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PortugueseObama’s top adviser continues the White House’s campaign against Israel in his speech at the left-wing J Street conference.
White house Chief of Staff Denis McDonough chimed in with the anti-Netanyahu rhetoric coming out of the White house in recent days by declaring that Israel must end its 50-year “occupation” of “Palestine.”
“An occupation that has lasted for almost 50 years must end, and the Palestinian people must have the right to live in and govern themselves in their own sovereign state,” White house Chief of Staff Denis McDonough stated at the left-wing J Street’s annual conference in Washington on Monday.
An occupation that has lasted for almost 50 years must end, and the Palestinian people must have the right to live in and govern themselves in their own sovereign state,” he declared, meaning that the Jewish state must relinquish a united Jerusalem as its capital and withdraw from the biblical lands of Judea and Samaria.
The crowds responded with loud applause.
“We continue to believe that the best way to safeguard Israel’s long-term security is to bring about a comprehensive peace between Israelis and Palestinians, two states for two peoples, living side-by-side in security and peace,” McDonough added.
Israel withdrew from the Gaza Strip in 2005 and has since been forced to contend with a terror state ruled by Hamas at its border.
“To achieve this, the United States has long advocated direct negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians. In 2009, Prime Minister Netanyahu publicly endorsed a two-state solution. Over the course of President Obama’s administration, most recently with the tireless efforts of Secretary Kerry, the United States has expended tremendous energy in pursuit of this goal. That is why the prime minister’s comments on the eve of the election, in which he first intimated and then made very clear in response to a follow-up question that a Palestinian state will not be established while he is prime minister, were so troubling,” he said, relating to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s comments made during his elections campaign that a Palestinian state would not be established during his premiership.
Israel fears that if it withdraws form Judea and Samaria, Hamas, and possibly even the Islamic State (ISIS) terror organization will gain power, giving them direct access to the majority of Israel’s population.
McDonough Ignores Israeli Democracy
Referring to Netanyahu’s pre-election statements, McDonough said: “We cannot simply pretend that those comments were never made.”
McDonough seemed to ignore that fact that Israelis had chosen, in a democratic election, the path led by Netanyahu.
Leader of the United Arab list, Ayman Odeh casts his vote. (Basal Awidat/Flash90)
The White House has been waging a verbal campaign against Netanyahu and Israel since Netanyahu’s re-election last week. However, McDonough categorically denied that the American response had anything to do with the relationship between Obama and Netanyahu.
“Nothing could be further from the truth,” he said. “America’s commitment to a two-state solution is fundamental to US foreign policy. It’s been the goal of both Republican and Democratic presidents, and it remains our goal today. Because it is the only way to secure Israel’s future as a Jewish and democratic state….
“In the end, we know what a peace agreement should look like. The borders of Israel and an independent Palestine should be based on the 1967 lines with mutually agreed swaps. Each state needs secure and recognized borders, and there must be robust provisions that safeguard Israel’s security.”
After harshly criticizing Israel’s leadership, McDonough added that “no matter who leads Israel, America’s commitment to Israel’s security will never waver.”
By: Aryeh Savir,
Staff Writer, United with Israel
Sign the Declaration to Keep Jerusalem United
Jerusalem Must Remain the United Capital of Israel
I declare that Jerusalem is the eternal capital of the Jewish People and support all efforts to maintain and strengthen a united Jerusalem as the undivided capital of the State of Israel.
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