ADL To Kerry: 'Your Threats Destroy Peace Talks' Abraham Foxman, Director of the Anti-Defamation League, issues sharp response to US Secretary of State's remarks against Israel.

In yet another backlash, the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) issued a letter slamming the boycott threats against Israel from US Secretary of State John Kerry Tuesday.

Kerry's comments at the Munich Security Conference Saturday have sparked an immense backlash from the Israeli government. He said then, "today’s status quo absolutely, to a certainty, I promise you 100 percent, cannot be maintained. It’s not sustainable. It’s illusionary," Kerry stated. "You see for Israel there’s an increasing de-legitimization campaign that has been building up [. . .] there are talk of boycotts and other kinds of things. Are we all going to be better with all of that?" 

The ADL's response strongly condemns Kerry's comments. 

The full text reads: 

Dear Mr. Secretary:

We are writing to you at this moment with great respect for the exemplary and devoted efforts you are putting in to try to move peace forward between the Israelis and the Palestinians.

We have all witnessed the suffering and loss on all sides as the conflict continues year after year, decade after decade. We welcome your perseverance and optimism in trying to accomplish something that has eluded others time and again.

It is with this perspective in mind that we regretfully read of your comments this past weekend in Munich. In speaking about the price Israel will pay if the peace talks break down and Israel is blamed, you may have thought you were merely describing reality. But as the key player in the process, the impact of your comments was to create a reality of its own.

Describing the potential for expanded boycotts of Israel makes it more, not less, likely that the talks will not succeed; makes it more, not less, likely that Israel will be blamed if the talks fail; and more, not less, likely that boycotts will ensue. Your comments, irrespective of your intentions, will inevitably be seen by Palestinians and anti-Israel activists as an incentive not to reach an agreement; as an indicator that if things fall apart, Israel will be blamed; and as legitimizing boycott activity.

What is particularly troubling about your comments is the absence of similar tough talk about the consequences for Palestinians should the talks fail. We make this comment not in search of some theoretical balance. Rather, its absence suggests a historical amnesia about why there has been no peace and no solution all these years. Israel always must be willing to compromise for peace and at different times it is not unreasonable to ask Israel to do more.

But the core of the conflict was and remains Palestinian unwillingness to accept Israel's legitimacy and permanence as a Jewish state. That is why the Palestinians rejected the 1947 partition, that is why they rejected recognizing Israel after the 1967 war, and that is why Israeli offers at Camp David in 2000 and Annapolis in 2008 were rejected or allowed to go unanswered.  It is Palestinians who must hear the message that not only has their rejectionism been the major obstacle to peace, but it has also been the main source of their suffering and misery over the years. It is time for them to make the qualitative leap toward peace and acceptance of the legitimacy of the Jewish state.

It is encouraging that reportedly in the talks you are raising these matters with the Palestinians. Your comments in Munich, however, threaten to undo all this by ignoring the historic compulsion of the Palestinians to look for ever new reasons and incentives to reject the Jewish state. Concerns of the kind you expressed therefore would have been better left unsaid or at most discussed in private conversations with Israeli representatives.

We wish you continued success in moving this process forward. We urge you to understand, however, that those who are most against peace are the ones who will benefit the most from the unintended encouragement in the comments you expressed in Munich.

Abraham D. Foxman, ADL National Director.

The letter joins a chorus of resistance against Kerry's boycott claims, which elicited outrage from Israeli officials and Jewish American leaders alike. Some public figures - including Justice Minister Tzipi Livni and US State Department Spokesperson Jen Psaki - continue to defend Kerry's comments. Despite this, a clear backlash continues - and Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is not buying the threat.

"Attempts to impose a boycott on the State of Israel are immoral and unjust," Netanyahu stated, at the opening of his weekly cabinet meeting. "Moreover, they will not achieve their goal."

"First, they cause the Palestinians to adhere to their intransigent positions and thus push peace further away. Second, no pressure will cause me to concede the vital interests of the State of Israel, especially the security of Israel's citizens." 

"For both of these reasons, threats to boycott the State of Israel will not achieve their goal," Netanyahu concluded. 

PM Netanyahu meets with US Secretary of State Kerry

ELDER OF ZIYON: John Kerry wrote letter supporting anti-Israel extremists in 2009

From Arutz-7:

John Kerry provided a signed letter of support to an extremely radical group of leftists and anti-Israel activists who were organizing a march on Gaza in 2009, revales Maariv's Ben-Dror Yemini. Members of the group eventually wound up on the 2010 Gaza flotilla that included the Mavi Marmara, on whose deck a bloody confrontation between Turkish terrorists and the IDF ended with 9 dead terrorists.

Yemini says that the Gaza Freedom March organizers included Ali Abunima and Omar Barghouti, leaders of the Israel boycott campaign, musician Roger Waters, and members of Code Pink, which he describes as a radical feminist anti-Israeli group. One of the Code Pink activists was Jody Evans, who had worked as a fundraiser in Barack Obama's 2008 presidential campaign.

As they prepared to begin their journey to Gaza, members of the radical group tried to get support from leading US officials. One official who agreed to do this was then-Senator Kerry, who served as the chairman of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee at the time.

In the letter he provided, Kerry expresses his “strong support” for the “humanitarian” delegation and asks that “every courtesy” be given them. Yemini adds that Abunima and Evans showed the letter to Egyptian officials, who decided to prevent them from going on to Gaza anyway. Evans and fellow Code Pink activists eventually boarded the Free Gaza Flotilla.

Kerry should have known better, opines Yemini, after members of Code Pink met with Iran's Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in 2008. He asks, “How is it that a senior senator gave legitimacy to a group that was characterized by support for Hamas, support for Ahmadinejad, and deep hostility toward Israel and the US?”

Here is the letter where John Kerry refers to these anti-Israel agitators as "humanitarian" :

Code Pink, in its announcement asking for support for the Gaza Freedom March, said that the US was complicit in Israel's "crimes." 

The anti-Israel agitators did not make it to Gaza. Egypt wouldn't let them go, despite Kerry's letter. They pretended they were martyrs themselves, some starting a hunger strike. Adam Shapiro (of Mondoweiss) noticed some nascent anti-Egypt protests in Cairo and had the audacity to believe thathis group was responsible for that. Anti-Zionist Hedy Epstein, always trotted out because she is a pseudo-"Holocaust survivor,"  said "We're in a desperate situation here" - because her suitcase of crayons and paper would not make it into Gaza. The entire trip was an exercise in narcissism and slamming Israel, not about helping a single human being.

Yet John  Kerry, in his position as chairman of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee, writing about this group of self-centered haters, said that "my staff has met with members of the group, and isimpressed with their ability, dedication and commitment to the peace process."

(ht Ilya)

UPDATE: I didn't realize that this was reported back in 2010. Of course, at that time Kerry wasn't the Secretary of State. (h/t Bob K)

ISRAEL MATZAV: Another picture John Kerry would like you to forget

Here's another picture John Kerry would like you to forget. On Monday, I posted a picture of Kerry and his wife having dinner with Assad and his wife in Damascus. This picture is part of the same trip. It's from Kerry's April 2010 meeting with Assad. Here's why he went to Damascus. 

On Thursday, Kerry came to town.

Assad on Sunday called on Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas to ditch negotiations with Israel in favor of “armed resistance.”

Kerry, nonetheless, said in Damascus following a three-hour meeting with Assad that Syria was committed to engaging in peace-making and was essential to the Mideast process.

Does anyone in Washington see a contradiction between those two sentences? (I mean 'official Washington').

“Syria is an essential player in bringing peace and stability to the region,” said Kerry, who has long advocated US engagement with Damascus.

“He believes in engagement with Syria, and that through engagement the Syrians can be convinced to play a more helpful role in the Arab-Israeli process,” a Kerry aide noted. “This is part of his ongoing [efforts].”

In Israel last month, Kerry discussed Syria’s relationship with Iran, saying that “no one should be surprised, given the relationship of the last years, that discussions are continuing between Syria and Iran.”

The two countries are neighbors, he said, “and they have obviously been pushed somewhat together by the events of the last years. My hope is that we can offer a better alternative, a better set of choices.”

What has gone wrong?

ISRAEL MATZAV: The picture John Kerry doesn't want you to see

Yes, that's the Kerry's and the Assad's dining together in a Damascus restaurant in better times. On Sunday, Kerry compared Bashar al-Assad toAdolph Hitler and Saddam Hussein. 

ELDER OF ZIYON: ElderToons: Nuance from John Kerry

ELDER OF ZIYON: Joke of the day: PLO says they support Kerry plan (ElderToon)

From Ma'an:

No one loses more than the Palestinians if US Secretary of State John Kerry's efforts to restart peace talks fail, the PLO's top negotiator said Tuesday.

"The failure of Kerry's peace plan is not an option. Everyone who believes in two states should help Kerry to succeed," Saeb Erekat told reporters in the West Bank a day after Kerry issued a stark warning to Israel and the Palestinians to resume long-stalled talks.

Look how interested the PLO is in negotiating all of a sudden! Just a couple of small caveats:

In another joke, Abbas yet again threatens to dissolve the PA if he doesn't get what he demands.

BIBI & בעל קרי

In meeting with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Palestinian recognition of Israel as a Jewish state and security arrangements are the first issues that must be discussed in negotiations • Kerry: Iran cannot and will not have a nuclear weapon.

Will U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry's visit help restart peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians? At a meeting with Kerry on Tuesday in Jerusalem, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said, "I am determined not only to resume the peace process with the Palestinians, but to make a serious effort to end this conflict once and for all."

Netanyahu said his talks with Kerry about the peace process dealt with two key matters: Palestinian recognition of Israel as a Jewish state and security arrangements. Israel wants to discuss these issues with the Palestinians and is demanding that the Palestinians present their positions on those matters. 

Kerry told Netanyahu that the Palestinians want borders to be the first issue discussed and are demanding that Israel present a map of the borders of a future Palestinian state. Netanyahu said the issue must be left for the final stage of negotiations, as there are essential issues that need to be agreed upon first.

Kerry characterized his talks with Netanyahu as "extremely friendly" and "very productive."

"I think it's fair to say that we made progress, that we were pleased with the substance of the discussion and agreed, each of us, to do some homework," Kerry said.

Kerry said he and Netanyahu had discussed an initiative to promote Palestinian economic development, but emphasized that "whatever steps we take with respect to economics are in no way a substitute, but they are in addition to the political track. The political track is first and foremost; other things may happen to supplement it."

Palestinian officials in Ramallah told Israel Hayom on Tuesday that Kerry's meeting with Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Sunday had produced positive progress toward the possibility of restarting peace negotiations with Israel. However, the Palestinian officials said that the peace plan that Kerry plans to present in the future is still clouded with uncertainty.

"Kerry came with much determination, willingness and goodwill," a senior official from Abbas' office told Israel Hayom. "He explained in his meeting with Abbas that he does not plan to impose timelines for resuming negotiations on the sides, but rather intends to focus first on building trust between the Israelis and Palestinians."

Netanyahu and Kerry also discussed Iran. Kerry reiterated to Netanyahu that the U.S. will not permit Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon.

"Iran cannot have and will not have a nuclear weapon," Kerry said. "The United States of America has made it clear that we stand not just with Israel, but with the entire international community in making it clear that we are serious. We are open to negotiations, but not open-ended, endless negotiations. It cannot be used as an excuse for other efforts to try to break out with respect to a nuclear weapon. And we are well aware and coordinating very, very closely with respect to all of our assessments regarding that. But President [Barack] Obama doesn't bluff. He's made that very clear to me, and we hope the Iranians will come back to the table with a very serious proposal."

Netanyahu said that Iran must not be allowed to go nuclear.

"I think everybody understands that Iran has been running out the clock, has been using the talks to continue to advance its nuclear program," Netanyahu said. "We've just heard by Iranian state television about a new production facility for nuclear material and two new extraction sites. I think we also understand what it means for the world to have rogue states with nuclear weapons. Iran cannot be allowed to cross into that world. It cannot be allowed to continue its nuclear weapons program, and we must not allow it to continue to do so in defiance of the entire international community."

The next high-level American government official to visit Israel will be U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel. Hagel will be in Israel April 21-23 and will hold talks with Defense Minister Moshe (Bogie) Ya'alon.

Ya'alon met with Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird on Tuesday. Ya'alon praised Canada for cutting off its diplomatic ties with Iran and for including Hezbollah on its list of terrorist groups.

President Shimon Peres met with Baird on Tuesday and said that Canada displayed courage by cutting off diplomatic ties with Iran.

Baird also met on Tuesday with Avigdor Lieberman, the chairman of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee. Lieberman said that the latest round of talks between world powers and Iran signalled the West's acceptance of an Iranian nuclear bomb. Lieberman equated this with the West's past acceptance of both a nuclear North Korea and Adolf Hitler's 1938 invasion of Czechoslovakia.

Kerry's Offer: You Release Terrorists, They'll Renew Talks Report: Kerry plans to offer an outline for Israeli-PA peace talks and will ask Israel to release terrorists as part of it.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry held talks with Prime MinisterBinyamin Netanyahu on Saturday evening, after earlier discussing ways to push a new peace plan with Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, U.S. and Israeli sources said.

A radio report said Netanyahu and Kerry had a first round of private talks and were then joined by Justice Minister Tzipi Livni, Netanyahu's personal envoy Yitzhak Molcho and his national security adviser Yaakov Amidror.

Channel 10 News reported that Kerry is planning on offering Israel and the PA an outline which would see Israel releasing terrorists from its prisons and transferring areas from Area B, which is under joint PA-Israeli control under the Oslo Accords, to Area A which is under full PA control.

Kerry’s outline would have the PA undertaking a return to the negotiating table and promising not to file lawsuits against Israel with the International Criminal Court.

Earlier on Saturday, Kerry met Abbas in the Jordanian capital, reported AFP.

"Kerry and Abbas discussed possible steps to revive a new political process for peace," the PA’s ambassador in Amman Attallah Kheiry told AFP.

"Abbas stressed that Israeli settlements endanger the peace process and that Israel should free Palestinian prisoners."

Kerry accompanied President Barack Obama on a four-day visit to the region, during which the two met top Israeli and PA leaders in Jerusalem and Ramallah.

During his visit Obama did not bring to a visible breakthrough in the impasse in the peace talks.

Kerry will be Obama's new pointman on the Middle East, as part of the renewed U.S. efforts to push the sides back to negotiations.

Abbas has continuously imposed preconditions on peace talks and has demanded that Israel freeze Jewish construction in Judea, Samaria, and eastern Jerusalem. When Israel froze construction for a ten-month period in 2010, however, he refused to come to the table.

One unverified report in Israel on Saturday claimed that Obama and Netanyahu had reached an agreement on a “silent construction freeze,” in which Israel would not promote any new construction plans but would not officially announce that there is a freeze.