BBC Monitoring Quotes From Israel's Hebrew Press 9 Jan 08

Jan 09, 05:23 AM

Bush visit

"The visit of the US president to Israel is intended, among other things, to speed up the achievement of an Israeli-Palestinian settlement. However, it is clear that a political settlement is now impossible and not only because of the weakness of the involved governments. The political and security reality in the Palestinian Authority is primarily the one that is preventing any practical possibility of political progress. Hamas holds on to significant parts of the Palestinian Authority, conducts from them war on Israel and does not want any pattern of a political settlement... This reality is not expected to change in the foreseeable future and will even become graver for no good reason. Therefore, the chance of achieving a permanent settlement does not exist..." [From commentary by former Ariel Sharon adviser Dov Weisglass in centrist, largest circulation Yediot Aharonot]

"The fact that the US president came to us expresses honour and endearment for the State of Israel but let us not pretend that we do not understand: He arrives because our region is the bleeding wound of the world and he came to see what can be done to stop the bloodshed. The doctor comes to visit the patients in Israel and the Arab countries. But is he bringing the right medicine in his bags? Much doubt... If Bush succeeds in establishing the start of genuine talks with the Palestinian side it will be possible to say that the first step of the one thousand miles was made by this president..." [From commentary by Eitan Haber in centrist, largest circulation Yediot Aharonot]

"It is very doubtful that George W. Bush knows this and it is doubtful that he cares had he known: in honour of his visit, like in every holiday and occasion in Israel, a closure has been imposed on the [Palestinian] territories. For us this is an automatic measure, a security move intended to prevent a terrorist attack... For the ordinary Palestinian this is another indication that no custom will disturb the humiliation and suffering it causes, of the ongoing occupation while presidents come and go. And Bush? He, as we have said, does not even know... It is great that the king comes but he does not really influence the children... Bush will come and go leaving us behind to continue to bleed." [From commentary by Ofer Shelah in centre-right Ma'ariv]

"George Bush says 'settlement by end of the year' and it is difficult to decide whether to cry or laugh. Regrettably, Bush's influence on the region is less than that of Ahmad J'abari, Hamas military commander in Gaza, or even the influence of [Fatah leader] Marwan al-Barghuthi from prison. The air has already gone out of his balloon and right now Bush's word scares no one... He is a lame elephant and we are his porcelain shop. The one thing that is certain in relation to the year's end is that there will be a new president in Washington. What they are trying to gather in Jerusalem are a few benefits, perhaps one or two declarations and as many impressive pictures as possible testifying to the brave friendship that is supposed to convince the Israeli public that there is a prime minister in Jerusalem and it would not really be nice to demand his resignation on 30 January [publication of Winograd report on Lebanon war]" [From commentary by Ben Kaspit in centre-right Ma'ariv]

"No matter how we look at President Bush's visit to Jerusalem today we will reach the inevitable conclusion that the main reason for holding it now is to join Prime Minister Olmert's rescue campaign from the jaws of the Winograd Committee whose final conclusions will be published at the end of the month. Bush at the service of Olmert..." [From commentary by Avraham Tirosh in centre- right Ma'ariv]

"The Israelis think they are fooling the world but they are only fooling themselves. The outposts are the essence of the Israeli bluff. For 40 years now, Israel has been settling in the occupied territories while pretending that it is prepared to withdraw at any moment if only a chance for peace develops. With its own hands, Israel has been rendering the two-state solution irrelevant, while declaring to all and sundry that this is the only possible solution... Bush's visit to Israel and Olmert's talks with Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas are meaningless as long as the facts on the ground - the outposts that keep expanding - clearly show just how unserious the Israeli government's declarations are and to what extent the US administration is collaborating with it." [From editorial of left-of-centre, independent broadsheet Ha'aretz]

"On Monday, March 12, 1979 President Jimmy Carter, met with the Israeli cabinet and demonstrated to its members the enormity of the influence wielded by the leader of the most important power in the world. President Carter asked his hosts to compromise on the two outstanding issues in the peace negotiations between Israel and Egypt that had taken place over the previous 18 months... President Carter was blunt with the Israeli cabinet: 'Your agreement to the Egyptian demands is a supreme national interest of the United States'... The issues were resolved a day later in talks between foreign minister Moshe Dayan and secretary of state Cyrus Vance...Mr President, the lessons of that meeting must be learned... Take advantage of your visit in order to imbue a new spirit, to dictate a different agenda, made up of the core issues... Speak to your hosts forcefully but do not shame them. Otherwise, your visit will only be remembered for the traffic problems it caused." [From commentary by Uzi Benziman in left-of-centre, independent broadsheet Ha'aretz]

"If the Iranian bomb is stopped, the more moderate camp will enjoy new life. If that bomb keeps moving ahead, the moderates will sputter. The most important thing Bush can do now is show that he understands this by telling Europe that the success of Annapolis (and in Iraq, Afghanistan, Lebanon and elsewhere) depends on stopping Iran, with the goal of convincing Europe to match the sanctions the US has already imposed. If Bush can do this in 2008, his legacy can be saved and the tables turned back toward the side of a freer and safer world. If he cannot, whatever has been painfully accomplished in recent months - and indeed in the last seven years - will progressively unravel, leaving the next US president to cope with a deteriorating world." [From editorial of English-language Jerusalem Post]

Sources: as listed

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