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From: jeffrey E. [jeeyacation@gmail.com]
Sent: 10/30/2014 2:50:38 AM
To: Nil Priell Barak
Subject: Re:
begining edits
David Ben Gurion was asked why he, after 2000
years, in contrast to the many great leaders in
the past was uniquely able to re -established the
State of Israel. BG responded that he thought that
it must have been true that in ancient times people
had been born with a sixth sense. The one
enabling individuals to have the ability
to recognize and the seize opportunities. Though
few of those individuals remain I think I am one of
the fortunate few. He didn't mentioned the horrors
or the sacrifice of the 48' war. I believe
Menachem Begin had it,as several years after the
bitter 73' war he was able to make a daring
peace with Egypt. Als lzhak Rabin,who now 20yrs
ago, signed the Peace treaty with Jordan though
in amidst a wave of terror. He faced huge internal
rejection but it began the first baby steps towards
a settlement with the Palestinians. As we all know
he was assassinated by a Jewish terrorist. These
leaders all faced many risks, yet were able to see
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and seize an opportunity. Statesmanship and
leadership..
During the last three years we have been living
through a geo political earthquake. The world
order, which existed since the demise of the
Ottoman Empire, is collapsing.The Arab Spring
appears to have turned into an Islamist Winter.
Borders are erased. Old tribal and sectarian
disputes have awakened. In perfect storm like
fashion Israel now finds itself surrounded by
clashes of civilizations, in addition to the Islam
confrontation between fanatic terror and moderna,
Suna and Shia, the legacy threats: Iran, Assad in
Syria, Hezbullah in Lebanon,Hamas in Gaza are
all still active and worrying.
we have to be alert and ready to strongly respond
to any threat to our security..
But I believe new opportunities are there for the
taking. This opportunity,which might not occur
again for generations ,is the potential to reshape
our relationships with the Arab Moderates based
on our common concerns. Extremism, Terror and
Iran. This could open the gate to a more peaceful
Middle East based on cooperation and synergies
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rather than blood and revenge. However thers is,
in my opnion n o way to achieve but to move
forward with the Palestinians
A precondition to seize such an opportunity is a
mighty, sober, self confident Israel, in strong
alliance with the US. An Israel which can deter or
defeat any combination of regional powers, yet, an
Israel who is ready to contemplate and consider a
modified Saudi or Arab League Plan as a basis for
negotiations.
The unique relationship we have developed with
the US over the last 45yrs based on common
values ,mutual respect and shared interests is a
cornerstone of our strength, world posture and
our future. It is also a crucial building block of any
regional peace and cooperation strategy.Allowing
IL/US relations to remain damaged, I believe is a
grave mistake with potentially far reaching
consequences.
As the Minister of Defense of Israel I've met more
than once with President Obama , as well as with
President Bush before him„ reiterating with both
that the though the US is clearly our best friend
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and ally, Israel is a Sovereign state and when our
security and the future of Israel and the Jewish
people are at stake we might need to take
tough decisions on our own. We cannot and will
not, I added, delegate the responsibility for such
decisions to even our best friends ,. We respect
the fact that we might have different views.
American Presidents have always understood that
. We also must have the same respect when the
US decides it is its interest to take decisions we
might not fully agree with.
this relation is of course not fully symmetric. It is
the US which will provides Israel with the new F-
35s and ensures the Qualitative Edge of the IDF
vis a vis any combination of neighbors. It is the
US who significantly financed the Iron Dome,
Arrow and David's Sling missile defense systems.
It is the US that has commited to defend Israel in
the event of a missile attack from Iran.
We should never forget it.
The recent spurt of verbal exchanges is a
worrying signal that something has gone wrong. It
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needs corrrection.. Netanyahu is not a coward.
I've seen him as a young special forces
officer ,under my command, facing fire directly and
taking risks to his life. A very courageous soldier.
That will never change. cheap words serve little
purpose .The same applies to President Obama
and Secretary Kerry. they are not enemies of
Israel. they are Good Friends. Kerry has exhibited
decades long support for Israel. Since he became
Secretary of State he has invested his time
energy and prestige trying to help Israel and the
Palestinians to bridge disputes and reach a
breakthrough. it was a noble effort which
should justify thanks rather than accustations. We
are of course concerned by the lack of outcome of
the P5+1 negotiations with Iran and we think that
the chemical weapons removal from Syria could
have been handled differently But President
Obama strengthens the legacy of Presidential
support for Israel.. Israel has a vital interest in
resuming the healthy trust, and mutual respect
that existed until recently.
. I believe that the most profound internal debate
inside Israel today is in regard to the relationship
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between Israel's security needs and the viability of
the "two states solution". We all agree that we are
living in a tough, merciless and highly
unpredictable neighborhood..So it is clear that our
security needs are of the highest priority and we
should build certain "safety margins" into any
future security planning.But the Israeli Right is
going too far by arguing that the security needs of
Israel renders any viable,demilitarized
independent, Palestinian State - impossible.
In other words, the " lesson" of recent years
according to our Right is that Israel's Security and
the "two states solution" are incompatible. I believe
this is a fallacious conclusion, driven by narrow
political interests.
I've served a lifetime career, fighting and
defending my country's security. Most of the time
in uniform. Based on this experience ,I confidently
conclude,and it is a professional rather than
political answer, that if and when a Palestinian
demilitarized independent State will be established
side by side with Israel behind borders which will
consist of a solid Jewish majority for generations
to come and will include the major "Settlement
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Blocks" accompanied by mutually agreed swaps
and an Israeli long term military presence along
the River Jordan - the IDF and the
SecurityServices will be capable
of defending Israel. Moreover, I'm confident that
if we will bring together all former Israeli Chiefs of
Staff, all former Commanders of the Central
Command( responsible for Judea and Samaria)
and all former Heads of Intelligence ,SecServices
and Mossad, an extremely vast majority of them
will agree with me on this issue. True,it might take
time, frustrations and setbacks. It might have to go
through prolonged periods of interim
arrangements. but the IDF is much superior to any
conceivable rival and will be able to defend Israel
under all those circumstances.
the Right argument is convoluted, the opposite is
true. The real big threat to the Zionist Project is not
the "two state solution" but rather the "one state
solution" which will lead inevitably to either a non
Jewish or a non democratic, potentially ever
bleeding State. Still,this is the vision the Israeli
extreme Right shares unknowingly with the Hamas
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(and with all due differences with the lunatic, Post
Zionist fringes of the Israeli Left).
In order to seize the opportunity for regional peace
and cooperation arrangements and in order to
block the deterioration towards "one state solution"
action, tenacity and decisiveness will be essential.
politics of survival, anxiety and pessimism will not
do.
we are facing a moment of truth. a time for daring
decisions.The essence of Zionism, its raison d'être
had always been to take our fate in our hands.
make decisions and follow them with actions,
rather than being dragged by events and decisions
of others and paying the price for it.
our legendary Foreign Minister Abba Eban
famously said that the Palestinians had never
missed an opportunity to miss an opportunity. Lets
not fall into the same trap.
On Wed, Oct 29, 2014 at 7:12 PM, Nil Priell Barak
herewith the Op Ed. Please let me know your opinion and your remarks.
thanks,
EB
wrote:
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Herewith
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