Washington has offered Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu 20 advanced US fighter jets as well as other tempting goodies if Israel agrees to extend its freeze on settlement construction in the West Bank.
Indeed, the offer from Washington is so tantalizing that even the Israeli media is calling it a “bribe.”
Netanyahu, who was in the United States last week to hammer out the details of the “compromise,” has been offered $3 billion (1 billion pounds) worth of advanced F-35 jets. These on top of the 20 F-35s Israel already plans to buy for $2.75 billion drawn from annual grants it gets from Washington.
In other words, Israel is slated to receive 40 advanced fighter jets – a package worth just under $6 billion dollars – absolutely free of charge courtesy of the US taxpayer.
Fighter jets and peace talks
It must seem ironic to some political observers that US President Barack Obama, who was awarded with the Nobel Peace Prize last year, is the same man who is indulging Israel with America’s most advanced fighter weapons of war to stay committed to the Middle East peace plan.
There is also the question of supplying Israel, albeit a valuable US ally, with so much expensive military hardware at the same time American citizens are forced to cut back on spending due to the financial crisis.
forgot the punchline:
quote: Indeed, the very fact that the United States has included a clause stating that it would not request further settlement freeze extensions in the future, while also declaring its intent to side with Israel in the face of any UN challenge does not seem to bode well for the immediate future of the peace talks.i mean, can people even comprehend this? obama's "compromise" to israel is that they stop building settlements for 90 days, and in return they get billions of dollars worth of merchandise to murder palestinians with and they can continue to expand as much as they want in the west bank, forever. wow, this administration sure drives a hard bargain!!!!!!!!
the best part is what will probably happen is israel will reject the offer and obama will give them the military hardware and allow them to keep expanding indefinitely anyway
Yep.....Obama is screwing up everywhere..........this offer does seem to be somewhat ridiculous.........although, as Israel proved in the Gaza Strip, she WILL remove settlers forcibly if that is required.