Hillary Working For a Two State Solution

The Middle East boggles the mind. Israel bombs the life out of Gaza. We give $900 million for reconstruction of Gaza. Hamas starts its shenanigans again. Israel threatens to start bombing Gaza again and the madness goes round and round. Both sides seem so righteous and so stubborn. It's what might happen if you put the hard left in the U.S. and the hard right together on some land. 

Hillary has entered the fray for the first time as Secretary of State. If anyone can help, it's Hillary. She's ambitious and wants to make a mark. A peace deal would be a stroke of genius:

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton promised Tuesday to work with the incoming Israeli government, but delivered a clear message that could put her at odds with the country's next leader: Movement toward the establishment of a Palestinian state is "inescapable."
At the same time, Clinton said she would not dictate orders to Israel, saying the Jewish state would determine its interests. In her first visit to the region as secretary of state, she also pledged "unrelenting" support for Israel's security.
Prime minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu opposes Palestinian statehood and has been critical of peace talks. But after meeting Clinton, he said the two had "found a common language."

Though Netanyahu opposes a Palestinian state (I totally don't get that), he seemed to conclude that they could work together:

Haaretz: Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu met with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Jerusalem on Tuesday, saying following their meeting that he had "found common ground with Clinton in attaining the common goals of our two countries."

"We need to think creatively in order to move forward and create a different reality, both in terms of security and politically, and this is a common goal for both sides," Netanyahu added.

Clinton met with Netanyahu after having met with President Shimon Peres and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni earlier in the day as part of a 36-hour visit, her first trip to Israel in her new capacity as secretary of state.

Netanyahu did not offer details on his meeting with Clinton, but mentioned that the conversation between them "was deep, important and good."

"We spoke about the Iranian issue and the Palestinian issue and we promised to meet again after the establishment of a government [in Israel]. We will work together closely in order to bring peace and prosperity to the region," Netanyahu concluded.

Hillary's also working to create better relations with Syria, which is next to Iraq. That's part of the regional strategy for peace.

Reid in Synch With Bush Administration on Gaza

Senator Harry Reid reiterated on Meet the Press that the U.S. stands by Israel, no questions asked. Meanwhile, the rest of the world has called for a cease fire.
Reid said Israel gave Gaza to the Palestinians in an effort toward peace and all it got in return was rocket fire from Hamas, which matches exactly what Israel's foreign minister Tzipi Livni said (that video here).
Reid even said he agreed with Bush on this issue (later Reid went on to reiterate that Bush is the worst president ever).
The two religious groups will go on hating each other for eternity unless someone can figure out a genius way to tackle that region. I'm not sure if Obama's policy will be radically different. There's too much inertia against solving the problems there. 
In the meantime, Israel says it's not planning to retake the Gaza Strip but they may as well:

NYT: “We don’t plan to retake the Gaza Strip but there are several places we control now and will control later,” he said. “If it will be needed, we are prepared to stay there.”

The military has warned that the campaign could take “many long days.”

The full Meet the Press webcast. Reid talks about Israel in the beginning:

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Mid-East About to Self Destruct

Unfortunately, civilians sometimes pay the price, says Tzipi Livni, Israel's foreign minister, shrugging. What happens when they're done blowing each other to smithereens? More terrorism crops up, more poverty, more unrest.



Protests and background on Gaza and Hamas, the elected leaders of Gaza:

Response to Israeli's attacks:

Welcome to Gaza

Dec. 28 Meet the Press: Bush Will Be Judged Harshly

Israel's foreign minister Tzipi Livni says Hamas is to blame and don't you forget it. Israel attacked Gaza Strip after 2 weeks of rocket fire attacks by Hamas, which rules Gaza Strip. Haaretz, an Israeli newspaper, says that Israel has been planning the attacks for 6 months. Haaretz is also reporting that Hamas has threatened to kill Livni and Ehud Barak, Israel's defense minister. 

ABC: The Israeli Army says that over the last week militants have fired 300 rockets or mortars at targets in Israel. One Israeli died in a rocket attack on Saturday according to a report by the Associated Press.

Israel's response of killing nearly 300 people, many civilians, seems a little over the top. The New Republic says no it wasn't. 

Livni said it's acceptable for Hamas to stay in power if it accepts the requirements of the national community -- to accept Israel's right to exist. Hillary! We need your tenacity in the Mid-East.

David Axelrod was also on the show. David Gregory tries to squeeze something new out of him on Blago, taxes and Rick Warren, to no avail.

During the roundtable, it is a foregone conclusion, Bush really blew it (contrary to what Condi Rice says) and his lack of smarts ruined a lot of people's lives. But we can't really blame Bush because we elected him. Going forward, I'm hoping that we will be very careful about who we elect as leaders. It seems the election of Obama set a new tone, which says America is awake. Reset. 

Watch the whole show:

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Some facts about Hamas:

Here are some facts about Hamas:

CAPABILITIES:

* Hamas is believed to have thousands of short-range rockets, as well as scores of longer-range Grad rockets that could strike Israeli population centers up to 40 km (25 miles) from the border with the Gaza Strip.

* Hamas is believed to have a limited number of shoulder fired missiles that could be used against helicopters or slow moving planes, but has little defense against Israel's force of fighter jets, the most technologically advanced in the region.

* First deployed on the streets of Gaza in May 2006, Hamas's main security apparatus, initially dubbed the Executive Force, has grown from an estimated 3,000 members to more than 13,000, divided in several security branches. At least 180 of Hamas's security men were killed in Israel's air strikes.

* Hamas's main security force has grown since its takeover of the Gaza Strip in June 2007, in part because the Islamist group has money to pay salaries. The core of the force is mostly members of the Hamas armed wing, the Izz el-Deen al-Qassam Brigades, but it includes some members from allied militant factions such as the Popular Resistance Committees. More

Obama Travels to Israel July 22

On July 22, Obama will meet with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and other Israeli officials. Obama also is scheduled to meet with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas during a trip to Ramallah on July 23.
From the Israel Project, a nonprofit that educates the press and public on Israel: 

With the looming threat of a nuclear Iran, Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama plans to travel to Israel and the West Bank on July 22 and 23 as part of a diplomatic trip to the Middle East and Europe. [1]

“The Iranian regime supports violent extremists and challenges us across the region,” Obama said in a speech last month in Washington, D.C. “It pursues a nuclear capability that could spark a dangerous arms race and raise the prospect of a transfer of nuclear know-how to terrorists. Its President denies the Holocaust and threatens to wipe Israel off the map. The danger from Iran is grave; it is real; and my goal will be to eliminate this threat…I will always keep the threat of military action on the table to defend our security and our ally, Israel.” Iran, Obama said, is now enriching uranium and has reportedly stockpiled 150 kilos, or 331 lbs., of low enriched uranium. [2]

While in Israel, Obama is slated to meet with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and other top Israeli officials. The Democratic presumptive nominee also is scheduled to meet with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas during a trip to Ramallah on July 23. [3]

“Israel is a strong and close friend of the United States, and is confronting grave threats from Gaza to Tehran,” said Obama in a statement to the press, referring to the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, and to Iran, which funds the terrorist group. [4] Israel voluntarily evacuated all of its roughly 9,000 citizens from the Gaza Strip and parts of the West Bank in 2005 in hopes of paving the way for peace.

Next week’s trip marks Obama’s second visit to Israel. [5] During his first trip in January 2006, Obama traveled to a town near the Lebanese border, where he visited the home of a family that had been hit by a missile fired by Iran-backed Hezbollah. [6] Hezbollah, which receives funding, weapons and training from Iran, started a war against Israel in July 2006 during which it kidnapped and killed Israeli soldiers inside Israel [7] and launched thousands of missiles at northern Israel. [8]

In his June 4 speech in Washington, D.C. Obama said that if he wins the presidency he would work to move the peace process forward. “Israelis understand that real security can only come through lasting peace,” Obama said in his speech. “I will work to help Israel achieve the goal of two states, a Jewish state of Israel and a Palestinian state, living side by side in peace and security.” [9]

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