Wild Card

Obama and Netanyahu in the Oval Office (photo: Wikimedia commons)

Wild Card – last chapter: Bibi and Obama pave the way for one-state solution

SAVE THE DATE: September 23, 2011. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will give his “truth” speech at the UN General Assembly. The “truth” will actually be the annihilation of a two-state solution, and thus with it, the end of Zionism In October 2010 I started writing the “Wild card” campaign. To make a long story short,…

By Ami Kaufman September 18, 2011

Are Palestinians walking into a trap at the UN?

When the South African government tried to build non-sovereign states for its blacks they were soundly rejected by the world community. But now the Palestinians appear to be the ones seeking to legitimise their own Bantustan. Virginia Tilley has a very important post up on Electronic Intifada, discussing the possibility the Palestinian bid at the…

By Dimi Reider August 30, 2011

September: The rules of the game have already changed

Israel’s new ambassador to the UN, Ron Prosor, gave a fumbling interview to Haaretz, illustrating the panic growing in Israeli diplomatic circles ahead of September. The vote won’t bring the Palestinians a state – but rules of the game have plainly already changed, before the vote even happened. The summer will be spent largely aligning…

By Dimi Reider June 19, 2011

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U.S. headed for major embarrassment come September

4 comments on the D.C. Debating Championship and what lies ahead 1. What a talent Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech in Congress should be entered into the Guinness Book of World Records. It’s obviously the longest time any human being has taken (45 minutes) to say only one word: “NO”. And if they don’t accept him, then…

By Ami Kaufman May 29, 2011

Palestinian statehood 2011: Biggest event the left isn’t debating

The upcoming vote on Palestinian statehood, that will most probably take place this September at the UN General Assembly, has a lot of people talking – and a certain government panicking. Rightfully so – it’s the region’s biggest event of 2011. So why is the left in Israel and abroad keeping mum? The fact that…

By Ami Kaufman April 6, 2011

Wild Card – Part XI: Southern Sudan as a precedent for Palestine

U.S. President Barack Obama announces intent to formally recognize Southern Sudan in July The White House just released the following statement about recognizing Southern Sudan. The wording of this statement is very similar to what I imagine the future statement about recognizing Palestine this summer would look like (with some minor changes, of course) if…

By Ami Kaufman February 7, 2011

Wild Card Pt. X: unilateralism is the only way left

There are two things to learn from the Palestine Papers (which we already knew): America’s role has come to an end, and there’s no longer a need for negotiations The Palestine Papers are indeed quite a leak – but just like its sister-leak in Wikileaks (the diplomatic cables), which were labeled as one of the…

By Ami Kaufman January 25, 2011

Wild Card part IX: Obama’s first litmus test just around the corner

The Palestinians are bringing their first challenge of the year to the UN. Hopefully, Barack Obama will just sit back and watch U.S. President Barack Obama may be put to the test as early as next week. Reports say that the Palestinians are planning on bringing their resolution condemning settlements to the Security Council in…

By Ami Kaufman January 7, 2011

Wild Card part VIII: AIPAC flexes its muscle – who cares?

Congress passes a resolution against Palestinian unilaterlism. Yawn… Shocking news coming out of D.C.: AIPAC managed to get members of Congress to pass a resolution that’s pro-Israel and anti-Palestinian. Wow. I’m glad I was sitting down when I read the headlines: “House opposes unilateral declaration of Palestine”! The congressman who pushed the resolution through is…

By Ami Kaufman December 17, 2010

Wild Card Part VII: EU sets the ground for recognition of Palestine (updated)

EU foreign ministers issue a statement regarded by most in the media as weak and good for Israel. I beg to differ The EU yesterday stopped short of recognising a Palestinian state, saying it would do so at “the appropriate time”. At a meeting in Brussels, the ministers reiterated that negotiations are still the way…

By Ami Kaufman December 14, 2010

Peace talks officially dead: time to move on to Plan B

Now that negotiations have officially failed, it’s time for the U.S. to join three South American countries and endorse Palestinian unilateralism. True, a viable Palestinian state will not be ready by August 2011, but that’s besides the point. This declaration is only a means to an end As expected, the negotiations between Israel and the…

By Ami Kaufman December 7, 2010

Did Netanyahu refuse a moratorium to hurt Obama in midterms?

Aluf Benn, Haaretz’s diplomatic correspondent, had this weekend an analysis piece on the possibility the Palestinian Authority will ask a UN recognition of a unilateral declaration of independence. Benn urged the Israeli government not to automatically object such a move. Israel, he writes, would be better off taking part in shaping a Security Council resolution…

By Noam Sheizaf October 31, 2010

UN General Assembly (photo: wikimedia commons)

Wild Card – part V: If you can’t beat ’em…

Abu Mazen threatens, Netanyahu responds, the right wingers go berserk and Haaretz pundit has a strange plan: if you can’t beat the wild card – join it. Plus – a small surprise The talk about unilateral moves by Palestinians was all over the media the past few days – but unfortunately, still little talk about…

By Ami Kaufman October 30, 2010