WhatsappMr. Kohr Misrepresented Current Israeli Government Policy
The current Israeli government does NOT support the two state solution. Yet, AIPAC is giving off the impression that to support Israel, the two state solution must be implemented. That is 100% wrong. AIPAC is misrepresenting Israel to Americans and to Washington.
The official Government of Israel guidelines, which are available to the public here does NOT contain one word, or even hint, of support for the “two-state solution.”
Yet, Howard Kohr goes on stage at AIPAC 2018 and issues an explicit call for establishing “two states for two peoples,” and continues to express that it is “tragic” that this scenario currently seems so distant.
Who is Howard Kohr to call upon the Government of Israel with such a directive? AIPAC is supposed to support the policies of the Israeli Government, not the other way around.
Not US Policy Either
Currently, you have a US administration that is also not a supporter of the two state solution. The Trump administration has continuously said that it will support any solution the two sides agree upon. That is NOT an endorsement of the two state solution as the sole solution!
Furthermore, the National Security Strategy currently in effect, as of December 2017, does not indicate support for the two-state solution either. This is presumably an effort to not coerce an American ally, the State of Israel, into an outcome which that ally does not regard as desirable, just or safe.
Kohr continued by saying that “we must all work toward that future: two states for two peoples. One Jewish with secure and defensible borders, and one Palestinian with its own flag and its own future.”
“Today that dream seems remote. This is tragic.”
It Is Not Tragic Mr. Kohr
No, Mr. Kohr – it is not tragic. A majority of the Israeli people do NOT think it is tragic. There has been more terror, more deaths, and less “peace” in the 23 years since the Oslo “peace” process began. A majority of Israelis do not think we can trust Mahmoud Abbas or the Palestinian Authority, while a majority of Arabs who live under the Palestinian Authority think the same thing. They see Abbas and the Palestinian Authority as corrupt people, getting rich off of global financial aid. NOT helping their own people, and not doing anything to achieve peace.
Mr. Kohr has no authority to say that the absence of a failed two state solution is tragic!
To understand how the two state solution is a failed solution watch this video: The romantic, yet unrealistic two state solution
More Misinformation on the Two State Solution
Yet Mr. Kohr’s audacity does not stop there.
He continues by saying “the absence of a constructive peace process is nothing to celebrate,” he cautioned. “Israel’s security cannot be fully assured and her promise cannot be fully realized until she is at peace with all her neighbors.”
Another blatant lie. Israel is secure when she relies on herself. Israel is the safest place in the Middle East and it has nothing to do with her neighbors, countries going through chaos. Might peace with her neighbors help temporarily? Very possibly so. However, Israel’s security has NOTHING to do with peace with her neighbors, it solely has to do with the strength that Israel has.
Once again, we see Kohr misrepresenting AIPAC and Israel. The Trump administration believes in peace through strength, not in the two state solution.
Yes, Mr. Kohr Got Something Right
The only thing Kohr got right was in saying that “it has been nearly eight years since [Palestinian Authority] President Abbas has had direct talks with an Israeli prime minister.” Plainly, he said, there was “no Palestinian willingness to talk face to face.”
Finally, Kohr said something right.
Who Does AIPAC 2018 Represent?
So basically we see that AIPAC 2018 does not represent the policies of the current Israeli government, but it also does not represent the policies of the current US government. If so, then what policies does AIPAC 2018 represent? The answer is unfortunately clear, the Democratic party.
For an organization that is supposed to be bi-partisan, AIPAC is failing Israel and American supporters of Israel by supporting a failed solution that only reflects the out-of-touch Democratic Party.
AIPAC should be at the forefront of the campaign for whatever solution the two sides want. And if the Palestinian Authority continues to incite towards terror and reward terrorists with pay-to-slay salaries, for murdering innocent Israelis, then AIPAC should support Israel regardless of the steps Israel takes. I promise you, it WON’T be a two state solution.
Spot On Response to Mr. Kohr
My friend Josh Hasten responded to this AIPAC 2018 fiasco best on his facebook page:
“It was my understanding that the role of #AIPAC is to support the positions of the government of the State of #Israel and to lobby US policy makers to support those positions. In the heyday of “Oslo,” and under PM Barak, AIPAC went to town in support of “land for peace.” However, while I admit that our current policies are at times vague, I don’t hear any voices in the Israeli government coalition these days saying anything about a “Palestinian State.”
That’s why the quotes from this speech confuse me. It seems that AIPAC (or at least its head) is trying to dictate policy even under a new reality, in which Jerusalem has been acknowledged as the capital per the US Admin, the Embassy is moving, etc. etc. and pressure for “two states” isn’t there.
In other words, AIPAC seems to be veering off its mission due it’s own personal beliefs.
What then will their delegates be lobbying for when they visit Capitol Hill this week? Will it be a policy their own leader is plugging or a policy based on Israel’s reality – that the PA has time and time again proven that it is more interested in funding terrorists in jails and their families than recognizing Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish State.
I had #AIPAC2018 FOMO, but not anymore.”
A Personal Plea to AIPAC Leadership
I will end with a personal plea written by the Samaria Council Head Yossi Dagan to the heads of AIPAC:
“I am astounded as to why such a great, meaningful organization as AIPAC, whose raison d’etre is pro-Israel advocacy in the United States, would represent the positions of the State of Israel (and of the United States) so inaccurately before senior government officials, senators and congressmen, and the general pro-Israel public. The position that AIPAC is representing as that of the State of Israel — in the AIPAC mission statement and in the AIPAC talking points inter alia — not only fails to represent Israel properly, it is detrimental to the efforts to achieve dialogue in the Middle East.
Therefore, we strongly believe that the AIPAC mission statement and talking points should be updated at this time.
This would allow AIPAC to participate even more effectively in Israel’s great quest – for survival as an independent, secure, moral, democratic, peaceful Jewish state, benefitting the world in the spirit of Tikun Olam.”
Very sincerely,
Yossi Dagan
Chairman,
Shomron Regional Council
A Comedic Ending with Much Truth
Finally, here is some comedy, based on a lot of truth about a solution. Andrew Klavan calls it the one state solution. No, this solution is not realistic either, but this solution is at least based on the reality of the Middle East.
Have a good laugh and then internalize the truth in much of what Klavan is saying. Much more truth than in any romanticized argument for the failed two state solution.
