First the media narrative:
-In 2009 Netanyahu came out in support of the two-state solution.
-Just before this week’s election he completely reversed and said, unequivocally there would be no two-state solution.
-But now, in today’s interview with Andrea Mitchell, he said that he was for a two state solution.
Therefore Netanyahu is a liar who said what he had to say to be re-elected and then sandbagged the people who voted for him on that basis. A real scumbag.
Except it didn’t happen.
To show you it didn’t requires going through each of the three statements. Let’s do it.
First let’s see what Netanyahu said in 2009. To do that, I’ll reference an article from the (Netanyahu-hating) New York Times article of June 14, 2009:
The prime minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, on Sunday endorsed for the first time the principle of a Palestinian state alongside Israel, but on condition that the state was demilitarized and that the Palestinians recognized Israel as the state of the Jewish people.
Ok, there’s the first little discrepancy. Netanyahu did not just endorse a Palestinian state, he endorsed one under specific, stringent conditions: a demilitarized state which recognized Israel as the state of the Jewish people (i.e. the Palestinian State renounced its goal of taking over all of Israel as well).
And how did Palestinian Arabs react to this endorsement? Further on in the article we have this:
And even his assent on Palestinian statehood, given the caveats, was immediately rejected as a nonstarter by Palestinians.
So in 2009 we have Netanyahu agreeing to a Palestinian state under specific conditions, which were “immediately rejected” by Palestinian Arabs.
Next, let’s see what Netanyahu said just before this week’s election.
To do that I have to rely on the interpreter of this following clip from an article at cnn.com:
First the CNN reporter tells us “He says there will be no Palestinian State if he keeps his job, an explicit reversal of earlier pledges to support a two-state solution”. Palestinian State”. That’s pretty definitive, isn’t it?
But here, from the video on his own report – is what Netanyahu actually did say, in an interview:
Netanyahu: Anyone who is going to establish a Palestinian state, anyone who is going to evacuate territories today is simply giving a base for attacks to radical Islam against Israel. This is the true reality that was created here in the last few years. They who do not understand that stick their heads in the sand. The left are doing it, sticking their head in the stand, time and time again.
Interviewer: So if you are Prime Minister a Palestinian State will not be formed?
Netanyahu: Indeed.
Uh, wait a minute. Didn’t the reporter tell us he “explicitly” reversed his 2009 position? Well, that presents a bit of a problem because, in point of fact, it did not happen. Netanyahu did not unequivocally reject a Palestinian state under any circumstances. He said that he would not form one today because it would be giving a base for attacks to radical Islam against Israel. Today, as in under the current circumstances.
That does not in any way differ from what Benjamin Netanyahu said in 2009. No Palestinian state unless specific conditions are met.
Maybe, just maybe, CNN’s reporter might be a bit better informed – like 100% more – if he watched the video from his own report again.
And today? What did Netanyahu say to Andrea Mitchell that supposedly reversed the reversal we now know was not a reversal at all? To find out, let’s go to the relevant part of the interview transcript:
Mitchell: Prime Minister, the Palestinians have already said that what you said today in Congress, they have said that your speech was a declaration of war because, from their perspective, you ruled out any division of Jerusalem, you are keeping the West Bank, you’re not negotiating on refugees. They call that a declaration of war. Does that leave you and the Palestinians completely at odds, stalemated?
Netanyahu: I think that’s unfortunate, because I think you could see from the reaction of both houses of – both sides of the – of the aisle and both houses of Congress, people were excited. You know why? Because I said the truth. Because deep down, I mean the reason we don’t have peace is the Palestinians have refused to accept a Jewish state alongside a Palestinian state.
I agreed to do that. I said to my people, I’m willing to do it. The Palestinian leaders should be asked to say these simple words – I will accept a Jewish state. Believe me, he says that, all the walls, all the fences, all the problems will be swept aside and we can negotiate a real peace. I want to have a real peace with somebody who will make peace with me. I don’t want to give him a state for him to continue the battle against Israel. I want this conflict to be ended.
Well, well, well. As you can plainly see, Netanyahu said exactly what he said in 2009. Willingness to accept a two-state solution if Palestinian Arabs – who demand a Jew-free Arab state for themselves, let’s never forget – will recognize Israel as a Jewish state.
So the bottom line is….
Netanyahu did not reverse his 2009 position before the election, and he did not re-reverse it afterwards.
My congratulations to all the mainstream media which are working so hard to convince you he did. Their efforts – their fraudulent efforts – seem to be working.
What a great blow they are striking for journalistic integrity.
