The Obama Administration is reportedly considering the release of a jailed Israeli spy in an attempt to spur forward the stalled Israel/Palestine peace talks.
Jonathan Pollard, who pleaded guilty to spying for Israel in 1987 and was sentenced to life in prison, could be released as early as April according to sources close to Secretary of State John Kerry.
Pollard, because he was sentenced before November 1, 1987, is eligible to be paroled on November 21, 2015 even without action by the Administration.
A declassified report on Pollard’s actions shows that Israel did not ask him to spy on the U.S. military or intelligence activities but rather to gain the U.S.’s information on Israel’s enemies in the Middle East and the Soviet Union.
The release of Pollard, who was given Israeli citizenship during his incarceration, has been a key item for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Israeli has requested Pollard’s release multiple times as well as called for the government to show mercy in allowing him to attend events like his father’s funeral. The government as repeatedly denied any requests for mercy.
Israel has released hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, including convicted murderers, as part of the peace process negotiated by the United States.
The Arab League has stated conclusively they will never recognize Israel as a Jewish state.
The members also said that Israel was the reason for a lack of progress in the peace process.
“We hold Israel entirely responsible for the lack of progress in the peace process and continuing tension in the Middle East,” the group said in a statement. “We express our absolute and decisive rejection to recognizing Israel as a Jewish state.”
The declaration by the Arab League is seen as a serious blow to the peace process as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said one of Israel’s unbending demands is recognition of the country by Arab nations.
Netanyahu believes that without recognition of Israel, there will be no way that anyone can have peace with the Jewish people.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry arrives in the region today to try and nudge the stalled peace process.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to receive a less than friendly welcome at the White House tomorrow for a meeting with President Obama.
The President will tell Netanyahu that if he refuses to endorse Obama’s framework for peace with the Palestinians, Israel will face a bleak future and that time is running out for the country as a Jewish-majority democracy.
The President is also expected to tell Netanyahu he alone is the only Israeli that could lead his people away from the edge of oblivion.
The President said during a Thursday interview if Netanyahu rejects the Obama plan, he has to present an alternative approach. President Obama said that it would very hard for Netanyahu to provide a plausible plan.
The President also said in the interview that he believes Middle Eastern leaders in Iran and Syria know that he is serious about using force if they try to avoid agreements made with the international community.
Israeli leaders are slamming John Kerry in the Israeli press after Kerry’s comments that appeared to lend credence to anti-Semitic boycotts by some countries and organizations.
Economy Minister Naftali Bennett lashed out after Kerry told world leaders at the Munich Security Conference that Israeli could be “delegitimized” around the world and face more boycott campaigns unless they make a peace deal with the Palestinians.
“We expect our friends around the world to stand beside us against anti-Semitic boycott efforts targeting Israel,” Bennett said. “Not for them to be their amplifier.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded a little more discretely by focusing on the issue of boycotts.
“Firstly, they only serve to make the Palestinians become more entrenched in their stance of refusal,” Netanyahu said. “Secondly, no pressure will make me abandon the State of Israel’s vital interests, of which security of the civilian population is foremost.”
The State Department has tried to roll back Kerry’s comments by saying that the Obama administration did not support boycotts.
An overwhelming majority of Israelis believe that the United States and the Obama Administration will do nothing to stop Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
The poll from the Times of Israel newspaper said that 64% of Israelis believe that President Obama will not stop Iran from achieving a nuclear weapon. Only 22% of voters surveyed believed that the President and America would stand up to Iran.
The poll also showed that President Obama had a 33% approval rating among Israeli voters and a 50% disproval rating. A surprising finding was that even among the 33% that approved of Obama, only 46% of those believed he had the ability to stop Iran from making a nuclear weapon.
The poll also showed that despite the poor approval rating overall, President Obama was approved by more Israeli voters than any Israeli politician except for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (who had a 51% approval rating.)
Israeli Prime Minster Benjamin Netanyahu is leading a delegation of six government officials to Rome for a meeting with Pope Francis.
The two-day visit will be the first time the two men have met face-to-face.
Officials close to the scheduled meeting say it’s likely the two men will discuss the Iranian nuclear issue and ongoing peace talks with the Palestinians.
Israeli President Shimon Peres invited the Pope for a visit to Christian holy sites in April followed by Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas who met Pope Francis on October 17th. Sources say it’s likely the Pontiff will visit the Holy Land near the end of May 2014.
Israel and the Vatican established diplomatic relations in 1993 but continue to have issues regarding property rights and tax exemptions for the Catholic Church. In June, negotiators pledged to step up their work to solve outstanding issues.
A push from the Obama Administration to ease sanctions against Iran even if that country does not stop their nuclear program is causing severe tension between Washington and Israel.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu took the rare step of blasting the U.S. in public demanding to know why President Obama was in such a hurry to lift sanctions against a country that has sworn to destroy Israel.
Some analysts believe that the current push by the Obama Administration to ease or remove sanctions against Iran for their nuclear program is an indication they’ve given up on attempting to broker a peace deal between Israel and Palestinians.
The White House issued a statement saying that President Obama had called Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu on Friday to talk about the negotiations with Iran and to reaffirm the U.S. commitment to keeping that country from obtaining a nuclear bomb. However, the statement did not include a reference the two men discussed the peace talks which is the first time a phone conversation between the leaders did not include that topic.
Israeli officials say that Obama’s hurried negotiations with Iran have stripped away most of the goodwill he built up during a March visit to Israel.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry met with leaders of Israel and Palestine Wednesday in attempts to move peace talks through stumbling blocks.
However, sources close to the negotiations say that both sides have brought up new issues that could possibly derail the talks. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed concerns to Kerry.
“I’m concerned about their progress because I see the Palestinians continuing with incitements, continuing to create artificial crises, continuing to avoid and run away from the historic decisions that are needed to make a genuine peace,” Netanyahu said.
The Palestinians objected to new Israeli construction on the West Bank and Jerusalem.
Kerry also announced $75 million in aid to the Palestinian Authority’s High Impact Micro-Infrastructure Initiative.
Two Iron Dome batteries were deployed in Safed and Haifa, as a result of tensions in the north.
Following an IDF evaluation of developments in the region, culminating in Israeli strikes on Syria – as confirmed by officials – Israel is bolstering protective measures in preparation for possible retaliatory rocket fire. Continue reading →
