How does one go about negotiating a peace or resolve a problem when the other side has you surrounded and your people are starving? The State of Israel has been slaughtering Palestinians for the last 60+ years and we make it sound like if the rockets from Hamas, (many home made) would just stop all would be well; how American.
The blockade of Gaza must end, not because it will help in the peace negotiations, and it will, but because to continue it for one more day, one more second is a violation of international law. The State of Israel is an outlaw state and the only reason it gets away with piracy on the high seas, starving hundreds of thousands of children, stealing more and more land, bombing civilians at will, and violating all the laws laid down at Nuremberg is because we support and encourage Israel to continue on its path of its own destruction. Our foreign policy is in direct opposition to peace in the Middle East. The answer does not lie at the feet of the Palestinians and the Israelis, the United States holds all the cards; except one---water rights.
The most interesting event that is going on in the Middle East is the ability of the States in the area to have access to enough water to continue their expansion and Turkey holds that one powerful trump card and will play it shortly. The end to the settlements, the end to the blockade, the opening up of opportunities may come not from Washington but from Ankara, Turkey. We have messed up the peace in the Middle East for 60 years and will screw this one up also, our arrogance is legendary. In a strange way karma may be at work here, in order for Israel to continue to expand the settlements they need water, the country that holds the rights to that water is Turkey.
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/news.aspx/138163
Netanyahu does not enjoy much support in Israel, he remains about 50% and moves up and down according to events taking place with resolving the occupation of the Palestinians. The Israelis seem to heavily favor a strong response to any attempt to break the blockade. This will cause more and more violence in the area and the tightening of positions by the parties. We are losing our ability to resolve this international disaster by negotiations. Our representative, Mitchell, should be recalled and fired, he is out of his league and does not have the best interest of the parties, but supports whatever Israel wants to do. He is not an honest broker and we need one immediately, but it may be too late. The elections in the United States will overshadow everything for the next few months, and maybe for the next few years. President Obama may not be able to do anything because of the political events back home, Netanyahu will be replaced, but our support for Israel will continue. The end result will be that our influence in the area will be diminished, Turkey and Iran will be the major players in the region and Israel will start to face a future that they may not like. They may be forced to go to a one state solution not because of rockets or suicide bombers but because of water and where it comes from; Turkey will be calling the shots in a few years.
"Yes I know the way to Ankara, when you get to Turkey from Greece you have to go about 400 km east and ask, they will show you the way."
"It may be that one cannot survive telling the truth about anything now." (Like Orwell said: During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act.)
