Iran Poses Clear Danger to Israel
By Bradley Blakeman
Newsmax.com
Benjamin Netanyahu (Getty Images)
As we have seen in America and in nations all
over the world — it is easy to be a politician but
it is hard to be a statesman.
A mere politician is someone who plays the game of
governing without the need, ability or desire to
lead. They follow, they survive they cajole and they
pander.
A statesman on the other hand is someone who leads.
They are people of principle who envision, inspire,
attempt and accomplish great things. They do so at
great odds and against stiff opposition in many
cases.
Statesmen can convince others to follow their lead
because they project hope, they speak truth and they
convey promise for a better condition for their
constituents.
Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu of Israel in his speech before the
2011 United Nations General Assembly in New York and
his 2012 AIPAC speech in Washington, D.C. was a
statesman. He laid out in great detail and based on
fact the challenges, pitfalls and promise of the
Israeli/Palestinian relationship and the looming
showdown with the Islamic Republic of Iran.
Unlike the U.N. speech of Palestinian President
Mahmoud Abbas who not once mentioned or acknowledged
Israel’s right to exist as a legitimate nation
state, Netanyahu affirmatively acknowledged the
right of a Palestinian State to live side by side
with the State of Israel.
While the Palestinian president referred to Israel
as an “occupying power,” Israel’s prime minister
talked about a pathway to peace that was real and
obtainable for Israel and the Palestinian people.
Despite the provocation of the Palestinian leader,
the Iranian leader and many other nation states at
the U.N. General Assembly, Israel’s Prime Minister
was principled yet conciliatory and challenged Abbas
to get back to the peace talks while the two leaders
are in New York.
The Palestinian’s application for recognition as a
nation state from the U.N. before entering into a
peace agreement with Israel is nothing more than a
political stunt.
Today the Palestinian people have all indicia of a
state: They have defined borders, an elected
government, a government infrastructure, police
force and military, etc. The only thing missing is
peace and security within their own borders and an
ability to govern their own and live in peace with
their neighbors.
The Arab Spring has taken all the attention and
focus away from the Palestinians and the conflict
with Israel. The world’s attention was riveted on
Egypt, Tunisia, Libya, Yemen and Syria. So in order
to refocus attention to the “plight of the
Palestinians” Abbas tells the world that when he
comes to the U.N.G.A. he will demand that the U.N.
recognize the sovereignty of the Palestinian’s right
to admission to the U.N. as a member state.
There is nothing more important to the plight of the
Palestinian people than to make peace with Israel.
U.N. recognition alone will not bring it. Once a
true and lasting peace has been made between Israel
and Palestine then that will be the time for
recognition by the world community of Palestine’s
right to join the community of nations.
Statehood for any nation must be earned and can
never be demanded. Unless and until the Palestinians
make a lasting peace with Israel and unless and
until the Palestinians are able to govern their own
— based upon the principles of international law,
norms and human rights — they are not entitled to
recognition.
With regard to Iran, Netanhayu was clear. Iran is a
clear and present danger to Israel and the world in
their quest for nuclear weapons. The prime minister
made it clear that Iran will not get them — and
Israel will stop them from doing so. Iran is in full
and complete control of their destiny.
Israel’s very survival in our time requires a
statesman to lead it. I believe they have one.
Bradley A. Blakeman served as deputy
assistant to President George W. Bush from 2001-04.
He is currently a professor of Politics and Public
Policy at Georgetown University and a frequent
contributor to Fox News Opinion. Read more reports
from Bradley Blakeman —
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