Lawrence O’Donnell To Pro-Israel ‘Hysterics’: Obama’s And Netanyahu’s Stances Are ‘Identical’

video

by Frances Martel | 9:43 pm, May 25th, 2011

» 37 comments

The media firestorm surrounding President Barack Obama‘s Mideast policy speech and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu‘s address to Congress inspired Lawrence O’Donnell to make his “Rewrite” tonight a crash course on the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, playing select clips of both addresses and concluding both leaders are saying the same thing: the 1967 border are “not tenable.” “But you wouldn’t know that,” O’Donnell complained, “By listening to hysterics who wrongly believe they are rising in Israel’s defense.”

O’Donnell was clearly not happy with the outrage surrounding President Obama’s initial comments, as he found it based on half a sentence. Playing the clip, he dramatically revealed that the words after “1967″ were “with mutually agreed swaps.” This, he found, seemed completely congruent with the words in Netanyahu’s speech, where the Prime Minister noted he would agree to “negotiated” borders. These borders, O’Donnell argued, were the very same in President Obama’s speech, simply not named by year, but “you would never know that by listening to hte hysterics who wrongly believe they are rising in Israel’s defense.”

Given this, he accused Netanyahu of “pretending to be enraged” and accused the American press of letting him get away with it in a way his own people don’t even allow. “Israelis are much more critical of their own government than any American dare be,” he noted, highlighting Netanyahu’s 27-member minority in the Knesset as one sign that Israelis weren’t as enthralled with him as the American right is– not to mention a poll showing 57% of Israelis expressing a preference for Netanyahu to have agreed with President Obama outright.

Before specifically analyzing these two speeches and Netanyahu proper, however, O’Donnell gave some background on the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, noting the immense criticism President Bill Clinton received for using the phrase Palestinian state in the 1990s and visiting Gaza City to give a speech before the Palestinian government. “Imagine what the Obama haters would do if President Obama delivered a speech in Gaza, in that same place.” As for the phrase “Palestinian state,” “those who police thought about Israel in this country” didn’t mind it when President George W. Bush used it, because, in the words of Colin Powell, the phrase was “nothing new.” “In a series of winks and nods,” Lawrence noted, “the unthinkable, the unsayable… becomes nothing new.”

The segment via MSNBC below:

barack obama, Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel, Lawrence O'Donnell, msnbc, Palestine

timzank

Heh, Larry sez, “Who ya gonna believe, your lying eyes and ears when the Anointed One speaks, or my re-write interpretation”.

Thanks Larry, I choose the former not the latter, as will anyone who isn’t a sheep.
Azarkhan

Senate Democrats are expected to support a resolution intended as a rebuff to President Obama’s call for basing Middle East peace talks on the 1967 Israeli-Palestinian borders.

It would be a rare rebuke of the president by the upper chamber and a sign that Democrats are worried about the impact of last week’s speech on the U.S.-Israel relationship and pro-Israel constituents.

http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/163105-dems-may-join-rebuff-of-obama
TillieGlockenspiel

timzank said:
Heh, Larry sez, “Who ya gonna believe, your lying eyes and ears when the Anointed One speaks, or my re-write interpretation”.

Thanks Larry, I choose the former not the latter, as will anyone who isn’t a sheep.

The Dems, with the complicity of the “media,” think if they repeat “the big lie” enough times the American people will believe it.

The people have awakened and it’s straight talk, based upon principles as in Netanyahu’s speech, that the public is looking for. We want a real leader- not an effete elitist like Obama, who has lied his way through his rise to political power.

I want a leader who knows that “You must stand for something, or you will fall for anything.”

Stop lying about Obama, Larry, we SEE who he is!
WildMan

Lawrence the time has come that the 12 step Anger Management classes can’t wait. You must get your anger and hatred under control. Maybe start by stopping being so jealous of FOX News. They are in your head, dudette. It’s making you look so little.
RhapsodyinBlue

Azarkhan said:
Senate Democrats are expected to support a resolution intended as a rebuff to President Obama’s call for basing Middle East peace talks on the 1967 Israeli-Palestinian borders.

It would be a rare rebuke of the president by the upper chamber and a sign that Democrats are worried about the impact of last week’s speech on the U.S.-Israel relationship and pro-Israel constituents.

http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/163105-dems-may-join-rebuff-of-obama

Congressman are spineless ninnies who do anything to save precious money for their precious seats, you “found” that out, congrats, Magellan.

Lawrence perfectly outlined why Obama’s plan is hardly anti Israel, in fact “57% of Israelis expressing a preference for Netanyahu to have agreed with President Obama outright”. So, anything but agreeing with Obama is technically, anti-Israeli
Dem4Ever

Obama screwed the proverbial Jew Pooch with that ill-conceived yet heart-felt plea for Israel to end it’s decades long defence of it’s people and it’s borders.
RhapsodyinBlue

Dem4Ever said:
Obama screwed the proverbial Jew Pooch with that ill-conceived yet heart-felt plea for Israel to end it’s decades long defence of it’s people and it’s borders.

Did you even bother reading the artic….. nevermind
Dem4Ever

RhapsodyinBlue said:
Did you even bother reading the artic….. nevermind

Didn’t you? …nevermind. Pin a rose on you…LOL
murf

LOL riiight , and we are all socialists too , this guy is beyond a joke .
http://www.facebook.com/people/Brian-Skinner/100000598231323 Brian Skinner

What a bunch of Bolsheviks Lawrence. When Obama gave his speech after the Egytian uprising he made not a single mention of Israels security. NOT ONE. If their stances were identical why did Netanyahu have to lecture him? Why did even Senator Reid come out against Obama? We all know is anti semetic background. It does not take a rocket scientist to figure out Obama does not like Israel.
Azarkhan

http://hotair.com/archives/2011/05/24/obama-wrong-on-israel-says-harry-reid/
gfhyrtyy

Your satisfaction is our eternal pursuit.

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Glackin

Dem4Ever said:
Didn’t you? …nevermind. Pin a rose on you…LOL

Watched it live. Only an ideologue or a liar would say he got it wrong.

murf said:
LOL riiight , and we are all socialists too , this guy is beyond a joke .

He said we all use socialistic services and programs. Or do you dispose of all the crap you produce yourself?
murf

Glackin said:
He said we all use socialistic services and programs. Or do you dispose of all the crap you produce yourself?

That’s not what he said , he said we were socialists , by Larry’s logic we are communist too because we buy China products .
darladoon

Brian Skinner said:
What a bunch of Bolsheviks Lawrence. When Obama gave his speech after the Egytian uprising he made not a single mention of Israels security. NOT ONE. If their stances were identical why did Netanyahu have to lecture him? Why did even Senator Reid come out against Obama? We all know is anti semetic background. It does not take a rocket scientist to figure out Obama does not like Israel.

of course, by “anti-semitic” you mean “barely grazing the idea of the notion of maybe talking
about israel’s tendency to be rather heavy-handed in its recent, as well as long-term, history”

yeah, that obama, he really, really hates the jews. you can just tell. he kinda-sorta mentioned
maybe going back to a different set, or maybe fairer set, of borders. and that *clearly* is
evidence that he hates jews! also, living in kansas is probably another indicator.

and, gosh darn it! why oh why does he have to set foot in the muslim world, and talk nice
to them? that is yet more evidence that he hates jewish people, because he actually
talks to muslims in a nice way!

i think lawrence is exactly right. the right wing israelis, who by the way, are not popular in
israel or in the united states (except some parts of florida).
Glackin

murf said:
That’s not what he said , he said we were socialists , by Larry’s logic we are communist too because we buy China products .

That is not an extrapolation,that is the purest BS.
I guess this is where you dump yours.
He discussed four services: defense, education, prisons, and hospitals. They are all socialized systems. Which don’t you use?
darladoon

the right wing israelis, as he pointed out, are a minority in israel.

i’m so glad netanyahu is not our president, though he may as well be, judging by
the orgasmic glee with which right wing americans greeted his “tough guy” lecture
in the congress.
joe7

So when he’s not attacking possible presidential contenders he’s jumping through hoops trying to defend every last blunder made by this one… Larry, we get it.
ganymede

This is definitely a tempest in a teacup. America’s resolve to defend israel under any circumstances will always remain strong. Obama is simply trying to move the moribund peace process along a little bit. The current Israeli government has no intention of making peace. if they were sincere they would have done it a long time ago. Yes, there are still many crazies among the Palestinian Arabs, but as I’ve said in previous commentaries, Israel holds the trump cards. In a way, it may be too late to have an independent Palestinan state. The Israelis have carved up the West Bank to the point where the best thing would be to create a federated state of some sort. Eventually, the Israelis may be forced by world opinion to do this. Also, the majority of American Jews are fed up with this never ending low grade conflict, and understand that the world isn’t going to make war on every Muslim country for the sake of Israel. Netanyahu and the Likud crowd are like the rightwing Republicans here who still believe that might makes right.
darladoon

o’donnell could even go a step further (he’s a bold guy), and just say it loud and clear:

israel was taken from the palestinians in 1948 (via an agreement with the uk and the usa)

am i wrong?

how could that land *not* have been taken from the arabs?

they were there!

the jews hadn’t really had any stake in that area in, what, 1000 years?

am i incorrect?

frankly, palestine deserves the 1947 borders. and it should be up to them to decide
what to cede to israel.

i think that the jewish people should have taken a much bigger piece of land in patagonia,
back in 1948. there’s more resources, more water, way more space.

screw the old testament. screw the holy sites. screw tradition.

take a gigantic piece of land in patagonia.
darladoon

ganymede said:
This is definitely a tempest in a teacup. America’s resolve to defend israel under any circumstances will always remain strong. Obama is simply trying to move the moribund peace process along a little bit. The current Israeli government has no intention of making peace. if they were sincere they would have done it a long time ago. Yes, there are still many crazies among the Palestinian Arabs, but as I’ve said in previous commentaries, Israel holds the trump cards. In a way, it may be too late to have an independent Palestinan state. The Israelis have carved up the West Bank to the point where the best thing would be to create a federated state of some sort. Eventually, the Israelis may be forced by world opinion to do this. Also, the majority of American Jews are fed up with this never ending low grade conflict, and understand that the world isn’t going to make war on every Muslim country for the sake of Israel. Netanyahu and the Likud crowd are like the rightwing Republicans here who still believe that might makes right.

i pretty much agree with this.

and you know what, netanyahu is WAY worse than bush. he’s actually intelligent.
A.R.

great segment
Barack Must Go

Lawrence O’Donnell To Pro-Israel ‘Hysterics’: Obama’s And Netanyahu’s Stances Are ‘Identical’

Funniest part? He actually believes what he is saying ( coo coo coo coo )
insideguy

Very good job Lawerence i have been arguing with these guys for days over this same argument. They will hammer Obama on everything. 57% percent of the people agreed with Obamas speech so tell me righties do you stand with Israel now?
Gasket

Azarkhan said:
Senate Democrats are expected to support a resolution intended as a rebuff to President Obama’s call for basing Middle East peace talks on the 1967 Israeli-Palestinian borders.

It would be a rare rebuke of the president by the upper chamber and a sign that Democrats are worried about the impact of last week’s speech on the U.S.-Israel relationship and pro-Israel constituents.

http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/163105-dems-may-join-rebuff-of-obama

Hey dumbass, the Israelis AGREE with Obama. Maybe you should actually read some Israeli papers like the Haaretz (especially their main editorial) and the Jerusalem Post. Sigh.
TillieGlockenspiel

darladoon said:
o’donnell could even go a step further (he’s a bold guy), and just say it loud and clear:

israel was taken from the palestinians in 1948 (via an agreement with the uk and the usa)

am i wrong?

how could that land *not* have been taken from the arabs?

they were there!

the jews hadn’t really had any stake in that area in, what, 1000 years?

am i incorrect?

frankly, palestine deserves the 1947 borders. and it should be up to them to decide
what to cede to israel.

i think that the jewish people should have taken a much bigger piece of land in patagonia,
back in 1948. there’s more resources, more water, way more space.

screw the old testament. screw the holy sites. screw tradition.

take a gigantic piece of land in patagonia.

Personally, I like Mike Adams’ suggestion regarding “right of return.”

http://townhall.com/columnists/mikeadams/2011/05/23/time_for_america_to_roll_back_its_borders

Dear President Obama:

I am writing today with a somewhat unusual request. Actually, it is a series of requests. First and foremost, I will be asking that you return America to its August 20th, 1959 borders so that Hawaii is no longer a state and you are no longer a citizen. I make this request because I don’t like your policies and I don’t like you. If I sound like I’m asking for too much just be patient. I’m only getting started.
Dem4Ever

Glackin said:
Watched it live. Only an ideologue or a liar would say he got it wrong.

Only a Jew hater would say he got it right.
Zandandido

darladoon said:
the right wing israelis, as he pointed out, are a minority in israel.

i’m so glad netanyahu is not our president, though he may as well be, judging by
the orgasmic glee with which right wing americans greeted his “tough guy” lecture
in the congress.

I’d be a little defensive if EVERY damn nation around you WANTED TO ANNIHILATE you off the FACE of the planet.
Zandandido

Israel has agreed just about everything, except for its existence for peace. In the 1993 Oslo Accords between Israel, PLO, and the USA, Israel agreed to give PLO a Palestinian State, in return, the PLO must recognize Israel. Within a decade, that was completely wiped off, PLO doesn’t recognize Israel. Israel has given BACK the Sinai Peninsula, which it won fair and square. Anytime you are invaded, you have the right to defend yourself.
insideguy

Not all but some of you righties are pathetically ignorant its kinda scary.
insideguy

Why don’t you Righties STAND WITH ISRAEL! 57% of them agreed with Obamas speech, please stand with Israel. Thats all I have heard the last week now put up or shut up.
badnewzbearz

The spin from O’Donnell and the rest of the leftists here is utter bullcrap. Obama called for a Palestinian state, based on the ’67 lines, with contiguous borders next to Egypt, etc. This would cut in Israel in half, divide Jerusalem, and result in an Israel that is only 9 miles wide. Yeah, I’m sure this is Netanyahu’s position and that 57% of Israelis support this. Somebody give me a link to this poll. Who did it, The Daily Kos?

Obama went where no American president has ever gone, at least not publicly:

Bill Clinton got Arafat and Ehud Barak together for talks – but he never formally stated a U.S. position on Israel’s borders. Actually, Barak (from the Israeli left) offered a state with the ‘67 borders to Arafat – and Arafat turned it down.

George W. Bush’s position was set forth in the Roadmap To Peace. Look it up – it says nothing about Israel returning to the ‘67 borders. And in fact, in 2004, Bush sent a letter to PM Sharon which outlined the U.S. position and it specifically stated that the U.S. would never pressure Israel to return to the ‘67 borders, since they are indefensible and would result in a divided Jerusalem. A large majority in congress approved of the Bush letter. Look THAT up.

Obama’s comments last Thursday were outrageous and dangerous – particularly in light of the fact that the more moderate Fatah party recently formed a unity government with Hamas. Obama was basically saying that Israel should negotiate with Hamas, a terrorist organization, using the ‘67 borders as a starting point.

There’s simply no doubt that Obama is viewing things from a pro-Palestinian perspective. Consider that in his 2009 Cairo speech, and again on Thursday, he spoke of the Israeli “occupation.” What right do we have to say anything at all about what Israel’s borders should be? They acquired the Golan Heights in ‘67 from Syria, after Syria attacked THEM, and they acquired East Jerusalem from Jordan after Jordan attacked. In the early 80’s, Jordan relinquished any claim to East Jerusalem and the West Bank.

I ask you, how would we react if the Mexican president went public and stated that WE should cease our occupation of Texas, Arizona, New Mexico and California, and return to our 1845 borders.
http://www.perceptionasreality.blogspot.com/ skoorbekim

being a jerk is one thing…
being a delusional jerk is another…
Resistance Is Futile

Lawrence O’Donnell once again points out that ignorance coupled with blind ideological purity can result in a simplistic, unsophisticated understanding of political intrigue. Israel and the United States have been playing a sophisticated game of footsie since Israel attacked an American reconnaissance ship during the 1967 6 day war. The problem with most conservatives is that they do not take time to investigate beyond the superficial stories they see on Fox News and read on shallow blogs like Mediaite. Conservatives need to start reading more and simply educate themselves.
greg454

The USS Liberty case was already cleared. Besides, did America not bomb the Chinese embassy during the war in Yugoslavia? Shit happens, my friend.
http://libertarians4freedom.blogspot.com/
darladoon

Zandandido said:
I’d be a little defensive if EVERY damn nation around you WANTED TO ANNIHILATE you off the FACE of the planet.

this is not a good argument, and can be used to justify ANY barbaric action, even if it isn’t true
nichola

I just want to see our government quit kissing the Israeli and middle east governments asses because they fund our politicians. Our politicians make me sick they’re giving a war monger a standing ovation. It’s disgusting. Hopefully, Americans have gotten smart enough to get what’s going on. We have to tell the Israeli and Palestinian government to make peace or we’re cutting off funds we can’t afford anymore. No more aid to the middle-east!!!! They’ll have to all make peace or go f–k themselves…I’m so tired of all them I could puke. I would hope Jews in this country would wise up and stop supporting Israel…this is a land grab… American Jews should remember they are Americans first and not help bring us to ruin!!!.