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Often times I like to visit newspapers from other Nations to get a grasp on their coverage, and opinions of Politics in the U.S. I came upon this article at Haaretz.com, and found it interesting--thought I'd pass it on!

Settler leaders: 'Hussein Obama' bought into Arab lies

By Haaretz Service and The Associated Press

Tags: Israel News, Yesha Council



Settler leaders reacted with frustration in the wake of U.S. President Obama's speech in Cairo on Thursday, Israel Radio reported.

"Today, the State of Israel is paying the price of its leaders' defeatism," Yesha Council said in a statement. "Hussein Obama gave priority to Arab lies, which have always been told with determination and daring, at the expense of the Jewish truth, which has been said in a weak and unconfident voice."

The council called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to emulate former prime ministers Begin and Shamir and "stand up like a proud Jew and reject Obama's fabricated history."


An Israeli settler spokeswoman dismissed Obama's speech in Cairo as naive and out of touch with reality.

In his speech, Obama called on Israel to halt all construction in West Bank settlements as a step toward reaching peace with the Palestinians.

Aliza Herbst, a resident of the Ofra settlement, says that modern history has shown that the Muslim world is at war with the West. She says Obama's vision of peace sounds nice but isn't realistic.

Obama's address also called for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel - a position Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has refused to support.

The Israeli government had no immediate comment on the speech.

However, Meretz leader Haim Oron, for his part, welcomed Obama's speech. He said it was filled with inspiration, optimism and vision.

"The speech is the feat of enlightenment," he said.

Peres: Obama visit is a rare opportunity for peace

President Shimon Peres praised Obama's Mideast speech as a historic opportunity in a guest column in The Times

Obama's journey to Saudi Arabia and Egypt, Peres wrote, "reflects both the need for an historic change in the Middle East and a unique chance of achieving it."

Peres said that the international options that are being discussed ? the Saudi peace initiative as well as the so-called "57-state solution" proposed by King Abdullah of Jordan ? could create a favorable momentum that would lead to the resolution of the Israeli-Arab conflict.

He called on Arab countries to engage in bilateral negotiations with Israel while espousing a regional process of normalization.

"Support from the entire Arab world will provide legitimacy for the Palestinian Authority as it approaches the difficult task of making and then implementing historic compromises. At the same time it may reassure Israel that the painful concessions it will make will be rewarded by a broader, more enduring comprehensive peace across the region," Peres wrote.

Peres said Obama's fervent commitment to changing American foreign policy in the Middle East is a rare opportunity.

"The regional leaders have to treat these options seriously - not as another photo-opportunity but in a substantive discussion aimed at opening the door towards comprehensive peace and regional economic development," he concluded.