The Front Page Cover
"I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened"
.
Featuring:
Rabin's true legacy
Caroline B. Glick
.
"Know who you are standing with"
"Show me your friends and I'll show you your future"
~~~lll~~~
.
nObama's Policy Change in Syria Does Nothing 
Barack nObama's efforts in Syria are not enough to affect change in the war-torn nation. Oh sure, nObama announced through his spokesman that American boots will be placed in Syria, but that comes with enough buts and stipulations to render the effort ineffective. "We are not putting U.S. troops on the front lines fighting firefights with ISIL," nObama said Monday. "I've been consistent throughout that we are not going to be fighting, like we did in Iraq, with battalions and occupations. That doesn't solve the problem." Battalions of troops don't work? Please tell us what does, because nObama's leadership has tolerated the hyper-violent JV team's terrorist caliphate's existence for months. nObama continued, "Keep in mind that we have run special ops already and really this is just an extension of what we are continuing to do." Take notes, people, for this is politician double-speak 101. There's a policy change in Syria, but the administration is not clear about what exactly U.S. troops will be doing. They might face combat but they will not be in combat roles, apparently. As The Washington Post editorial board pointed out, these special forces will not be helping Secretary of State hanoi-John Kerry leverage a peace deal with Russia and Syria. Meanwhile, the Islamic State has expanded in Syria because Russia is throwing its firepower against rebel groups fighting the Syrian dictator, giving breathing room to the jihadists. If we're going to change Syria, then the region needs a stronger dose of American leadership. -The Patriot Post
.
.
NASA Finally Comes Clean About Antarctica
NASA issued a pre-Halloween press release Friday that is spooking the mainstream climate narrative. When it comes to all that supposed ice melt in Antarctica, it turns out the devil's in the details.
According to the release, "A new NASA study says that an increase in Antarctic snow accumulation that began 10,000 years ago is currently adding enough ice to the continent to outweigh the increased losses from its thinning glaciers. The research challenges the conclusions of other studies, including the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's (IPCC) 2013 report, which says that Antarctica is overall losing land ice." Lead author Jay Zwally says, "We're essentially in agreement with other studies that show an increase in ice discharge in the Antarctic Peninsula and the Thwaites and Pine Island region of West Antarctica. Our main disagreement is for East Antarctica and the interior of West Antarctica — there, we see an ice gain that exceeds the losses in the other areas."
Of course, this isn't news to some of us. We reported in May that sea ice extent broke the previous record high set just last year. And areal coverage has been on the upswing for decades now (increasing an average of 1.2% increase per decade, according to the National Snow and Ice Data Center). It seems the only real news here is how long it took NASA to admit it. Nevertheless, Zwally warns, "If the losses of the Antarctic Peninsula and parts of West Antarctica continue to increase at the same rate they've been increasing for the last two decades, the losses will catch up with the long-term gain in East Antarctica in 20 or 30 years — I don't think there will be enough snowfall increase to offset these losses."
"The good news is that Antarctica is not currently contributing to sea level rise, but is taking 0.23 millimeters per year away" [emphasis added], adds Zwally, debunking yet another piece of settled science. "But this is also bad news. If the 0.27 millimeters per year of sea level rise attributed to Antarctica in the IPCC report is not really coming from Antarctica, there must be some other contribution to sea level rise that is not accounted for." Which presents another quagmire: Why is NASA taking issue with the IPCC's ice statistics but accepting its sea level reporting at face value? The bottom line is that Antarctic sea ice is gaining, yet somehow warmists are still blaming it on global warming, like this headline from Nature World Report: "Global warming is actually creating more ice in Antarctica." At some point you have to ask: Why does the bad always outweigh the good? -The Patriot Post
.
.
Ryan on Immigration: nObama Can't Be Trusted With the election of Paul Ryan as the new speaker of the House last Thursday, there have been and will continue to be mixed predictions on how he will perform. To be sure, there are many pressing issues on which Ryan will need to show leadership and wisdom. One of the biggest concerns — one that divides Republicans — is immigration.
Many conservative constituents are skeptical of how Ryan will lead on the issue. Will he work toward his own desire for more comprehensive immigration reform, or will he listen to the voices of the conservative movement who are fed up with the business-as-usual approach? Will he be willing and able to stand against Barack nObama's "fundamental transformation" of America?
During several interviews on Sunday, Ryan proved again that he's a far better communicator than backstabber-John Boehner could ever hope to be. He worked to reassure conservatives that his leadership will be good for the party, and he sought to let the American people know that Republicans can solve problems.
But first, the GOP has to overcome its past. Ryan noted that Republicans in Congress “don’t have a vision” and that there has been too much infighting over tactics and too little work on actual policies. Such is the challenge of the GOP's historic congressional election victories.
-The Patriot Post
.
.
WITH YOUR SECOND CUP OF COFFEE
The man who once enticed the American and British intelligentsia with the promise of a Western-style government in Iraq died of a heart attack today in his Baghdad home. Ahmed Chalabi, 71-years-old, was the head of the finance committee in Iraq’s parliament. Chalabi is a controversial figure for his role in the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003. WSJ explains:“Mr. Chalabi provided American intelligence officers with much of the information that led to the invasion of Iraq. But he fell out publicly with the administration of President George W. Bush after it became clear that deposed Iraqi President Saddam Hussein didn’t have a large-scale nuclear or chemical weapons program. American soldiers and Iraqi police raided his Baghdad home and office in 2004 as part of a fraud investigation.” -Fox News
The man who once enticed the American and British intelligentsia with the promise of a Western-style government in Iraq died of a heart attack today in his Baghdad home. Ahmed Chalabi, 71-years-old, was the head of the finance committee in Iraq’s parliament. Chalabi is a controversial figure for his role in the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003. WSJ explains:“Mr. Chalabi provided American intelligence officers with much of the information that led to the invasion of Iraq. But he fell out publicly with the administration of President George W. Bush after it became clear that deposed Iraqi President Saddam Hussein didn’t have a large-scale nuclear or chemical weapons program. American soldiers and Iraqi police raided his Baghdad home and office in 2004 as part of a fraud investigation.” -Fox News
.
.
.
NASA Study Showing Massive Ice Growth Debunks UN Claims
{Alex Newman} ~ Apparently the science surrounding alleged anthropogenic (man-made) global warming (AGW) is not really so settled after all... In a barely noticed statement released last week, NASA dropped the equivalent of a nuclear bomb on the United Nations' climate-alarmism machine, noting that ice across Antarctica has been growing at break-neck speed for decades. The surging ice growth, of course, directly contradicts the predictions of global-warming alarmists, including a 2013 report by the increasingly discredited UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change claiming, falsely as it turns out, that Antarctica was losing ice at an accelerating rate and causing rising sea levels, all supposedly owing to humanity's emissions of the "gas of life" CO2. http://www.thenewamerican.com/tech/environment/item/21875-nasa-study-showing-massive-ice-growth-debunks-un-claims?utm_content=Rudy%20Tirre&utm_source=VerticalResponse&utm_medium=Email&utm_term=NASA%20Study%20Showing%20Massive%20Ice%20Growth%20Debunks%20UN%20Claims&utm_campaign=NASA%20Study%20Showing%20Massive%20Ice%20Growth%20Debunks%20UN%20Claimscontent.
Clinton cannot tell the truth
{washingtonexaminer.com} ~ In her immediate post-Benghazi appearance on the "Rachel Maddow Show," former Secretary of State Hilly Clinton must have been feeling pretty good — like she could get away with anything... Perhaps that's why she went on television and lied about her husband's reasons for signing the Defense of Marriage Act, the 1996 bill that established the traditional definition of marriage for all federal government purposes. "There was enough political momentum to amend the Constitution of the United States of America," Clinton said, referring to the possible passage of a federal marriage amendment. DOMA, she argued, was "a defensive action," and "a line that was drawn that was to prevent going further." There's just one problem with this explanation: It's a lie.
.
Senate Panel Explores Speed of U.S. Military Technology...
{John Grady} ~ The staggering rate of change and the unacceptable time it takes the Pentagon to introduce weapon systems is leading to “a steady erosion of U.S. technological superiority” over peer competitors and non-state actors such as the Islamic State... Those were consensus views at a Tuesday hearing on the future of warfare before the Senate Armed Services Committee. SASC chair Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) compared private industry’s operating on an 18-month cycle of introducing innovative technologies to the Defense Department’s 18-year cycle to bring major new systems to the force. That fast pace of technological change will produce tremendous good in warfare, health care and society overall, said retired Army Gen. Keith Alexander, former head of the National Security Agency and Cyber Command. He added that speed comes at the cost of “tremendous vulnerability” especially to the power grid and financial sector in the United States. Those are the areas that countries such as Russia and Iran would try to disrupt. http://news.usni.org/2015/11/03/senate-panel-explores-speed-of-u-s-military-technology-weapons-development?utm_source=USNI+News&utm_campaign=0281fd9d53-USNI_NEWS_DAILY&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_0dd4a1450b-0281fd9d53-231491269&mc_cid=0281fd9d53&mc_eid=3999f18767.
State Department emails conflict with Clinton’s Benghazi testimony
{Catherine Herridge} ~ Newly released emails conflict with former Secretary of State Hilly Clinton's 11-hour testimony before the Benghazi Select Committee, according to a review of the transcripts and public records. One of the conflicts involves the role played by Clinton confidant Sidney Blumenthal... Regarding the dozens of emails from him, which in many cases were forwarded to her State Department team, Clinton testified: "He's a friend of mine. He sent me information he thought might be of interest. Some of it was, some of it wasn't, some of it I forwarded to be followed up on. He had no official position in the government. And he was not at all my adviser on Libya." But a newly released email from February 2011 shows Blumenthal advocated for a no-fly zone over Libya, writing, "U.S. might consider advancing tomorrow. Libyan helicopters and planes are raining terror on cities." The email was forwarded by Clinton to her deputy chief of staff Jake Sullivan with the question, "What do you think of this idea?" http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/11/03/state-department-emails-conflict-with-clintons-benghazi-testimony/.
Empty the Prisons Bill Now on Fast Track
{Cliff Kincaid} ~ We are witnessing a carefully orchestrated political and media campaign to pass the George Soros-backed Sentencing Reform and Corrections Act of 2015 (S.2123) on the grounds that it is “bipartisan.”... But critics are calling it a soft-on-crime bill that will backfire on the Republicans who help pass it. A big hole in the congressional process to rush the bill through to full approval in the Senate has been exposed by a former prosecutor who says victims of crime were not given a chance to be heard. The former prosecutor, Mary Leary, is a professor at Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law in Washington, D.C. She has written a scathing review of the bill and the process underway to pass it, saying, “The president and Congress need to reach out to victims. The president has gone all the way to Oklahoma to meet with prisoners. Perhaps he should take a walk in Washington and meet with one of the victims of the over 40,000 crimes that occurred there in 2014 or speak to the families affected by a homicide rate that has increased over 47 percent since last year.” http://www.aim.org/aim-column/empty-the-prisons-bill-now-on-fast-track/?utm_source=AIM+-+Daily+Email&utm_campaign=email110415&utm_medium=email.
Schumer’s Slimy Tactics Abuse Power, Pervert Process, Extort...
{rickwells.us} ~ Slimy Senator Chuck Schumer is combining abuse of power with extortion as only a Marxist Democrat mobster, sufficiently devoid of morals and patriotism, can do... He’s engaged in a naked attempt to pervert the federal government procurement process in an illegal and unconstitutional infringement upon the Second Amendment, advancing the disarmament component of their assault on America. Having recognized that the people of the country value our right to bear arms and aren’t about to give them up voluntarily, he’s going the Hilly Clinton route to manipulate us through other, subversive means. His target in this case is gun manufacturers. It is surely part of a coordinated, multi-front attack, one that is taking place simultaneously with Michael Bloomberg dumping $2.2 million in TV ads to try to flip the Virginia state senate to Democrat, and enable the Clinton insider governor, Terry McAuliffe, to press their disarmament agenda..
Congress Moves to Label Muslim Brotherhood a Terrorist Group
{Adam Kredo} ~ Lawmakers in both houses of Congress filed legislation on Tuesday that would formally designate the Muslim Brotherhood a sanctioned terrorist organization... according to an advance copy of the legislation obtained by the Washington Free Beacon. The legislation outlines the Brotherhood’s long history of sponsoring terrorism and outlines congressional support for it to be designated a global terrorist outfit. The bill also would force Secretary of State hanoi-John Kerry to explain why the nObama administration has been hesitant to label the Brotherhood a terrorist group. The Brotherhood’s political wing has been banned in Egypt, where affiliates of the organization overthrew the government and then violently cracked down on its opposition, the United States has avoided labeling the organization a sponsor of terrorism..
Islamic State Used Captured Humvee in Suicide Bombing
{Bill Gertz} ~ Islamic State terrorists used a modified U.S. Army Humvee to carry out a suicide car bombing in western Iraq last month... A video posted online Oct. 24 revealed that the Humvee had been fortified with metal plates and packed with explosives as a jihadist suicide bomber drove it into a Shiite militia base, causing a huge explosion. The use of the Army vehicle appears from the video to have been part of the large amount of U.S.-supplied weapons and equipment captured by the Islamic State during its takeover of part of Iraq last year. The terrorist who conducted the attack was identified in the video as Abu-Khalid al-Tajiki, possibly an Islamic State member from Tajikistan who appeared to be in his 20s. http://freebeacon.com/national-security/islamic-state-used-captured-humvee-in-suicide-bombing/.
Report Details Iranian Commander's Involvement in Terrorist Activity {investigativeproject.org} ~ The commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps' (IRGC) Quds Force– Qassem Soleimani – continues to remain actively involved in promoting the Islamic Republic's regional expansion and terrorist networks... according to an extensive report compiled by the Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center. Click here to see the full report. As the head of the Quds Force – the most powerful security organization in Iran –Soleimani is directly tasked with maintaining the fundamentalist regime in power and is responsible for exploiting Arab World turmoil in recent years to advance Iran's regional hegemonic objectives. From September 2015, Iran increased its number of troops - mainly IRGC soldiers - in Syria from hundreds to thousands, to support Hizballah terrorists acting at Iran's behest in propping up the Bashaar Assad regime. In October 2015, Soleimani reportedly landed in northwestern Syria to brief Hizballah operatives and command a Syrian military offensive, indicating that Iran is diverting more resources from its presence in Iraq to Syria.
.
Mexican Drug Cartel Murders Two Christians Who Are Fighting...
{Theodore Shoebat} ~ A drug cartel in Michoacan, Mexico, murdered two Christians and burned their bodies. The two men were part of a major militia Las Autodefensas who are fighting the cartels in the state of Michoacan. According to a report... There have been literally thousands of Christians murdered in Mexico by the cartels. Our organization, Rescue Christians, have been helping the victims of the cartels, especially the widows whose husbands have been murdered by the cartels. http://shoebat.com/2015/11/03/mexican-drug-cartel-murders-two-christians-who-are-fighting-the-cartels-in-major-militia-and-burns-their-bodies-these-men-are-martyrs-and-christians-in-america-must-help-their-fellow-christians-in-me/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+shoebat+%28Walid+Shoebat%29
.
.
Rabin's true legacy
Caroline B. Glick
.
A woman lights a memorial candle with the image of assassinated Israeli PM Rabin
.
{jewishworldreview.com} ~ It is notable that the same week that Israel marked the 20th anniversary of the assassination of prime minister and defense minister Yitzhak Rabin, Palestinian Authority President and PLO chief Mahmoud Abbas went before the UN Human Rights Commission and asked the UN to establish "a special regime of international protection" for the Palestinians against Israel..
"It is no longer useful to waste time in negotiations just for the sake of negotiations. What is required is the ending of the occupation in accordance with international legitimacy," said the man who has never held good-faith negotiations with Israel in his life and has refused to even pretend to hold them for the past seven years.
"It is no longer useful to waste time in negotiations just for the sake of negotiations. What is required is the ending of the occupation in accordance with international legitimacy," said the man who has never held good-faith negotiations with Israel in his life and has refused to even pretend to hold them for the past seven years.
.
It is ironic that Abbas issued this latest salvo in his diplomatic war against Israel the week that Israel marked Rabin's assassination. As our putative peace partner was slandering us on yet another international stage, yet again our introspection around the anniversary of the murder showed that we have learned very little over the past 20 years.
It is ironic that Abbas issued this latest salvo in his diplomatic war against Israel the week that Israel marked Rabin's assassination. As our putative peace partner was slandering us on yet another international stage, yet again our introspection around the anniversary of the murder showed that we have learned very little over the past 20 years.
.
As is the case every year, the Left used the anniversary of Rabin's murder to accuse the Right of responsibility both for Rabin's assassination and for the failure of the peace process with the PLO.
As is the case every year, the Left used the anniversary of Rabin's murder to accuse the Right of responsibility both for Rabin's assassination and for the failure of the peace process with the PLO.
.
For their part, nationalist commentators restated the obvious fact they repeat every year: There is a world of difference between solicitation of murder and a policy dispute.
For their part, nationalist commentators restated the obvious fact they repeat every year: There is a world of difference between solicitation of murder and a policy dispute.
.
Israel's annual national self-flagellation around the anniversary of Rabin's murder is a twofold travesty. It is a travesty first because it prevents us from coming to terms with the true reason that Oslo has failed. And it is a travesty because it distorts to the point of nonrecognition Rabin's record as a leader and his lifelong dedication to Israel's national security.
Israel's annual national self-flagellation around the anniversary of Rabin's murder is a twofold travesty. It is a travesty first because it prevents us from coming to terms with the true reason that Oslo has failed. And it is a travesty because it distorts to the point of nonrecognition Rabin's record as a leader and his lifelong dedication to Israel's national security.
.
The Left's claim that Yigal Amir killed not only Rabin but the chance of peace rests on the assumption that unlike the five men who have served as prime minister since Rabin was killed, Rabin would have reached a final accord with Yasser Arafat if he had lived to finish his term in office.
The Left's claim that Yigal Amir killed not only Rabin but the chance of peace rests on the assumption that unlike the five men who have served as prime minister since Rabin was killed, Rabin would have reached a final accord with Yasser Arafat if he had lived to finish his term in office.
.
This claim ignores the nature of the Oslo process and distorts Rabin's position on it.
This claim ignores the nature of the Oslo process and distorts Rabin's position on it.
.
Contrary to what Oslo's architects and supporters claim, the Oslo process never could have brought peace between Israel and the Palestinians. It never could have brought peace because the PLO was never interested in peace.
Contrary to what Oslo's architects and supporters claim, the Oslo process never could have brought peace between Israel and the Palestinians. It never could have brought peace because the PLO was never interested in peace.
.
Right after Yasser Arafat concluded the initial deal with Israel in September 1993, he flew from Washington to South Africa. There he told a Muslim audience that the peace process was a fraud. Arafat explained that the Oslo process would weaken Israel while strengthening the Palestinians. They would use this improved position to achieve their goal of Israel's destruction through jihad.
Right after Yasser Arafat concluded the initial deal with Israel in September 1993, he flew from Washington to South Africa. There he told a Muslim audience that the peace process was a fraud. Arafat explained that the Oslo process would weaken Israel while strengthening the Palestinians. They would use this improved position to achieve their goal of Israel's destruction through jihad.
.
This wasn't a one-time fall from grace on Arafat's part. It was his consistent message to both the Muslim world writ large and to the Palestinians.
This wasn't a one-time fall from grace on Arafat's part. It was his consistent message to both the Muslim world writ large and to the Palestinians.
.
After Israel embarked what it viewed as the peace process with the PLO, the Education Ministry began changing the school curriculum.
After Israel embarked what it viewed as the peace process with the PLO, the Education Ministry began changing the school curriculum.
.
Beginning in 1994, Israeli children were taught that the PLO was a moderate force and a peace partner.
Beginning in 1994, Israeli children were taught that the PLO was a moderate force and a peace partner.
.
On the other hand, following the formation of the Palestinian Authority in 1994, the Palestinians changed their school curriculum to indoctrinate their children to view Israelis as subhuman and to view the murder of Israelis as the highest moral calling. The suicide bombers of 2000-2005 were the products of this school curriculum.
On the other hand, following the formation of the Palestinian Authority in 1994, the Palestinians changed their school curriculum to indoctrinate their children to view Israelis as subhuman and to view the murder of Israelis as the highest moral calling. The suicide bombers of 2000-2005 were the products of this school curriculum.
.
So, too, while the Rabin government embraced the Israeli peace movement, the PLO hunted down and murdered Palestinians who peacefully coexisted with Israel, by among other things, helping Israel to catch terrorists and prevent terrorist attacks on its citizens. The PA glorified murderers in every possible way, down to printing baseball-type cards with terrorists rather than sports stars pictured as national heroes.
So, too, while the Rabin government embraced the Israeli peace movement, the PLO hunted down and murdered Palestinians who peacefully coexisted with Israel, by among other things, helping Israel to catch terrorists and prevent terrorist attacks on its citizens. The PA glorified murderers in every possible way, down to printing baseball-type cards with terrorists rather than sports stars pictured as national heroes.
.
The situation has only grown worse under Arafat's successor Mahmoud Abbas. Under Abbas, Palestinians who merely engage in commerce with Israelis or buy Israeli products have been arrested and discredited by name.
The situation has only grown worse under Arafat's successor Mahmoud Abbas. Under Abbas, Palestinians who merely engage in commerce with Israelis or buy Israeli products have been arrested and discredited by name.
.
In other words, Oslo didn't fail because Rabin was killed. Oslo failed — and continues to fail — because it was based on false assumptions about the Palestinians and the nature of their conflict with Israel.
In other words, Oslo didn't fail because Rabin was killed. Oslo failed — and continues to fail — because it was based on false assumptions about the Palestinians and the nature of their conflict with Israel.
.
Aside from the faith it placed in Arafat as a peacemaker, Oslo assumed that the absence of peace owed to the absence of a Palestinian state and was therefore Israel's fault. If Israel would just give the PLO sufficient lands to make it happy, then there would be peace.
Aside from the faith it placed in Arafat as a peacemaker, Oslo assumed that the absence of peace owed to the absence of a Palestinian state and was therefore Israel's fault. If Israel would just give the PLO sufficient lands to make it happy, then there would be peace.
.
But as Shlomo Ben-Ami, who served as foreign minister when the Oslo process ended with the Palestinian terrorist war at Camp David in July 2000, said, that assumption was also wrong. The Palestinians were never interested in settling their dispute with Israel on any terms.
But as Shlomo Ben-Ami, who served as foreign minister when the Oslo process ended with the Palestinian terrorist war at Camp David in July 2000, said, that assumption was also wrong. The Palestinians were never interested in settling their dispute with Israel on any terms.
.
As Ben-Ami explained to Haaretz in September 2000, "Arafat's concession vis-à-vis Israel at Oslo was a formal concession. Morally and conceptually, he didn't recognize Israel's right to exist. He doesn't accept the idea of two states for two peoples. Neither he nor the Palestinian national movement accept us... More than they want a state of their own, they want to spit out our state."
As Ben-Ami explained to Haaretz in September 2000, "Arafat's concession vis-à-vis Israel at Oslo was a formal concession. Morally and conceptually, he didn't recognize Israel's right to exist. He doesn't accept the idea of two states for two peoples. Neither he nor the Palestinian national movement accept us... More than they want a state of their own, they want to spit out our state."
.
In other words, Oslo was never a peace process, because the Palestinians saw it not as a means to build their own national homeland but as a means to destroy Israel. The notion that the peace process died with Rabin is absurd because the peace process never existed outside of the Left's imagination.
In other words, Oslo was never a peace process, because the Palestinians saw it not as a means to build their own national homeland but as a means to destroy Israel. The notion that the peace process died with Rabin is absurd because the peace process never existed outside of the Left's imagination.
.
This brings us to the second travesty at the heart of Israel's annual self-hate fest. Not only does it distort the nature of the Oslo process, it distorts Rabin's life and legacy.
This brings us to the second travesty at the heart of Israel's annual self-hate fest. Not only does it distort the nature of the Oslo process, it distorts Rabin's life and legacy.
.
Rabin was not a peacenik. He was not a starry- eyed ideologue. Rabin was a security hawk who dedicated his life to Israel's defense and security. True, Rabin believed that the absence of peace with the Palestinians was the root of the larger Arab world's rejection of Israel. But he also believed that there was a limit to what Israel could offer the Palestinians.
Rabin was not a peacenik. He was not a starry- eyed ideologue. Rabin was a security hawk who dedicated his life to Israel's defense and security. True, Rabin believed that the absence of peace with the Palestinians was the root of the larger Arab world's rejection of Israel. But he also believed that there was a limit to what Israel could offer the Palestinians.
.
Rabin foresaw the outlines of a final deal with the Palestinians as laying more or less along the lines set out by Yigal Allon in his peace plan in 1967. Rabin believed that the end-state of the peace process would involve an autonomous Palestinian governing authority rather than a state presiding over around half of Judea and Samaria and a large part of Gaza.
Rabin foresaw the outlines of a final deal with the Palestinians as laying more or less along the lines set out by Yigal Allon in his peace plan in 1967. Rabin believed that the end-state of the peace process would involve an autonomous Palestinian governing authority rather than a state presiding over around half of Judea and Samaria and a large part of Gaza.
.
Jerusalem, in his view, would remain united under sole Israeli sovereignty. The Israeli communities in Judea, Samaria and Gaza would remain in place. Israel would maintain its control over the areas not ceded to the Palestinians, including the international borders with Egypt and Jordan, in perpetuity.
Jerusalem, in his view, would remain united under sole Israeli sovereignty. The Israeli communities in Judea, Samaria and Gaza would remain in place. Israel would maintain its control over the areas not ceded to the Palestinians, including the international borders with Egypt and Jordan, in perpetuity.
.
Not to put too fine a point on it, but Rabin's vision of a final deal looked much more like Bayit Yehudi's diplomatic plan than the Labor Party's position.
Not to put too fine a point on it, but Rabin's vision of a final deal looked much more like Bayit Yehudi's diplomatic plan than the Labor Party's position.
.
Rabin was also not enamored of Arafat or the PLO.
Rabin was also not enamored of Arafat or the PLO.
.
Rabin was not the architect of the Oslo process.
Rabin was not the architect of the Oslo process.
.
Shimon Peres and his associates negotiated the initial deal at Oslo behind Rabin's back.
Shimon Peres and his associates negotiated the initial deal at Oslo behind Rabin's back.
.
Rabin felt compelled to adopt their deal after the fact because he had promised voters in the 1992 election campaign that he would pursue peace with the Palestinians. Once Peres and his associates pressed ahead with the PLO in Oslo, the peace process Rabin oversaw (and knew about) in Washington had no chance of succeeding. He would have broken faith with his constituents if he had rejected Peres's Oslo accord.
Rabin felt compelled to adopt their deal after the fact because he had promised voters in the 1992 election campaign that he would pursue peace with the Palestinians. Once Peres and his associates pressed ahead with the PLO in Oslo, the peace process Rabin oversaw (and knew about) in Washington had no chance of succeeding. He would have broken faith with his constituents if he had rejected Peres's Oslo accord.
.
But even as he adopted it, he maintained a healthy skepticism of its chances of success.
But even as he adopted it, he maintained a healthy skepticism of its chances of success.
.
And as the terrorist attacks mounted in the months that followed the signing ceremony on the White House lawn, Rabin began considering canceling the process.
And as the terrorist attacks mounted in the months that followed the signing ceremony on the White House lawn, Rabin began considering canceling the process.
.
As left-wing commentator Amnon Abramovich explained in an interview shortly after Rabin's assassination, Rabin "liked the fact that the Oslo agreement was not a done deal, unlike a deal with Syria which would be irreversible.
As left-wing commentator Amnon Abramovich explained in an interview shortly after Rabin's assassination, Rabin "liked the fact that the Oslo agreement was not a done deal, unlike a deal with Syria which would be irreversible.
.
Rabin emphasized the fact that Oslo was a process that could be reversed at every point."
Rabin emphasized the fact that Oslo was a process that could be reversed at every point."
.
By the eve of his murder, due to mounting Palestinian terrorism, Rabin was seriously considering abrogating the Oslo process entirely.
By the eve of his murder, due to mounting Palestinian terrorism, Rabin was seriously considering abrogating the Oslo process entirely.
.
In an interview on the 15th anniversary of her father's murder, Dalia Rabin explained that her father was on the verge of canceling the deal and turning back the clock.
In an interview on the 15th anniversary of her father's murder, Dalia Rabin explained that her father was on the verge of canceling the deal and turning back the clock.
.
In her words, "People who were close to my father told me that on the eve of his assassination he considered ending the Oslo process.
In her words, "People who were close to my father told me that on the eve of his assassination he considered ending the Oslo process.
.
He wasn't a blind man who sprinted forward." Abbas's actions at the UN this week, where he called for the world to protect the Palestinians from Israel while back at home he simultaneously continued his calls for Palestinians to take up knives and take to the wheel of their cars to murder Israelis, cannot come as a surprise.
He wasn't a blind man who sprinted forward." Abbas's actions at the UN this week, where he called for the world to protect the Palestinians from Israel while back at home he simultaneously continued his calls for Palestinians to take up knives and take to the wheel of their cars to murder Israelis, cannot come as a surprise.
.
They are of a piece with the PLO's previous diplomatic machinations from 2000 to 2003 in the wake of its terrorist war against Israel.
They are of a piece with the PLO's previous diplomatic machinations from 2000 to 2003 in the wake of its terrorist war against Israel.
.
Those machinations led the US to form the so-called Quartet with the UN, Russia and the EU and embrace the road map for peace, the most anti-Israel diplomatic document to have ever seen the light of day, in 2003.
Those machinations led the US to form the so-called Quartet with the UN, Russia and the EU and embrace the road map for peace, the most anti-Israel diplomatic document to have ever seen the light of day, in 2003.
.
Today Abbas uses terrorism at home to convince the UN to dictate the terms of Israeli surrender in Judea, Samaria and Jerusalem to the PLO.
Today Abbas uses terrorism at home to convince the UN to dictate the terms of Israeli surrender in Judea, Samaria and Jerusalem to the PLO.
.
Abbas and Arafat succeeded 12 years ago and may succeed today for a number of reasons beyond Israel's control, but also for one reason that Israel does control.
Abbas and Arafat succeeded 12 years ago and may succeed today for a number of reasons beyond Israel's control, but also for one reason that Israel does control.
.
Abbas is able to succeed at the UN in part because Israel refuses to acknowledge that there never was a peace process. Arafat lied to us, and to the world, about his intentions, and we lied to ourselves about the nature of the Palestinian war against us. So long as we continue to play along with this tired charade, we will be unable to conceive and implement a diplomatic defense that is coherent and effective against the mountains of lies and murder on which the PLO has based its war against Israel for the past 55 years.
Abbas is able to succeed at the UN in part because Israel refuses to acknowledge that there never was a peace process. Arafat lied to us, and to the world, about his intentions, and we lied to ourselves about the nature of the Palestinian war against us. So long as we continue to play along with this tired charade, we will be unable to conceive and implement a diplomatic defense that is coherent and effective against the mountains of lies and murder on which the PLO has based its war against Israel for the past 55 years.
.
Israel contributes to the PLO's diplomatic success at the UN because it refuses to do what Rabin recognized was necessary 20 years ago.
Israel contributes to the PLO's diplomatic success at the UN because it refuses to do what Rabin recognized was necessary 20 years ago.
.
Rather than learn from his record, Israel has spent the past 20 years distorting his record.
Rather than learn from his record, Israel has spent the past 20 years distorting his record.
.
The time has come to do justice to Rabin and end the Oslo process once and for all.
The time has come to do justice to Rabin and end the Oslo process once and for all.
.
Comments