Revelation not a Revelation

The first rule for news about Israel, is ask questions.

According to a Jerusalem Post story published on Monday, Mattot Arim and Professors for a Strong Israel, two groups that oppose a two state solution are claiming that Benjamin Netanyahu raised the issue of recognizing Israel as a Jewish State as a tactical trick to force Israel into territorial concessions.

“The groups said they had credible evidence that Netanyahu’s push for a Jewish state came after a secret poll indicated that demanding the recognition of a Jewish state would neutralize opposition to territorial concessions,” the newspaper reported.

“We are calling upon the people of Israel to ignore the smoke screen of recognition of a Jewish state and realize the real impending danger,” said Mattot Arim spokeswoman Susie Dym. “Your government — or parts of it — has agreed out of weakness to a huge evacuation and to form a terrorist state a bike ride away from Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and Ben-Gurion Airport.”

The Jerusalem Post asserted that former MK Aryeh Eldad, who runs Professors for a Strong Israel, “contends that Netanyahu had built up the Jewish state concept to show the public that he had received something from Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas in return for Israel’s concessions.”

The claim of the two groups does not match the truth. Bibi has been calling for the Palestinians to recognize Israel as the Jewish State ever since he took office (the second time) the last day of March 2009. And he has made the demand often.

On June 14, 2009, Netanyahu made the demand in his first public speech as Prime Minister about the peace process:

“We’re ready to do our share. We hope the Palestinians will do their share, as well. If we resume negotiations, as we plan to do, then I think that the Palestinians will have to recognize Israel as a Jewish state and will have to also enable Israel to have the means to defend itself. “