calling for recognizing Israel as a Jewish state as "the most dangerous statement by an American president regarding the Palestinian issue."
He added that the recognition of the State of Israel means practically abolishing the right of refugees to return and tampering with the fate of the Palestinians from the 1948-occupied territories.
"This shows that Obama has turned his back to all Arabs ... This is serious and requires that the Palestinian leadership reformulates its political program to address this deception."
Bardawil stressed that Hamas and the resistance in Gaza is taking the Israeli threats seriously.
"We in Gaza are always in a state of alert, as the general atmosphere is not good. The speech made by Obama yesterday in the West Bank and Jerusalem was so bad especially when he started inciting against the resistance and justifying Israel's crimes," said the Hamas leader.
He added that the recognition of the State of Israel means practically abolishing the right of refugees to return and tampering with the fate of the Palestinians from the 1948-occupied territories.
"This shows that Obama has turned his back to all Arabs ... This is serious and requires that the Palestinian leadership reformulates its political program to address this deception."
Bardawil stressed that Hamas and the resistance in Gaza is taking the Israeli threats seriously.
"We in Gaza are always in a state of alert, as the general atmosphere is not good. The speech made by Obama yesterday in the West Bank and Jerusalem was so bad especially when he started inciting against the resistance and justifying Israel's crimes," said the Hamas leader.
Hamas organizes a march in northern Gaza in rejection to Obama's visit
Thousands of citizens in the northern Gaza Strip participated in the mass rally called for by Hamas in Jabalya refugee camp on Thursday evening in rejection of Obama's visit to Jerusalem and the occupied Palestine.
The march started from the Khulafa Rachidin Mosque in Jabalya refugee camp, where demonstrators roamed the camp streets and chanted angry slogans against the visit and condemning the U.S. administration for being biased to Israel.
For his part, MP Mushir al-Masri said in a speech he delivered during the march: "Hamas rejects U.S. President Obama's visit to the Palestinian territories due to his support for the Zionist occupation at the expense of the Palestinian rights."
He stressed that the Palestinian people will never give up their land and rights, and that they adhere to the resistance as the only way to confront the occupation.
Masri has strongly condemned the removal of the map of Palestine by Bethlehem Municipality in preparation for Obama's visit to the region, and said it was "a crime against Palestine, the refugees, the martyrs, the wounded and the prisoners" and a proof of Ramallah authority's indifference towards the historic land of Palestine.
The MP called on Fatah movement to return to the national reconciliation on the basis of the Palestinian constants and rights.
He has also hailed all the Palestinian prisoners in the occupation jails, especially the hunger strikers, for their steadfastness and sacrifices.
The march started from the Khulafa Rachidin Mosque in Jabalya refugee camp, where demonstrators roamed the camp streets and chanted angry slogans against the visit and condemning the U.S. administration for being biased to Israel.
For his part, MP Mushir al-Masri said in a speech he delivered during the march: "Hamas rejects U.S. President Obama's visit to the Palestinian territories due to his support for the Zionist occupation at the expense of the Palestinian rights."
He stressed that the Palestinian people will never give up their land and rights, and that they adhere to the resistance as the only way to confront the occupation.
Masri has strongly condemned the removal of the map of Palestine by Bethlehem Municipality in preparation for Obama's visit to the region, and said it was "a crime against Palestine, the refugees, the martyrs, the wounded and the prisoners" and a proof of Ramallah authority's indifference towards the historic land of Palestine.
The MP called on Fatah movement to return to the national reconciliation on the basis of the Palestinian constants and rights.
He has also hailed all the Palestinian prisoners in the occupation jails, especially the hunger strikers, for their steadfastness and sacrifices.
Forcible curfew in Ramallah during Obama's visit
Ramallah and Al-Bireh city have witnessed a state of tension during Obama's visit to the PA headquarters Thursday afternoon, where PA security services imposed a complete ban on individuals and vehicles' movement in large parts of the city.
The PA ministries and more than 30 schools in Al-Bireh were closed and many streets were blocked, leading to disabling public and private facilities.
The U.S. president arrived in Ramallah on Thursday afternoon by presidential helicopter coming from occupied Jerusalem, and met with PA president Mahmoud Abbas before meeting a number of children in the city of Al-Bireh.
U.S. intelligence agents were deployed in the city to secure the president Obama's visit, where a number of helicopters flew over Ramallah at the time of the visit.
A large number of workers in the Presidential Guards were given two days off, where the selected guards were approved by the CIA, sources to the PIC confirmed.
The sources added that U.S. guards brought police dogs and screening machines to scan everyone in the PA headquarters before Obama's arrival.
More than 20 Palestinian journalists were prevented from covering Obama's visit under the pretext of a technical reasons, while all Israeli journalists were allowed to enter to the PA headquarters.
The journalists expressed their surprise and anger over the PA decision to deny them access to the headquarters, stressing that they provided the concerned authorities with the required papers for their permits a few days before the visit.
Is it logical to prevent us from entering for security reasons while allowing all Israeli journalists to cover the visit? One of the banned journalists asked.
Ramallah witnessed traffic jam due to closing of the northern entrance to Ramallah and keeping only Qalandia road which witnesses daily traffic jam.
A number of Palestinians expressed their anger towards the tightened security measures that accompanied Obama's visit, which forced them to cancel their social and business engagements.
The PA ministries and more than 30 schools in Al-Bireh were closed and many streets were blocked, leading to disabling public and private facilities.
The U.S. president arrived in Ramallah on Thursday afternoon by presidential helicopter coming from occupied Jerusalem, and met with PA president Mahmoud Abbas before meeting a number of children in the city of Al-Bireh.
U.S. intelligence agents were deployed in the city to secure the president Obama's visit, where a number of helicopters flew over Ramallah at the time of the visit.
A large number of workers in the Presidential Guards were given two days off, where the selected guards were approved by the CIA, sources to the PIC confirmed.
The sources added that U.S. guards brought police dogs and screening machines to scan everyone in the PA headquarters before Obama's arrival.
More than 20 Palestinian journalists were prevented from covering Obama's visit under the pretext of a technical reasons, while all Israeli journalists were allowed to enter to the PA headquarters.
The journalists expressed their surprise and anger over the PA decision to deny them access to the headquarters, stressing that they provided the concerned authorities with the required papers for their permits a few days before the visit.
Is it logical to prevent us from entering for security reasons while allowing all Israeli journalists to cover the visit? One of the banned journalists asked.
Ramallah witnessed traffic jam due to closing of the northern entrance to Ramallah and keeping only Qalandia road which witnesses daily traffic jam.
A number of Palestinians expressed their anger towards the tightened security measures that accompanied Obama's visit, which forced them to cancel their social and business engagements.
Palestinian youth interrupts Obama's speech
Israeli forces detained Rabee' Eid, 24, a student at Haifa University after he interrupted US president Obama while speaking to hundreds of Israeli students and academics in occupied Jerusalem on Thursday. Did you come here for peace? Or to give 'Israel' more weapons to kill the Palestinian people?? Rabee’ asked. "Who killed Rachel Corrie? Rachel Corrie was killed with your money and your weapons," he said in reference to the American peace activist who was killed by the Israeli occupation in Gaza during her attempt to stop an Israeli Bulldozer from demolishing Palestinian home.
Rabee's statements came despite the Israeli strict measures, where they selected a number of students to attend the speech by making them sign an obligation not to cause any inconvenience in the hall during the speech.
“The state must be a state for all its citizens, not a state for the Jewish people, he continued, "Have you seen the apartheid wall on your way?, There are in this room Palestinians, this state must be for all its citizens, not state of the Jewish people," he said in response to Obama's statements on a Jewish state.
Israeli security forces have immediately attacked Eid and took him violently outside the hall, while Obama commented by saying "You know, I have to say we actually arranged for that because it made me feel at home," Obama said, laughing. "I wouldn't feel comfortable if I didn't have at least one heckler," he added.
Rabee Eid is a Palestinian student from one of a Galilee village.
Rabee's statements came despite the Israeli strict measures, where they selected a number of students to attend the speech by making them sign an obligation not to cause any inconvenience in the hall during the speech.
“The state must be a state for all its citizens, not a state for the Jewish people, he continued, "Have you seen the apartheid wall on your way?, There are in this room Palestinians, this state must be for all its citizens, not state of the Jewish people," he said in response to Obama's statements on a Jewish state.
Israeli security forces have immediately attacked Eid and took him violently outside the hall, while Obama commented by saying "You know, I have to say we actually arranged for that because it made me feel at home," Obama said, laughing. "I wouldn't feel comfortable if I didn't have at least one heckler," he added.
Rabee Eid is a Palestinian student from one of a Galilee village.
Obama employee of Israel: Hezbollah
The Lebonese resistance movement of Hezbollah has condemned Barack Obama’s call for listing the group as a terrorist organization, saying the US president is an “employee of Israel.”
"He speaks like an employee of the Zionist entity (Israel) and not the highest-ranking official in the administration of the independent state that is the United States," the group said in a statement issued on Friday night.
Referring to Obama’s efforts at brokering peace between the Israeli regime and Palestinians to realize the two-state plan, Hezbollah said "Obama wants the Arabs to accept the enemy entity as a Jewish state in the region and begin complete normalization with it while he fails to mention any of the just demands of the Palestinians."
The statement added that Obama’s call for considering the group as a terrorist organization writes off negotiations as the correct path and further proves that resistance is the only choice.
"This (Obama’s call) confirms the folly of counting on negotiations and proves that the choice of resistance is correct."
"He speaks like an employee of the Zionist entity (Israel) and not the highest-ranking official in the administration of the independent state that is the United States," the group said in a statement issued on Friday night.
Referring to Obama’s efforts at brokering peace between the Israeli regime and Palestinians to realize the two-state plan, Hezbollah said "Obama wants the Arabs to accept the enemy entity as a Jewish state in the region and begin complete normalization with it while he fails to mention any of the just demands of the Palestinians."
The statement added that Obama’s call for considering the group as a terrorist organization writes off negotiations as the correct path and further proves that resistance is the only choice.
"This (Obama’s call) confirms the folly of counting on negotiations and proves that the choice of resistance is correct."
Jordanians stage demonstration against Obama visit in Amman
Jordanians have staged a demonstration in the capital, Amman, to express their discontent with US President Barack Obama’s visit to the region.
Jordanian demonstrators gathered outside the US Embassy in Amman on Thursday, chanting slogans against the US president and burning American flags.
The US president will travel to Jordan to hold talks with King Abdullah II on Friday on the last leg of his Middle East tour.
The two sides are expected to discuss the crisis in neighboring Syria and the so-called Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.
Obama began its three-day trip to the region on Wednesday and held talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv, where he reiterated strong support for the regime.
He also paid a visit to the occupied West Bank and met with acting Palestinian Authority Chief Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah on Thursday.
Palestinians have also staged similar protest rallies against Obama’s visit over the past two days, saying he is not doing enough to stop Israel’s settlement activities and the arbitrary arrest of Palestinians by Israeli troops.
On Wednesday, Palestinian activists set up a protest camp on the controversial E1 area near al-Quds (Jerusalem) where the Israeli regime intends to build thousands of illegal settler homes.
They also took to the streets in Ramallah on Thursday and voiced their anger at Obama over his all-out support for the occupying Israeli regime.
Jordanian demonstrators gathered outside the US Embassy in Amman on Thursday, chanting slogans against the US president and burning American flags.
The US president will travel to Jordan to hold talks with King Abdullah II on Friday on the last leg of his Middle East tour.
The two sides are expected to discuss the crisis in neighboring Syria and the so-called Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.
Obama began its three-day trip to the region on Wednesday and held talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv, where he reiterated strong support for the regime.
He also paid a visit to the occupied West Bank and met with acting Palestinian Authority Chief Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah on Thursday.
Palestinians have also staged similar protest rallies against Obama’s visit over the past two days, saying he is not doing enough to stop Israel’s settlement activities and the arbitrary arrest of Palestinians by Israeli troops.
On Wednesday, Palestinian activists set up a protest camp on the controversial E1 area near al-Quds (Jerusalem) where the Israeli regime intends to build thousands of illegal settler homes.
They also took to the streets in Ramallah on Thursday and voiced their anger at Obama over his all-out support for the occupying Israeli regime.
21 mar 2013
Israel’s occupation of West Bank must end: Obama
US President Barack Obama has said that Israel’s occupation of the West Bank must end, adding that Palestinians deserve an independent and sovereign state.
Obama also said he is "deeply committed" to the creation of a state of Palestine and that it remains a priority for his administration.
"Palestinians deserve a state of their own. The United States is deeply committed to seeing... an independent, sovereign state of Palestine," Obama said at news conference after talks with acting Palestinian Authority Chief Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank city of Ramallah on Thursday on his second day of a Mideast trip and after meeting Israeli officials.
He said Palestinians deserve to have hope and to have their rights respected.
The US president also described the two-state solution as the only way to end the decades-long Israel-Palestinian conflict. He also criticized the expansion of Israeli settlements on occupied Palestinian, describing it as obstacle to the so-called peace talks.
His remarks come a day after he vowed unwavering support for Israel and declared that the alliance between Washington and Tel Aviv "is eternal".
Palestinians have held several protests against Obama’s visit to the occupied West Bank over the past few days, saying he is not doing enough to stop Israel’s settlement activities and the arbitrary arrest of Palestinians by Israeli troops.
On Wednesday, hundreds of Palestinian activists erected some 15 tents on the controversial E1 area near al-Quds (Jerusalem) where Tel Aviv intends to build thousands of illegal settler homes.
"Our message today to Obama is... this is our land and we are opposed to settlements and occupation which are backed by the US administration," Abu Rahma, one of the organizers, told AFP.
Obama also said he is "deeply committed" to the creation of a state of Palestine and that it remains a priority for his administration.
"Palestinians deserve a state of their own. The United States is deeply committed to seeing... an independent, sovereign state of Palestine," Obama said at news conference after talks with acting Palestinian Authority Chief Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank city of Ramallah on Thursday on his second day of a Mideast trip and after meeting Israeli officials.
He said Palestinians deserve to have hope and to have their rights respected.
The US president also described the two-state solution as the only way to end the decades-long Israel-Palestinian conflict. He also criticized the expansion of Israeli settlements on occupied Palestinian, describing it as obstacle to the so-called peace talks.
His remarks come a day after he vowed unwavering support for Israel and declared that the alliance between Washington and Tel Aviv "is eternal".
Palestinians have held several protests against Obama’s visit to the occupied West Bank over the past few days, saying he is not doing enough to stop Israel’s settlement activities and the arbitrary arrest of Palestinians by Israeli troops.
On Wednesday, hundreds of Palestinian activists erected some 15 tents on the controversial E1 area near al-Quds (Jerusalem) where Tel Aviv intends to build thousands of illegal settler homes.
"Our message today to Obama is... this is our land and we are opposed to settlements and occupation which are backed by the US administration," Abu Rahma, one of the organizers, told AFP.
Pollard and Israel gave Soviets nuclear first strike Intel
by Jim W. Dean
The time has come to finally wrap up the Jonathan Pollard affair. I agree with former Israeli education minister Amnon Rubinstein that, “It is not humane to keep him in jail any longer.” The Israelis plan to put the hunger squeeze on Obama during his trip.
I agree. It is not humane to the American people to keep Pollard in jail. He should be executed for his high treason, one so horrendous that most of the damage is still classified. But if he was released I suspect it would be leaked to expose to the American people the full story of his treason which would have killed millions of Americans.
Pollard does deserve to be released...not out into freedom which he does not deserve, but to the infernal regions, which he does. And for all those eminent Israelis who plan to go on a hunger strike during the President's trip, I would like to air ship bottled water to them with the caveat that they guarantee they will carry their hunger strike out all the way to the end or I get my money back.
As for ex-CIA director James Woolsey, who knows about the classified file, and former secretaries of State George Shultz and Henry Kissinger who support the Pollard release I have nothing but utter contempt. They have also betrayed the American people, and cheaply so. They stain their generation with shame, but maybe that is not such a bad thing when it comes to Israel because this all happened under their watch.
Here is what is being held back in the classified files on Pollard. The claims that Pollard was just giving Israeli material on Arab countries, with the inference that the U.S. should have been supplying this to Israeli anyway was just the cover story.
The Israelis at the time, enjoying their 'special relationship' with American, were spying for the Soviets. They were tasked with providing them first strike intelligence against the United States. That's right folks, a nuclear first strike. Our wonderful Israeli friends had hooked up with the Commies to do America in.
The Soviets knew that the Israelis did not have as many of our counter intelligence assets assigned to watching them as did the Soviets. And if there was a problem and Pollard got burned, the Israelis would provide cover for the Soviets, which is exactly what happened.
Let's stop for a minute to make sure you understand clearly what being tasked to get first strike intelligence meant. Do you think that the Soviets might have wanted it to use at some point in the future if a bad situation arose, a kind of an ace in the hole they could pull out? That would be dead wrong.
First strike information would have a limited lifespan as codes get changed over time and the mission which obtained it might be compromised in a way that the thieves might not be aware of immediately. The only reason to go after the information is because you plan to use. But the key to that is being reasonably assured that the 'mutual destruction' retaliation could be defeated.
We are talking about the end of America here folks. That was the game in play and the Israelis obviously had a piece of the action. Somehow they assumed there would be enough of world left to make it worth the risk. Gosh, do you think the Israelis would have wanted control over all the Mid East as their cut on the deal?
Pollard was able to give them the naval submarine codes and the ability to defeat our land based missiles. Then only deterrence that we would still have had secure control over were our nuclear bombers, which of course would have been targeted in the first strike.
Are you getting the picture now why the FBI and CIA top echelons threatened Bill Clinton with mass resignations when he was within a hair of letting Pollard go to buy himself some extra retirement benefits from you know who? But they also had another reason.
Pollard has also turned over to the Israelis our entire East European agents and assets network lists that represented a generation of intelligence work to build up. Around 1100 of these people were arrested, tortured, and many of them executed. This was the intelligence failure of all human history, which no American government could admit to for the incompetence that it showed.
And what was that you ask? It was very simple actually. Designed into the system was not having nearly enough manpower and budgeting to be monitoring the finances of all those working in highly sensitive positions. Our system at the time would only trigger such a close look AFTER suspicious activity had been reported. It was not an integral routine security procedure.
Many of the major domestic spy scandals we have had showed that most of them could have been picked up and stopped with nothing more sophisticated than reviewing expenditures far in excess of the particular spy's income. Jonathan Pollard was just one case. He was not discovered until a coworker made a suspicion report. A spy camera in his office was used to nail him but his financial records showed the whole story.
Even after Pollard this not routinely checking people's finances security hole remained opened for others to use. I will let you consider for yourselves whether that was an oversight, or whether we had been penetrated at a level where someone wanted that vulnerability to remain open, as it had for Pollard.
You might be asking why the Israelis cared so much about this one man to risk constantly embarrassing American presidents and our intelligence services for his release. His handler at the Israeli embassy said later that if he had been there when Pollard came in he would have just put two bullets in his head and sent him downstairs for the acid bath treatment.
They don't care about Pollard really. They care about all the current spies they have working for them in America to visibly see that if they get caught that Israel has promised to never stop doing all that it can to get them released. They even gave Pollard's wife a million dollars when she moved to Israel as an example.
The Zios also show they are not afraid to put some of their prime 'assets' on display, the likes of Woolsey, Schultz, Kissinger, and even Hillary Clinton has signed on for Pollard's release. And those in Congress who would support it are too numerous to count. The loyal security community is just sickened by all this.
What this does is display Israel's power in America to demoralize mid level government workers they are trying to compromise. If they resist, the Zios chastise them for being naive dummies and point to all the well heeled top officials they have on the string. They even brag about being able to get promotions for those who play ball with them, and punish those who don't, the carrot and stick close.
One example of this is the ADL, Foxman's Anti-Defamation League, long suspected by the American Intel community of being an asset for Israeli intelligence. The ADL has been lecturing at the FBI training academy for many years about domestic threat groups, which exclude them by the way.
In effect this puts the Good Housekeeping seal of approval on them and makes it very easy for the ADL to approach young FBI agents later to 'help the out' now and then because 'we are on the same side.' One of their hooks is their well known career assistance post retirement from the government, a differed compensation spy payment plan that even senior military officers and Congresscritters have partaken.
But we aren't on the same side with the Zios. Israel is a major national security risk to all Americans. And so are all the American traitors who aid and abet their intelligence and subversion activities here which include, but are not limited to, espionage involving our military, weapons development, political subversion, academic, and media.
Jonathan Pollard and Israel offered us all on a silver platter to the Soviet Communists. If I could press a button I would put all the Israelis in the camps for 65 years, let the Palestinians take over all of their homes, and then subject the Israelis to what they have dished out to their victims...arrests, torture, and poverty. I have my own peace plan for the Mid East. Do onto Israel what Israel has done unto others.
But since I lost my button, let us start with sanctions, across the board. And let us work toward any politician who promises undying support for Israel, to be treated as a traitor to his oath of office. For the sake of our children and grand children we must pry the devil's fingers from our throats.
We must make common bond with all the victims of militant Zionism and their traitorous allies everywhere they can be found. George Bush said we would hunt down all those who have attacked America wherever they are. It's the only thing I ever agreed with him on. We have the Israelis permission. They are already doing it to us and they don't aim to stop...until we stop them.
The time has come to finally wrap up the Jonathan Pollard affair. I agree with former Israeli education minister Amnon Rubinstein that, “It is not humane to keep him in jail any longer.” The Israelis plan to put the hunger squeeze on Obama during his trip.
I agree. It is not humane to the American people to keep Pollard in jail. He should be executed for his high treason, one so horrendous that most of the damage is still classified. But if he was released I suspect it would be leaked to expose to the American people the full story of his treason which would have killed millions of Americans.
Pollard does deserve to be released...not out into freedom which he does not deserve, but to the infernal regions, which he does. And for all those eminent Israelis who plan to go on a hunger strike during the President's trip, I would like to air ship bottled water to them with the caveat that they guarantee they will carry their hunger strike out all the way to the end or I get my money back.
As for ex-CIA director James Woolsey, who knows about the classified file, and former secretaries of State George Shultz and Henry Kissinger who support the Pollard release I have nothing but utter contempt. They have also betrayed the American people, and cheaply so. They stain their generation with shame, but maybe that is not such a bad thing when it comes to Israel because this all happened under their watch.
Here is what is being held back in the classified files on Pollard. The claims that Pollard was just giving Israeli material on Arab countries, with the inference that the U.S. should have been supplying this to Israeli anyway was just the cover story.
The Israelis at the time, enjoying their 'special relationship' with American, were spying for the Soviets. They were tasked with providing them first strike intelligence against the United States. That's right folks, a nuclear first strike. Our wonderful Israeli friends had hooked up with the Commies to do America in.
The Soviets knew that the Israelis did not have as many of our counter intelligence assets assigned to watching them as did the Soviets. And if there was a problem and Pollard got burned, the Israelis would provide cover for the Soviets, which is exactly what happened.
Let's stop for a minute to make sure you understand clearly what being tasked to get first strike intelligence meant. Do you think that the Soviets might have wanted it to use at some point in the future if a bad situation arose, a kind of an ace in the hole they could pull out? That would be dead wrong.
First strike information would have a limited lifespan as codes get changed over time and the mission which obtained it might be compromised in a way that the thieves might not be aware of immediately. The only reason to go after the information is because you plan to use. But the key to that is being reasonably assured that the 'mutual destruction' retaliation could be defeated.
We are talking about the end of America here folks. That was the game in play and the Israelis obviously had a piece of the action. Somehow they assumed there would be enough of world left to make it worth the risk. Gosh, do you think the Israelis would have wanted control over all the Mid East as their cut on the deal?
Pollard was able to give them the naval submarine codes and the ability to defeat our land based missiles. Then only deterrence that we would still have had secure control over were our nuclear bombers, which of course would have been targeted in the first strike.
Are you getting the picture now why the FBI and CIA top echelons threatened Bill Clinton with mass resignations when he was within a hair of letting Pollard go to buy himself some extra retirement benefits from you know who? But they also had another reason.
Pollard has also turned over to the Israelis our entire East European agents and assets network lists that represented a generation of intelligence work to build up. Around 1100 of these people were arrested, tortured, and many of them executed. This was the intelligence failure of all human history, which no American government could admit to for the incompetence that it showed.
And what was that you ask? It was very simple actually. Designed into the system was not having nearly enough manpower and budgeting to be monitoring the finances of all those working in highly sensitive positions. Our system at the time would only trigger such a close look AFTER suspicious activity had been reported. It was not an integral routine security procedure.
Many of the major domestic spy scandals we have had showed that most of them could have been picked up and stopped with nothing more sophisticated than reviewing expenditures far in excess of the particular spy's income. Jonathan Pollard was just one case. He was not discovered until a coworker made a suspicion report. A spy camera in his office was used to nail him but his financial records showed the whole story.
Even after Pollard this not routinely checking people's finances security hole remained opened for others to use. I will let you consider for yourselves whether that was an oversight, or whether we had been penetrated at a level where someone wanted that vulnerability to remain open, as it had for Pollard.
You might be asking why the Israelis cared so much about this one man to risk constantly embarrassing American presidents and our intelligence services for his release. His handler at the Israeli embassy said later that if he had been there when Pollard came in he would have just put two bullets in his head and sent him downstairs for the acid bath treatment.
They don't care about Pollard really. They care about all the current spies they have working for them in America to visibly see that if they get caught that Israel has promised to never stop doing all that it can to get them released. They even gave Pollard's wife a million dollars when she moved to Israel as an example.
The Zios also show they are not afraid to put some of their prime 'assets' on display, the likes of Woolsey, Schultz, Kissinger, and even Hillary Clinton has signed on for Pollard's release. And those in Congress who would support it are too numerous to count. The loyal security community is just sickened by all this.
What this does is display Israel's power in America to demoralize mid level government workers they are trying to compromise. If they resist, the Zios chastise them for being naive dummies and point to all the well heeled top officials they have on the string. They even brag about being able to get promotions for those who play ball with them, and punish those who don't, the carrot and stick close.
One example of this is the ADL, Foxman's Anti-Defamation League, long suspected by the American Intel community of being an asset for Israeli intelligence. The ADL has been lecturing at the FBI training academy for many years about domestic threat groups, which exclude them by the way.
In effect this puts the Good Housekeeping seal of approval on them and makes it very easy for the ADL to approach young FBI agents later to 'help the out' now and then because 'we are on the same side.' One of their hooks is their well known career assistance post retirement from the government, a differed compensation spy payment plan that even senior military officers and Congresscritters have partaken.
But we aren't on the same side with the Zios. Israel is a major national security risk to all Americans. And so are all the American traitors who aid and abet their intelligence and subversion activities here which include, but are not limited to, espionage involving our military, weapons development, political subversion, academic, and media.
Jonathan Pollard and Israel offered us all on a silver platter to the Soviet Communists. If I could press a button I would put all the Israelis in the camps for 65 years, let the Palestinians take over all of their homes, and then subject the Israelis to what they have dished out to their victims...arrests, torture, and poverty. I have my own peace plan for the Mid East. Do onto Israel what Israel has done unto others.
But since I lost my button, let us start with sanctions, across the board. And let us work toward any politician who promises undying support for Israel, to be treated as a traitor to his oath of office. For the sake of our children and grand children we must pry the devil's fingers from our throats.
We must make common bond with all the victims of militant Zionism and their traitorous allies everywhere they can be found. George Bush said we would hunt down all those who have attacked America wherever they are. It's the only thing I ever agreed with him on. We have the Israelis permission. They are already doing it to us and they don't aim to stop...until we stop them.
Obama underscores US support for Israel
US President Barack Obama has reaffirmed his country’s support for Israel, saying Washington will never let the Tel Aviv regime alone.
“As long as there is a United States of America, you are not alone,” Obama told Israeli students in East al-Quds (Jerusalem) on Thursday.
He reminded the students of the fact that the US is Israel’s best friend and most important ally, noting that Washington will stick to its commitment to protecting the Israeli regime.
Obama also called on foreign governments to blacklist the Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah as a “terrorist organization”.
“Every country that values justice should call Hezbollah what it truly is -- a terrorist organization,” he said.
Obama also repeated Washington’s call for the overthrow of the legitimate government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
He asserted that Assad must step down so that Syria’s "future can begin."
The remarks come amid continued attempts by Britain and France to arm the Syrian militants even without an agreement with other European Union states to lift a current arms embargo on the Arab country.
On March 18, US Secretary of State John Kerry said "Obama has made it clear that the United States does not stand in the way of other countries that have made a decision to provide arms [to the foreign-sponsored militants], whether it's France or Britain or others."
Syria has been experiencing unrest since March 2011. Many people, including large numbers of Syrian army and security personnel, have been killed in the violence.
The Syrian government says that the chaos is being orchestrated from outside the country, and there are reports that a very large number of the militants are foreign nationals.
Damascus says the West and its regional allies including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey are supporting the militants.
“As long as there is a United States of America, you are not alone,” Obama told Israeli students in East al-Quds (Jerusalem) on Thursday.
He reminded the students of the fact that the US is Israel’s best friend and most important ally, noting that Washington will stick to its commitment to protecting the Israeli regime.
Obama also called on foreign governments to blacklist the Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah as a “terrorist organization”.
“Every country that values justice should call Hezbollah what it truly is -- a terrorist organization,” he said.
Obama also repeated Washington’s call for the overthrow of the legitimate government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
He asserted that Assad must step down so that Syria’s "future can begin."
The remarks come amid continued attempts by Britain and France to arm the Syrian militants even without an agreement with other European Union states to lift a current arms embargo on the Arab country.
On March 18, US Secretary of State John Kerry said "Obama has made it clear that the United States does not stand in the way of other countries that have made a decision to provide arms [to the foreign-sponsored militants], whether it's France or Britain or others."
Syria has been experiencing unrest since March 2011. Many people, including large numbers of Syrian army and security personnel, have been killed in the violence.
The Syrian government says that the chaos is being orchestrated from outside the country, and there are reports that a very large number of the militants are foreign nationals.
Damascus says the West and its regional allies including Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey are supporting the militants.
No talks with Israel without settlement freeze: Mahmoud Abbas
Acting Palestinian Authority Chief Mahmoud Abbas has told visiting US President Barack Obama that there could be no talks with Israel without a freeze on settlement construction.
Abbas made the remarks on Thursday after Obama urged Palestinians to restart the so-called peace talks with Israel.
The US president also called on Palestinians to drop their demands for a freeze in Israeli settlement activities in occupied territories as a precondition for resumption of the talks.
"A resumption of negotiations is not possible without an Israeli settlement freeze in the West Bank and east al-Quds (Jerusalem)," Abbas’ political adviser Nimr Hammad quoted him as telling Obama during their meeting in the West Bank city of Ramallah.
After the meeting with Abbas, Obama told a joint news conference that Israel’s occupation of the West Bank must end and that he is "deeply committed" to the creation of a state of Palestine.
He also described Israeli settlement activities as a major obstacle to peace between the two sides, saying that "we do not consider continued settlement activity to be constructive, to be appropriate, to be something that can advance the cause of peace".
The US president, however, stopped short of calling for a settlement construction freeze.
Later on Thursday, Obama criticized Israel over its treatment of Palestinians, who live in the West Bank, in a speech to Israeli university students in al-Quds.
He also described as unfair Israeli authorities' refusal to protect Palestinians against Jewish settlers and urged Israelis to put themselves in the shoes of Palestinians.
"Put yourself in their (Palestinians') shoes. Look at the world through their eyes. It is not fair that a Palestinian child cannot grow up in a state of her own, and lives with the presence of a foreign army that controls the movements of her parents every single day," Obama said.
Abbas made the remarks on Thursday after Obama urged Palestinians to restart the so-called peace talks with Israel.
The US president also called on Palestinians to drop their demands for a freeze in Israeli settlement activities in occupied territories as a precondition for resumption of the talks.
"A resumption of negotiations is not possible without an Israeli settlement freeze in the West Bank and east al-Quds (Jerusalem)," Abbas’ political adviser Nimr Hammad quoted him as telling Obama during their meeting in the West Bank city of Ramallah.
After the meeting with Abbas, Obama told a joint news conference that Israel’s occupation of the West Bank must end and that he is "deeply committed" to the creation of a state of Palestine.
He also described Israeli settlement activities as a major obstacle to peace between the two sides, saying that "we do not consider continued settlement activity to be constructive, to be appropriate, to be something that can advance the cause of peace".
The US president, however, stopped short of calling for a settlement construction freeze.
Later on Thursday, Obama criticized Israel over its treatment of Palestinians, who live in the West Bank, in a speech to Israeli university students in al-Quds.
He also described as unfair Israeli authorities' refusal to protect Palestinians against Jewish settlers and urged Israelis to put themselves in the shoes of Palestinians.
"Put yourself in their (Palestinians') shoes. Look at the world through their eyes. It is not fair that a Palestinian child cannot grow up in a state of her own, and lives with the presence of a foreign army that controls the movements of her parents every single day," Obama said.
Obama refuses to meet delegation of prisoners’ families
Director of Palestinian Prisoners Society Qaddoura Fares confirmed that U.S. President Barack Obama has refused to meet a delegation from families of prisoners in Israeli jails.
Fares pointed out in a press statement that there is a talk about the release of a number of prisoners at Obama's visit to the region, but he denied that the PA has received any formal promises for that.
Dozens of Palestinians have organized a march from Manara roundabout in the center of Ramallah city in the occupied West Bank toward the Muqata'a headquarters, after the arrival of the helicopter carrying U.S. President Barack Obama.
The demonstrators raised slogans supporting Palestinian prisoners and accusing Obama of bias toward Israel.
A youth activist said that the city of Ramallah is witnessing intensified security measures for Obama's visit. The Palestinian Presidential Guard and security services announced a security square surroundings the presidential headquarters, in order to prevent the citizens from approaching it.
He pointed out that hundreds of elements of the security apparatuses have formed a human barriers to suppress the demonstrators and prevent them from reaching the areas near the presidential headquarters.
The activist reported that the city of Ramallah is experiencing traffic problems due to the security measures which have prevented many employees and students from reaching their work place and schools.
A state of anger and dissatisfaction prevail in all areas of the West Bank, in rejection of Obama's visit and resumption of negotiations.
The student Ahmed Hussein from Ramallah opined that Obama's visit does not serve the interests of the Palestinian people, and that all his statements are falsification of history and reality.
Another student from Birzeit University Haya Nizar, who is also one of the protesters against the visit, says that Obama is not a guest, but rather an enemy who came to give his orders to the weak side.
The citizen Mahmoud Salem from Ein Misbah district calls for a real Palestinian unity, and a halt for the security cooperation between the Authority and the occupation.
Obama arrived on Thursday before noon to the city of Ramallah in his first visit as president of the United States of America. Obama's helicopter landed in the presidential headquarters, and he was received by PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, the Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, and a number of PA officials.
Fares pointed out in a press statement that there is a talk about the release of a number of prisoners at Obama's visit to the region, but he denied that the PA has received any formal promises for that.
Dozens of Palestinians have organized a march from Manara roundabout in the center of Ramallah city in the occupied West Bank toward the Muqata'a headquarters, after the arrival of the helicopter carrying U.S. President Barack Obama.
The demonstrators raised slogans supporting Palestinian prisoners and accusing Obama of bias toward Israel.
A youth activist said that the city of Ramallah is witnessing intensified security measures for Obama's visit. The Palestinian Presidential Guard and security services announced a security square surroundings the presidential headquarters, in order to prevent the citizens from approaching it.
He pointed out that hundreds of elements of the security apparatuses have formed a human barriers to suppress the demonstrators and prevent them from reaching the areas near the presidential headquarters.
The activist reported that the city of Ramallah is experiencing traffic problems due to the security measures which have prevented many employees and students from reaching their work place and schools.
A state of anger and dissatisfaction prevail in all areas of the West Bank, in rejection of Obama's visit and resumption of negotiations.
The student Ahmed Hussein from Ramallah opined that Obama's visit does not serve the interests of the Palestinian people, and that all his statements are falsification of history and reality.
Another student from Birzeit University Haya Nizar, who is also one of the protesters against the visit, says that Obama is not a guest, but rather an enemy who came to give his orders to the weak side.
The citizen Mahmoud Salem from Ein Misbah district calls for a real Palestinian unity, and a halt for the security cooperation between the Authority and the occupation.
Obama arrived on Thursday before noon to the city of Ramallah in his first visit as president of the United States of America. Obama's helicopter landed in the presidential headquarters, and he was received by PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, the Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, and a number of PA officials.
Obama reiterates calls for two-state solution in Ramallah
On his second day of the first presidential visit to Palestine U.S. President Barack Obama met with the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah.
Although Obama condemned the rocket attacks that hit Sderot, yet, he insisted that the Israelis should not use this as an excuse to avoid negotiations, no more than the Palestinians should insist that Israel halt construction of Jewish settlements in the West Bank as a condition.
“If we’re going to be successful, part of what we’re going to have to do is get out of the formulas and habits that have blocked progress,” Obama said in a press conference with Abbas. “Both sides are going to have to think anew.”
Obama was booed when he mentioned that Israel should stop settlement expansion in the West Bank for its counterproductive impact on the peace efforts.
On his part, President Abbas reiterated his demand that Israel stop all settlement construction, but he did not explicitly say this is a pre-requisite for entering into direct talks with Israel which have basically been stalled since 2010.
“It is the duty of the Israeli government to at least halt the activity, so we can speak of the issues,” Mr. Abbas said in Arabic, speaking through a translator. “The issue of settlements is clear: we never gave up our vision, whether now or previously.”
Abbas is scheduled to visit Bethlehem on Friday and visit the Church of Nativity in the city. So far no plans of meeting with officials or grass-roots organizations are declared.
Obama received a number of invitations for visit, including an invitation from Bethlehem University, however, there was no response to these invitations as of today.
Although Obama condemned the rocket attacks that hit Sderot, yet, he insisted that the Israelis should not use this as an excuse to avoid negotiations, no more than the Palestinians should insist that Israel halt construction of Jewish settlements in the West Bank as a condition.
“If we’re going to be successful, part of what we’re going to have to do is get out of the formulas and habits that have blocked progress,” Obama said in a press conference with Abbas. “Both sides are going to have to think anew.”
Obama was booed when he mentioned that Israel should stop settlement expansion in the West Bank for its counterproductive impact on the peace efforts.
On his part, President Abbas reiterated his demand that Israel stop all settlement construction, but he did not explicitly say this is a pre-requisite for entering into direct talks with Israel which have basically been stalled since 2010.
“It is the duty of the Israeli government to at least halt the activity, so we can speak of the issues,” Mr. Abbas said in Arabic, speaking through a translator. “The issue of settlements is clear: we never gave up our vision, whether now or previously.”
Abbas is scheduled to visit Bethlehem on Friday and visit the Church of Nativity in the city. So far no plans of meeting with officials or grass-roots organizations are declared.
Obama received a number of invitations for visit, including an invitation from Bethlehem University, however, there was no response to these invitations as of today.
President Oabama in Israel: “That so long as there is a United States of America, Ah-tem lo lah-vahd
United States President Barack Obama said there is a real chance for peace in the framework of the two-state solution. “I do not say peace guaranteed, but possible,” he said.
He added in his speech in Jerusalem that Israel should build peace with the Arab world because peace is necessary, especially that if Israel builds peace now with Arab countries, it is building it with elected leaders instead of the old dictators.
He added that the Palestinian people have the right to be free on their land, and it is not fair that all violence against the Palestinians goes without punishment.
While his statement, Obama insisted that Palestinians should recognize Israel as a Jewish State was received with applause, the statement "Israelis must recognize that continued settlement activity is counterproductive to the cause of peace," was met with boos.
Obama added that Israel is the most powerful country in this region. Israel has the unshakeable support of the most powerful country in the world.”
Obama said in his speech to the young Israelis, “Today, I want to tell you – particularly the young people – that so long as there is a United States of America, Ah-tem lo lah-vahd.” [You are not alone]
He added in his speech in Jerusalem that Israel should build peace with the Arab world because peace is necessary, especially that if Israel builds peace now with Arab countries, it is building it with elected leaders instead of the old dictators.
He added that the Palestinian people have the right to be free on their land, and it is not fair that all violence against the Palestinians goes without punishment.
While his statement, Obama insisted that Palestinians should recognize Israel as a Jewish State was received with applause, the statement "Israelis must recognize that continued settlement activity is counterproductive to the cause of peace," was met with boos.
Obama added that Israel is the most powerful country in this region. Israel has the unshakeable support of the most powerful country in the world.”
Obama said in his speech to the young Israelis, “Today, I want to tell you – particularly the young people – that so long as there is a United States of America, Ah-tem lo lah-vahd.” [You are not alone]
Palestinian complaint filed to arrest Obama upon his arrival in Ramallah
Mazen Da'nna
The democratic press assembly in Palestine filed a complaint with the Palestinian attorney general in Ramallah against US president Barack Obama calling for arresting and bringing him to justice for the murder of Palestinian cameraman Mazen Da'nna in Iraq several years ago.
Journalist Omar Nizal, the secretary of the assembly, said that the democratic press assembly possesses documents proving that the US army premeditatedly killed Da'nna in 2003.
Nizal added that the documents prompted the assembly to file a complaint to detain and interrogate Obama in his capacity as the current military commander in chief of the soldiers who had killed the cameraman.
The complaint demanded the arrest of Obama soon after his arrival in Ramallah city.
In a related incident, Palestinian popular groups in the West Bank invited the citizens to participate actively in the events slated to take place on Thursday to protest Obama's declared positions against the Palestinian cause.
The coalition of the Palestinian popular forces said these events would be held in the morning today at Al-Manara roundabout in Ramallah city.
In the Gaza Strip, Palestinian protestors on Wednesday afternoon burned US flags and pictures of Obama as his plane landed in the occupied Palestinian lands to denounce the American policies.
The protestors marched from the Unknown Soldier plaza to the protest tent outside the headquarters of the UN in Gaza chanting slogans and carrying banners against Obama and his visit to the occupied territories.
They considered that Obama's visit would aim to strengthen Israel's settlement activities and violations in occupied Palestine.
The democratic press assembly in Palestine filed a complaint with the Palestinian attorney general in Ramallah against US president Barack Obama calling for arresting and bringing him to justice for the murder of Palestinian cameraman Mazen Da'nna in Iraq several years ago.
Journalist Omar Nizal, the secretary of the assembly, said that the democratic press assembly possesses documents proving that the US army premeditatedly killed Da'nna in 2003.
Nizal added that the documents prompted the assembly to file a complaint to detain and interrogate Obama in his capacity as the current military commander in chief of the soldiers who had killed the cameraman.
The complaint demanded the arrest of Obama soon after his arrival in Ramallah city.
In a related incident, Palestinian popular groups in the West Bank invited the citizens to participate actively in the events slated to take place on Thursday to protest Obama's declared positions against the Palestinian cause.
The coalition of the Palestinian popular forces said these events would be held in the morning today at Al-Manara roundabout in Ramallah city.
In the Gaza Strip, Palestinian protestors on Wednesday afternoon burned US flags and pictures of Obama as his plane landed in the occupied Palestinian lands to denounce the American policies.
The protestors marched from the Unknown Soldier plaza to the protest tent outside the headquarters of the UN in Gaza chanting slogans and carrying banners against Obama and his visit to the occupied territories.
They considered that Obama's visit would aim to strengthen Israel's settlement activities and violations in occupied Palestine.
