Playing Israel's Economy Card to Force "Peace" Down our Throats

כ' לחודש האחד עשר תשע"ד

YNET: Israel's captains of industry fear boycott 
Leaders from Israel's tech and banking industries will fly to Davos economic forum to support Kerry's peace effort, urge Israel and Palestinians to reach deal to save Israel's economy from looming boycott 

Telem Yahav, January 20, 2014

PM Bibi Netanyahu

A hundred of Israel's leading businessmen and businesswomen will fly to Davos next week, armed with a poignant message for the prime minister: Maintaining a growing and stable economy requires Israel to make peace with Palestinians, the sooner the better.

Leaders and businesspeople ranging from Strauss Group Chairwoman Ofra Strauss to Google Israel CEO Meir Bren and former UN ambassador Dan Gillerman will descend on the Davos Economic Forum to urge Israelis and Palestinians leaders to reach a diplomatic solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

An a-political group of Palestinians and Israelis, which includes names such as Palestinian energy mogul Munib Masri, tech mogul Yossi Vardi, Amdocs founder Maurice Kahan, Bezeq CEO Avi Gabai, industrialist Gad Propper, Israeli low-cost supermarket magnate Rami Levy and former ambassador to the US Prof. Itamar Rabinovich, have signed on an initiative called Breaking the Impasse (BTI).

"Israel must reach a diplomatic solution – urgently," a statement by BTI said. The group, led by Masri and Vardi, believes that a political solution, based on the two-state solution, is vital for the survival of both Israelis and Palestinian.

President Shimon Peres

The economic forum convenes in Davos once a year and invites the biggest names in politics and business from around the world. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Shimon Peres and Justice Minister Tzipi Livni will lead the Israeli political delegation. Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Arekat will join Masri in leading the Palestinians.

The group of Israeli businesspeople will come to Davos at the invitation of the forum's chairperson Prof. Klaus Schwab, who intends to dedicate a day of the forum's proceedings to discuss the peaceful resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Leaders from Israel's business community will meet world leaders to convey one simple message: "The conflict harms everyone's pockets."

BTI stressed that they are not attempting to deal with the details of any agreement, but only in what they understand – economics.

"We know that if Israel wants a stable economy, a good future and continued growth – we must reach an agreement.

"The world is beginning to lose its patience and the threat of sanctions is becoming more imminent from day to day. We have a small window of opportunity with (US Secretary of State John) Kerry's arrival in the region, and it should be taken advantage of."

According to daily Calcalist, a week ago, some members of the group met Netanyahu in his office in preparation of the Davos meet. During the meeting, they warned him of the looming threat posed by boycotts.

Smadar Barber Tsadik, CEO of the First International Bank of Israel, said at the meeting that "the largest investment fund in Holland has already announced that it will not invest in Israel anymore because of its treatment of the Palestinians – and that's a problem."

That is what left-wing YNET had to say about the Davos Economic Forum. Breaking The Impasse is about as a-political as Esser Agaroth is. Saeb Erakat a-political??

Thanks to Tomer Devorah who found this piece on Arutz 7, in which Rami Levy claims that he was never a part of this campaign, we see a contradiction, and possible "inaccuracy" in the YNET report above.

Here is what right-wing Arutz 7 had to say.

Arutz 7: Israeli Business Leaders in Davos Forum Press for 'Peace'
MK Moallem accuses businessmen attending World Economic Forum of trying to scare Israelis with false warnings of boycott woes.

Ari Yashar, January 20, 2014

MK Shuli Moallem-Refaeli (Jewish Home) on Monday sharply criticized the pressure to make territorial concessions reportedly being exerted by top Israeli businessmen, as they are set to attend the annual World Economic Forum in picturesque Davos, Switzerland....

...Moallem attacked the group's claims that deals must be made to protect their financial interests, remarking "making the peace process subject to the pockets of citizens of the state of Israel is outrageous."

U. S. Secretary of State John Kerry

The MK noted that the European boycotts, which recent reports indicate are being manipulated by US Secretary of State John Kerry to force Israeli concessions, should not be Israel's prime economic concern.

"The illusion of peace and the boycott festival they're using to try and frighten us won't solve the problems of Michal, a single-parent mother from Petach Tikvah, or of Eviatar, a computer student who finished his master's degree and can't find work," charged Moallem. (cont.)

Esser Agaroth (2¢):
These monetary scare tactics are, of course, all just a bunch of crap. Either this is the Far-Left's sappy excuse for creativity, or they are just desperately trying everything within their grasp, and the Right is too stupid to take advantage of it.

MK Shuli Moallem-Refaeli (Jewish Home) called these "economic leaders" on it.

What the "Palestinians" want no matter what, regardless of any economic considerations: All of Israel.

As important as Israel's economy is, we have already seen so many times throughout history that it will not make nor break the Peace Process, and certainly not the "Piece Process" being pushed down our throats.

President Reagan threatened Prime Minister Yitzhaq Shamir with the withdrawal of loan guarantees if Israel did not halt "settlement activity," that old canard.

Prime Minister Shamir told President Reagan to go ahead, and as you can see, we are still here,...

...and so are the "settlements."

Boycotts, Divestment, and Sanctions maybe practical considerations, on some level. But, standing up and declaring that all of Israel belongs to us, and that it was promised to us by The Almighty, and that it is not ours, nor John Kerry's, nor anyone else's to slice and dice, is a heck of a lot more practical.

It is the only thing that the Arabs will understand.