Transcripts For CSPAN Key Capitol Hill Hearings 20140429

Firstrate diplomat and a firstclass mensch. I think it is great that were awarding him this today. I thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak, to use today, particularly today as many of you know, today is Holocaust Remembrance Day in israel. On this day, the jewish state remembers the most horrific. In the history of the jewish people. It is a day when we reflect on the past and recommit ourselves to making sure that the phrase never again is not merely an empty cliche. Is also time to recognize that the condition of the jewish people is fundamentally different than it was 75 years ago on the eve of the holocaust. Differention is not because there is no longer hatred towards the jewish people. You see that hatred every day. Use it in the iranian regimes o wipe israel off the map. You see it in genocidal treatment of hamas against israel. You see it in the actions of modernday nazis in kansas city. The hatred is there. It is there despite the hopes of the founder of modern zionism, theodore hurt so. Erzel. He was a man whose vision turned him pretty much into a modernday prophet. On this point, that hatred for the jewish people would and with the birth of the jewish state, he was mistaken. In fact, history has turned what he thought on its head. 100 years ago, people thought that by establishing a jewish state, you and hatred towards the jewish people. Now there are those who believe that you dismantle the jewish state you will stop hatred towards the jewish people. In the 1920s and 1930s and throughout the first half of the 20th century, with the antisemites set in europe was that jews should go to palestine. The antisemites say is jews get out of palestine. This hatred did not change with the birth of the state of israel. The birth of the state of israel enameled the jewish people to fight this hatred. In that sense, israel fundamentally transformed the condition of the jewish people. Providing the by jewish people with two things they did not have on the eve of the holocaust. Important, is the capacity to defend ourselves. The capacity to defend ourselves. Why israel reason exists today. It is often said that the human created the state of israel. That is false. The newfound army of the jewish state defended israel against attack. All the declarations of United Nations would not have helped the jewish people one iota if israel had lost that war of independence or lost any or, for that matter. What is protected to jewish state has been the capability of the jewish people to defend themselves. That has enabled us to build the remarkable country that we have. Oday after 66 years we are a global hightech power, a pioneer in medicine and science, a leader in the world in agriculture, in water. Those of you who have been to that we are a place teeming with innovation and culture and creativity. I tell people i go to israel, i say you better buckle and and get ready for the ride, because israel is the most intense place on the planet. Israelis go to manhattan to unwind. [laughter] israel is an exciting place. We built that because we have the capability to defend ourselves. Theres a reason why we have been able to navigate israel through some very choppy seas in the last few years, very choppy seas, at a time in the middle east has seen bloodshed and violence everywhere. Israel has remained an island of stability and calm. I think that is a credit to the robustness of israels military strength and also to the prudent leadership of the Prime Minister of israel, Benjamin Netanyahu. Along with this capacity for self defense, we also have Something Else we did not have 75 years ago on the eve of the holocaust. We have a voice. ,he jewish people have a voice and you hear that voice sometimes when a Prime Minister of israel speaks at the United Nations, or when an israeli ambassador like me or my counterparts at the world of the privilege of speaking in the worlds capitals. But in speaking out for israel and for the rights of the jewish people, we are not alone. Here is why i come to you, to this organization, the adl. As you heard, i was born and raised in miami beach, florida. My mother was born in prestate israel. I cant tell you, somehow, all is adl newsletters were strewn all across the house. I would turn over to the latest bulletin and the latest newsletter. Iron member reading them a lot. I learned something about the adl. Youre talking you taught me something important very early on. You taught me that in defending the rights of the jews, youre defending the rights of everybody else. Year, decade after decade, under the remarkable leadership of abe foxman and many others, we are not letting you go. That your swansong last for a few decades, not a few months. And theur leadership leadership of many people in this room, you have raised your voice loudly to defend the rights of the jews and to defend the rights of everybody who is facing discrimination and persecution. I am here today, first and foremost, to say thank you. I couldnt think of a better day to express that thanks than on Holocaust Memorial day. Thank you for giving meaning to by words never again making clear that you will never be silent again. Briefly, before i get your questions, about two challenges that israel is facing. First, the need to prevent iran from developing Nuclear Weapons, and secondly, israels unyielding pursuit of peace. Program, whichar is by far the single most important issue facing israel. I know sometimes all these issues are thrown at you. You watch the news cycle and one day something is happening in syria and wendy is egypt and now it is a pact between hamas and the palestinian authority. In israel we have her eyes very focused on the ball. The single greatest challenge israel faces is irans pursuit of Nuclear Weapons. Let me state for a clearly what israels policy is. Our policy is simple. Only a Peaceful Nuclear program and nothing more. That is israels policy. The truth is, we all know that iran does not need a Peaceful Nuclear program. Iran is awash in oil and gas. If irans regime would stop rudely repressing its own people, stop helping assad slaughtered tens of thousands of civilians, stop perpetrating terror attacks across the globe, stop leaving mass chance of , stop calling,a as it does over and over for the annihilation of israel. Stop arming terror groups to fire thousands of rockets ethnicities. In short, if iran stops being a rogue, terrorist regime, then they can take advantage of all their wonderful Natural Resources to their hearts delight. Ll, if the policy demands if diplomacy demands that iran have a Peaceful Nuclear program, then so be it. There are 17 countries around the world that have Peaceful Nuclear energy. They dont enrich uranium on their soil. They dont stockpile enriched uranium, they dont have underground enrichment bunkers. They dont have heavywater facilities. Iran needs none of these things, none of them. Yet it insists on having them. You know why . Because iran is not interested in Peaceful Nuclear energy. Iran wants Nuclear Weapons. In the p5 plus one, the leading powers and international keepnity must not let iran its Nuclear Weapons infrastructure. Its capability to produce Nuclear Weapons. Deal it should be acceptable to the International Community is one which fully dismantles irans Nuclear Weapons capability. One more thing that has to be dismantled. A lot of people are not talking about. Iran is developing icbms. The missiles iran has can artie read 12 yard israel. Already reach israel. The only reason anyone needs an icbm is to carry a nuclear warhead. Cartoons to put tnt on an icbm. In the real world, icbms carry nuclear payloads. If iran wants what it says it wants, a Peaceful Nuclear program, and it has no need for icbms, no need for them at all. Them,n insists on keeping then the jig is up. Irans icbms are not a smoking gun, theyre the smoking missile. They tell you everything you want to know and need to know. About is very concerned the current discussions with the wrong, because all signs point to the p5 plus one accepting a withthat would leave iran a Nuclear Weapons making capability essentially intact, and not even address irans Ballistic Missile program. The deal that is now being considered would leave iran with thousands of centrifuges, thousands of kilos of enriched facilityand heavywater and an advanced missile program. Such a deal would effectively leave iran as a Threshold Nuclear Power. At best, a few months away from having the fissile material necessary to build a Nuclear Weapon. Such a deal would be a much worse situation than we have today. Because iran is not to three months away from having a material, they are under tremendous pressure because of the sanctions. After a deal, they would be only marginally further away from getting that fissile material, but the pressures on them would be drastically reduced. To interim deal was supposed have iran take a tiny step back in exchange for what was hoped would be a small reduction of the sanctions. And israel appreciates the fact that the Obama Administration is doing everything it can to try to make sure that the sanctions do not unravel. Theyre working very hard to prevent this from happening and we appreciated. An agreement with the p5 plus one itself would willingly unravel the sanctions regime against iran in return for iran parking a short distance away from having the fissile material necessary for Nuclear Weapons would be a terrible mistake. The aseave iran at a Threshold Nuclear Power and leave the world on the threshold of an abyss. It might prevent iran from having a Nuclear Weapon today, but it would virtually ensure that iran has a Nuclear Weapon tomorrow. That must not be allowed to happen. Irans Nuclear Weapons capability and longrange missile capability must be fully dismantled. That is israels position and it will not change. The Prime Minister yesterday spoke. He was as clear as he can be. I encourage you all to read exactly what he said. This Nuclear Weapons capability must be fully dismantled. Address in a couple minutes israels impasse the palestinians. Palestinians, and explain israels position regarding the recent pact the president abbas signed with him us. Hamas is unreformed terror organization. Unreformed terror organization. For israely calling to show action. It is committed to israels distraction. It is far thousands of rockets at israel cities, it has sent scores of suicide bombers to our pizza shops, restaurants, our discotheques, our buses. Ands denies the holocaust its charter calls for the murder of jews worldwide. I dont know if you know this. It calls for the murder of jews worldwide. Three years ago, hamas condemn the United States for killing osama bin laden. Two weeks ago, some of you may have read this, hamas praised of borrow mizrahi. Hes gunned down in his car while traveling with his pregnant wife to a seder. It is said that you make peace with them with enemies. As a completely facile statement. You make peace with enemies who want peace. Hamas is an enemy that does not want peace. Hamas has not changed. It is not recognized israels right to exist. It has not renounced or abandoned terrorism. If hamas does recognize israels right to exist, if it does renounced terrorism, then it would be an entirely different story and hamas would no longer be hamas. Palestinian unity is against peace. Israel will not negotiate peace with the Palestinian Government backed by hamas. It does not matter to israel if the government that is established after this agreement is a technocratic government that will serve as a front that says all the right things. Office, is in the back israel is not going to be at the negotiating table. [applause] we have said for a long time that the problem with the Palestinian Leadership is it it is that half is committed to israels distraction and the other half is not willing to confront that have. Extensivelyt is prepared to live in peace with israel. Israel or a pack with hamas. He chose hamas, so israel chose to suspend the talks. If president abbas chooses peace, we can go back to the negotiating table. Israel wants peace. We are committed to it. We want a solution of two states for two peoples heritage the Prime Ministers for committed to it. He is made sacrifices in order to achieve it and will continue to make the tough decisions necessary to advance peace, but we need a partner who is committed to peace and not who is making a pact with hamas. Israel faces enormous challenges. I know there is much concern in this room and rooms elsewhere throughout america and throughout the world. How israel navigate the very rough seas ahead . On this day, on Holocaust Memorial day, lets keep things in respect to. The parents and grandparents and great grandparents of virtually haveone in this room would done anything to trade their problems with ours. Today, the jewish people are no longer a powerless people. Today, we have a jewish state. Today we have an army that can defend that state, and israel is not alone. We have the support of so many friends around the world, especially in this great country, the United States. Friends who know that israels cause is just. The jewish people have weathered the worst that history can throw at us, and we will weather this storm as well. So on this holocaust day, as we past, asthis horrific we commit ourselves as you will in this conference to the fight against antisemitism, racism, discrimination, all forms of prosecution, we should all stand for tolerance very proud, because we are uniquely blessed generation. Lets have the United States of america, the country that has been the greatest force for good in history, we are blessed to have United States as a preeminent power of the world, and we are blessed to witness the rebirth of jewish sovereignty in modern times, and for it a renewed hope secure and peaceful jewish future. Thank you very much. [applause] thank you. [applause] thank you, mr. Ambassador. We have a few questions from the audience, as time permits. Ae first question is, what is likelihood of numerous other countries obtaining Nuclear Weapons if iran gains Nuclear Capability . How does that play into the strategy for both the United States and israel . Think it is a huge concern. It is not something that i mentioned here today, but certainly it would basically turn all the nuclear inliferation efforts attempting to stop one country from getting Nuclear Weapons, by leaving iran as a Threshold Nuclear Power, youre going to open up what the Prime Minister of israel called a pandoras box of proliferation. I will explain why. If you just allow a country that violated six resolutions on his programs to actually have, to be a Threshold Nuclear Power, to have the right to enrich uranium on its soil, how are you going to possibly go to any country around the world and tell them you cant enrich uranium on your il . Every country will demand that right. The idea was to prevent countries from domestically enriching uranium. There are two paths to building a Nuclear Weapon. Theres a plutonium and uranium path. Have a heavynot water facility, does not have a plutonium path to a bomb. Theres also a uranium path. Or you can be sure that iran will not have a Nuclear Weapon is to not allow it to the ability to enrich uranium on its soil. Cede that to iran, the right to enrich uranium, i know abouteople of iran talk life, liberty and the right to enrich uranium. If you leave the iranian people with the ability to enrich uranium, you will see many many countries throughout the world, certainly in the middle east, that will demand that right. How are you going to prevent them meet from having that . What he meant to say to them . Ft the foremost opponent youll see at least three of for the middle east and youll see if you countries beyond. That is why we are very concerned. I will say one of the about it. Nuclear proliferation is not the most important concern we have. We have a regime in iran that is openly calling for our destruction. When people put the threat of Nuclear Proliferation is a number one concern, im a little puzzled. Im a little concerned that theyre not fully determined to prevent this, because when my neighbor across the street says he is going to kill me, my big concern when that ak47s being shipped in the mail to him, is not that my other neighbors are going to get ak47s as well. It is that this guy is going to get a Nuclear Weapon. Our concern with iran is unique because iran calls for our destruction. The nature of the regime matters. Remember this as well. If all of what you have in north korea would move 50 miles to the south, no one would lose any sleep over it. All Nuclear Proliferation is bad, but it makes a difference whether holland has Nuclear Weapons or whether a country like iran has Nuclear Weapons. [applause] domestiction about issues in israel. What is israel doing to aid and assist its israeli arab citizens . Aresraeli arab citizens uniquely blessed. Rights arabs enjoy the that no other arabs in the region enjoy, and they can be full members of israeli society. I think israel should not be embarrassed of what has happened in the last 65 years regarding israeli arabs. We should be proud. We have built a thriving democracy. It is not perfect heard you always have room for improvement. In all societies on earth you can always improve it. Israel understands something. Israel should not be judged by the standards of dictatorships. You are a democracy and you should beast judged by the standards of a democracy. That is true prejudge israel by the standards of a democracy. Judge israel by the standards of a democracy that is threatened. Israel is the most threatened nation on the face of the earth. The fact that we have been able to build this vibrant democracy in the face of all these threats is astounding. The only way that i can explain it in current american terms is remember the feeling in the United States on september 12, the day after the attacks on september 11. Remember the concern that you had for security and all societies have a debate, where should you draw the line between security and Civil Liberties. Over time that debate changes as you feel more secure. Your demand for Civil Liberties a stronger. But theres a debate all the time. Understand something, israel has been in september 12 for 66 years. For 60 six years. Not only will i not apologize for israels record, i am very proud of israels record could we will continue to work to improve that record. Continue to attempt to be a better democracy. The attacks against israel, the arguments against israel, the wild allegations of israel against israel or false. They should be challenged and rejected. We should be very proud of the country we have built. [applause] thank you. The question of settlements and construction in on the west bank has an outside importance in the media. Could you comment on the Public Relations and Communications Challenges posed by the settlement question . Is a big challenge, because if you repeat something over and over again it becomes conventional wisdom. For instance, there used to be people who would say that the reason why you have problems in the middle east is because israelis and palestinians have not resolved the conflict. Do you remember that . That was the reason, that was the core of the problem of the middle east. You were serious people with very high iqs that would stand before podiums like this and make that type of statement. Since events of the last three years in the middle east, theres not a Single Person on the planet maybe there are a few good we believe it, i dont know. I have encountered many of them. I think theyre probably still communists sitting in certain departments in some universities somewhere, but it is not serious. It is not a serious argument. When it comes to the settlements , they must be dealt with in the negotiations. But to say the settlements of the reasons youd have these is an absurdity. The conflict between israel and the palestinians when for 50 years before there was a single settlement in the west bank. It began in the 1920s. My Prime Minister spoke about it over and over again. What was that all about . The 50 years of conflict for all the settlements. Every once as well, go back to the lines of june 4, 1967. What happened on that day . There was a war. Bviously, there was a conflict the harder the conflict between israel and the palestinians his refusal to recognize the legitimacy of a jewish state in any border. That is what the conflict is about. That is what the conflict has always been about and that is why the Prime Minister insists on a Peace Agreement, not as a precondition to negotiations, but in a Peace Agreement that the palestinians would have to recognize the right of the jewish people to a nationstate, to recognize the jewish state, just as they asked us to recognize the right of palestinians to a nationstate of their own. They would have to recognize the right of the jewish people to a nationstate. Were going to have to resolve the issue of the settlement. It is going to be part of the negotiation. Makeure they will have to a difficult decision. Anytime israel is faced with a leader, with an arab leader who wanted peace and who spoke these, we made difficult decisions. That was true when reagan, when Menachem Begin withdrew from the sinai and had to uproot settlements there. It was true when sharon did not have a partner and uproot settlements in gaza. He approved them. It didnt bring peace. The settlements are an issue that has to be resolved. It is not the core of the conflict. People have made it the beall and endall because a lot of israels enemies believe this is the issue where you can defame and besmirch the jewish state. , the jewish people building in these territories is not a crime. I hear that, and it makes my blood boil. That a jew would build an apartment in jerusalem, and this is supposed to be some kind of the fact that people say it does not make it true. These territories are disputed territories. Theyre not occupied palestinian territories no matter how often they say it. It doesnt matter how many times he said on tv or on the bbc, it is not heard this is a dispute here and we have a claim to these territories, they have a claim to the territories, we have to have a border between us, we have a policy of two states for two peoples, we have to work these things out and we will work them out, but lets put things into perspective. Thats understand what the true nature of this conflict is, and not get lost by a sideshow. [applause] mr. Ambassador, you have been very gracious with your time today. We really appreciate your time here and your service to the state of israel, thank you very much. [applause] more now from the antidefamation leagues National Leadership summit. A half, axt hour and discussion of the prospects for peace in the middle east. Im very honored to be able to introduce this panel. It is a very Impressive Group of people up here. It is a great honor to be able to do the introduction. Most of us wake up in the morning and turn first thing to see the almost daily news of our governments intensive efforts in both israelipalestinian peace efforts and talks with iran aimed at ending its Nuclear Weapons program. Both are facing impending ofdlines, and the outcome those will shape the region as well as americas own standing in the region and in the world. We are privileged to have with us for of washingtons most respected thinkers and analysts on u. S. Policy in the region. Director of the savon center for mideast policy at the Brookings Institution served under secretary of state clinton as Deputy Assistant secretary of state for near east where she was central to organizing the u. S. Governments response to the arab spring. Freedom isauthor of on the march, and editor of how palestinians and palestinians negotiate very Robert Sattler is executive director of the washington holds theand also howard p burke or chair in u. S. Middle east policy. An expert on arab and islamic politics as well as u. S. Middle has policy, dr. Sattler written and spoken widely on the , and the needeace to revamp u. S. Public diplomacy in the middle east. He is the author and editor of numerous books and monographs, including the battle of ideas in the war on terror, essays on u. S. Public diplomacy in the middle east. Fellow abrams, senior for middle Eastern Studies served in the george w. Bush white house in several important deputyns, including National Security advisor. He supervised u. S. Policy in the middle east. He was also an assistant secretary of state in the Reagan Administration and is the author of four books, including undue process, security and sacrifices , and tested by zion. Jeffrey goldberg has covered the middle east for bloomberg, the atlantic and a staff writer at the new yorker and New York Times magazine. His coverage has taken him to afghanistan, to pakistan, where he lived for months. He is traveled to upper egypt, syria and the bekaa valley in lebanon. Here he has interviewed president obama i mideast policy numerous times, most recently in a widely read to our interview published on the eve of Prime Minister netanyahus we recently visited washington recent visit to washington. Ron covered these issues in the hall of government day in and day out. T is a mustread thank you all for being with us today. I turned it over to you, ron. [applause] i got us start up idea during machers. Thego for theme of our talk today was why is iran seemingly working . Wire talks between the United States and iran advancing while the talks between United States and israel and palestine are on the verge of collapse, or are at least in crisis. S . It seems to me that there is a pattern. Where the sides get to a point in the talks went becomes clear what the agreement is going to look like, and that is precisely the moment with the sides retreat from the agreement. It is interesting because over the last couple of weeks we have had these incredible expressions of frustration from all sides. Yesterday you had john kerry reportedly saying that israel could be headed toward an apartheid state if it doesnt advance towards a two state solution. It is becoming more vie to british. Perative. Perhaps it is not a solvable process. I thought i would start with elliott abrams, who actually has been tested. It makes sense for him to continue. First, thank you all for inviting me today. I will say with a structural problem is. They wont sign. That is the problem. Because significant offer from ehud barak. They got a more generous offer from ehud olmert at the end of 2008 1 resident abbas was artie the leader. The cant was already leader. They cant get to yes. President hink that abbas is ever going to sign anything. What youre seeing now is that he is more attentive for also its a pretty obvious reasons to his internal political situation. The strength or weakness of fatah, the question of elections. Is ine this jerk that he the ninth year of his fouryear term. You have to bet against elections, two. The problem is that we have continued under three president s over the last 20 the greato for agreement on the white house lawn instead of doing the very hard work of trying to build palestinian institutions from the ground up. Were not going to get that agreement on the white house lawn, so we should stop pushing it so hard and turn to the very hard work of building a palestinian state that someday could be worth having. You work for president that that the palestinians could get their. He suggested before leaving office that maybe that wasnt possible at that time. What you think . Can you get the palestinians decca first, thanks for the invitation. I have worked with adl and with 20cy since i came to d. C. Plus years ago. It is really treat to be with you. I think elliott is right to focus on the domestic politics as the obstacle. Structure for iran and ultimately to shift domestic politics in a way that made these negotiations i think what we have to look at is how put how to mystic politics might shift. I think a lot of work has been done to build those structures. Some of it has suffered in the past year or so. Part of the reason it has rolled back is because along with the institutions you need a political horizon. The premise of this Institution Building paradigm is that it will prepare palestinians for statehood and there will be a political process alongside the Institution Building. What has happened is we have somehow let palestinian politics be frozen in place. This has all been frozen. If this reconciliation agreement goes forward, it will be a restarting of domestic politics that to some extent will be necessary in order to make israelipalestinian negotiations more fruitful. The reconciliation is also one your institute has written a lot about the horizon and a lot about the institutions. Can those two things be reconciled the echo can you have a hamas reconciliation on one hand with the Peace Process going on the other . Let me thank everybody here for the work they do with abl. I am an enormous fan of abl. Abl does a enormous work here and abroad. Congratulations to everybody here. I think jeff and i have been honored by abl in the past. It has really been a privilege. You ask two different questions, first about the reconciliation agreement and second about topdown and bottomup. My view on this for many years is there is a choice, israelis make a choice, palestinians make a choice. The choices between unity on one hand or progress on the other. You cannot have it both ways. You cannot have that. And also have progress toward peace. You can have one or the other. Look at the israeli example. Are pushed forward by one vote. He made a choice, you can like it or dont like it. It was a choice that involves leadership. You cannot have it both ways. You cannot be the leader who leads to peace and the leader who leads to reconciliation. It will never happen. If you look at the 20 years that elliott just spoke about, we never quite got it right. Elliotts experience is we did bottomup very well until the big blip of the hamas election, which was a huge blip. And in the second part of the second term we decided to go topdown. It was all topdown, no bottomup. We never quite got this mix right. The people who suffered for it are the israelis and palestinians. It is never too late to do the right thing. We just have to get the mix right. Is it possible . Ken Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defeat his rightwing and can the islamist wing be defeated . How much longer is this administration going to beat up on this . How much longer are they going to put up with the battery they are taking . First of all let me not think the abl. Enough already. There is obviously a split. The nsc staff blames a couple of things. One they believe kerry is to conciliatory or accommodating. They also believe there really is no point, not only for the fact the doubt netanyahu possibility or willingness to move forward, there was not a lot of doubt in investing time in the process. Of john kerry is the most optimistic man in the world. I started in the traditional and save journalistic posture of the inning very cynical about his efforts. I am still cynical about some of the tactics and ideas but i am not cynical about the mp is doing this. I can say, without saying, that i know as of this weekend he Still Believes there are some hurdles you have to get over. It is somewhere in the middle between what the white house thinks and what john kerry thinks. He really wants to let john kerry run with this. This week has been a moment where i think hes getting ready to tell kerry. Seriously than for africa tomorrow. That is good from their perspective. Very quickly on your two other points, i have heard this inside the u. S. Government. He has an effective veto over what netanyahu does. Sharon was in the unilateral engagement. He understood because he could bring a lot of people with him to form a new party that part of him i dont think they are under any illusions about who is going to follow him if he actually has to leave his party. Although massimo is a very nice man. He is a very nice man. I dont see any willingness or desire to do what roberts is talking about. If you want to get on the train, you get on the train, if you want to get off, you get off. He was to retire as the unifier of the malice anime people of the palestinian people. John kerry does have a bit of a realist and him because he got himself a dog and all these processes were underway in washington. If you dont have any friends, just get yourself a dog. It is called diploma. In that sense, in the absence of i am connecting your faithfulness to the government. In a sense of not immediately having horizon, in which you talk about the building from the bottom up, what can be done the echo what are the modalities of building from the bottom up. I think the most serious nearterm challenge of us in dealing with this reconciliation and the depth of the apparent impasse or near death experience is how they keep together the really remarkable security cooperation. Slightly less and still Economic Cooperation between israelis and palestinians when they are fighting in a totally dysfunctional and political relationship. I think we take every that i think everybody in this room takes for granted that by and large, it is five years now that by and large it has been five years now since almost no terror in the west bank. We forget what used to be like. There are three reasons why this is so. One because the idea still operates. Lets not forget that. Two, because hamas is not in the west bank. And three, israelipalestinian security cooperation. Its a fact. We shouldnt think everything is black or white. Either they are talking or they are working together from the political level down to the street. That is not the way the world works. Can they keep us together and find a way to continue to build upon what exists . When will that fall apart . That follow us when that falls apart, that is much bigger. This is serious. I think rob has hit on something very important, which is both israelis and palestinians and americans in the region now have to look at an environment on the ground with no ongoing political process and ask what is going to happen next. Security cooperation is essential to tampering down we have daily things happening. In numerous provocations, any one of which in an environment without political process might cause further cooperation. We now have statements back and forth. That creates an environment in where it is more difficult to keep the peace in the way laws requiring read i think it is time to take a pause from judgments and statements about what comes next. I think it is a moment in which israelis and palestinians have to look at what theyre future looks like without a negotiated peace. That is not something we can do for them. I fully expect this upcoming time will be one where palestinian reconciliation or not, this is going to be a. Of this is going to be a time of ferment and debate. Now they really are facing the future. My colleague did a poll asking in detail what they hoped for and also what they expected we see in poll after poll that it is palestinians by majority still sporting a two state solution. We dont think that is going to happen. They were extremely skeptical. On both sides large majorities expected that if negotiations broke down they would be facing violence. I think this is a moment when it is important to focus on the nittygritty of preventing violence. It is also a moment when these two peoples and their leaders have to think about their alternatives and what they want to do about it. It is a very tough moment. I think this is a moment when things might change a lot. There is a market for it anyway. There were no negotiations for four years for the obama first term. There was an outbreak of violence. I think violence tends to break down when the Palestinian Leadership wants them to. It did not come from the ground up. We know this from hamas. I am less afraid of a huge outbreak of violence. Nothing can be done in the next few months. They have done this before. They had an effort of coalition government. It has always failed. I think this will fail to because neither side wants it. It is obvious every pull wants to move to unity. It is not good for hamas. We are also afraid of what an election outcome might be like. They have to get back to some kind of political process. If i am right the political process isnt going anywhere either. I think with the israelis need to think about this year in particular is whether they want to do anything unilateral in the west bank. You had this proposal from Michael Warren. It takes you back and the sense of what won the election in 2006 whether we should make the move to spectator eight, b, c. It really becomes israel setting its order. It could be 50 years. Israeli thinks to meet is really needs to think really hard about what they want to do. We call them parallel unilateral steps. They try to make the situation better if you assume, as i do, that a final agreement is beyond reach. In the absence of palestinian violence it doesnt seem likely that israel he will be focused enough. Much has been pointed out, it has been pretty good in israel due to the absence of terrorism. It just seems theres no particular impotence and israelis society to have that conversation that Michael Warren and others want israelis to have. I dont know. Those in a prearab spring reality. I dont see many israelis saying now is a good time to find more territory to seize more territory. It will inevitably be taken over by the most radical factions. In the new serious reality i dont really disagree with that. Think how different the world there would be it for 20 years United States had not been going for a final status, a comprehensive final status agreement. If instead we had been pushing the israelis to make the situation better. I dont think your views are necessarily contradictory. It is problematic. Yankee of unilateralism is connected to the success or failure of the hamas conciliation. If it succeeds, youre absolutely right. If they can work with the palestinians in the way you implied between unilateral acts, you cut out hamas and work out arrangements, then that is a possibility. It would require two things, which are regrettably a bit lacking. Creativity and leadership in i dont say that as throwaway lines. Regrettably if you look at israeli and palestinians, both creativity and leadership means taking risks in your own Public Opinion. We dont have an overabundance. I think what is underlying a lot of what we have and saying in the last few minutes is parties are negotiating parties are focused on a negotiating process. What we have to do is shift and focus tightly on outcomes. Ideally the outcome that has been the established goal of the United States since elliott was last in office, which is a two state solution. Negotiations are probably the best in terms of sustainability and so on. If negotiations cannot succeed in this environment, what are other things that could be done to advance the ball . This is important for the United States to think about what are things the two sides might do or others might do that would move it backwards . If the United States can focus and engagement in the parties be focused on that outcome, how do you preserve the possibilities of a two state outcome . And what you do to avoid sending things back . Then i think this can be fruitful and we can avoid some of the worst potential consequences. What is the deadline for the table . That i think were going to be in the position elliott was describing. Its probably going to change your topic here. In my view, the single most useful think United States can do is be effective elsewhere in the region. Get a really good iran deal, get an end to the syria conflict, the effective, the new leader around the region. That will change the context for this entire discussion in a much more positive way. Lets go back to the next topic, which is iran. The israeli Prime Minister said the major powers led by the United States should settle for nothing less than no nuclear enrichment, no uranium enrichment on iranian soil. I think the conventional wisdom, actually think president obama has said this, theres likely going to be a capacity for enrichment as an outcome of these talks. They talk about a civilian level of enrichment around five percent. How you reconcile that he echo what happens if there is such an agreement he echo does israel remain or was accelerate its aggressive posture towards iran . I dont give that question much thought because i dont think this is going anywhere, even though it has the facsimile of progress. I would like to see a situation in which iran is kept perpetually a year or more away from a nuclear breakout. I dont think that is going to happen. There has been any proof that the leadership matters. I dont see any substantial rollback to his plans. If you are the Supreme Leader of iran he would not rollback. They are feeling a looseness in their economy. Not as much as the critics would say that more than the administration would like. I think the six months we are in right now achieved half of president obamas goals. First goal is to prevent iran from Going Nuclear and the second goal was to help iran. There is a link between the Peace Process in this end a logical sense. He doesnt run into reckless orders with hezbollah or hamas. I have written before the joe biden in particular, but kerry has also said this to him, joe biden does that wonderful way joe biden has. He is a was quoting his mother. They said no yourself to a really good cross. It is my understanding that netanyahu viewed that as setting. You have to set up these positions. He is not a big cross kind of guy. You dont see him taking a lot of action. The truth of the matter is obama won the initial round of the contest. Netanyahu threatened him and threatened him to attack and he didnt. Obama came in with this plan. Is it possible netanyahu returns to a more aggressive posture . Yes. But i think the administration and the iranian leadership share a common purpose, which is to get to the end of 2016 or 2017. Iran is latent or close to a nuclear site nuclear state. Theres a chance this with the next president s problem in it sounded like a suspected there are tectonic shifts in iranian society. What do you think . This is an authoritarian when i say we should did domestic politics, i mean we should did the incentive for the Supreme Leader so much that he allowed a man to run for president that might not otherwise have allowed. That is significant. It allows this to take face. The discussions have been very making lots of life nice substantive. Making lots of life nice noises and some that are less encouraging, and we will see where it goes. Let me clear about what i think the limits are inside iran. My sense is that the administration and p5 plus 1 have a pretty clear idea of what a deal looks like that is acceptable that will do what jeffrey was describing, that will keep it at least a year away from breaking out. The premise of the negotiated negotiation is that would give them time to respond or would give the u. S. Time to respond militarily if necessary. Whether that deal is achievable i think is a very open question. As jeffrey said, there is reason to be skeptical about what they are prepared to give up. Think about it from the perspective of president obama looking across the middle east at a region that is in turmoil where major allies and partners of the United States that we have relied on for decades in our Regional Policy like egypt are deeply unstable and relationships are afraid, where regional allies are anxious about us, and our role there, because of the changes. The end of the war in iraq, the drawdown of afghanistan, the tapering down of historically large American Military presence and engagement in the region. Growing energy independence. All of these factors are underlying the discussions over the iran issue, and other friends in the gulf over this issue. So it is about the nuclear negotiations, but what will keep the allies feeling stable and secure is not just specific terms in that deal if it is ever achieved. What will keep them feeling comfortable and secure it is manifesting a commitment to stability in the region and putting ourselves at risk. In the region in ways they feel they can rely on. Two points. First, just maybe right. My general assessment is that as usual, i think jeff is right that president obama articulated a policy in office, which was no bomb on my watch. The iranians obliged. They made a calculus that we can make inroads in syria, win that war, inroads in iraq and do not quite go over the line on the nukes, and that is how we can get through the survivor administration. They would say it is ok because it meets the first principle, no bomb on my watch. Everyone in this room should be on guard, because the day after they reach a deal rich domains will be in the exact same sentence for the very same people that will try to undermine us and bring us to war in the middle east and the other leaders in the Broader Community of people who will say, wait a minute, this deal stinks. This is a deal that gets them enrichment. This is a deal that keeps the facility in the current position. This gives them research and development as far as the eye can see. A deal that does not stop missile development. People, advocates for the deal will paint critics not as loyal citizens angry at order opposed to the diplomatic achievement that they feel the administration snuck in, but rather as warmongers. The first sign of which we saw a few months ago. You can decide if you like this deal or do or do not like the deal, but if there is a deal, that scenario is coming. Be prepared. Jeffrey. Unlike rob, i do not believe the administration will vote for a lousy deal. It just struck me that rob is talking about the long relationship. Even more juice internationally. I wanted to take this question from the audience. What is the scenario of the talks break down and enhanced International Action or retrenchment . If the talks break down and there is no deal, you will obviously see more sanctions . That is to be expected. The more fateful question is that the talks break down, israel will strike iran. The boxing and jeff spoke about is a boxing in by the diplomatic process in sanctions. If negotiations fail, sanctions failed. After all, meant to force them to sign a deal. If the sanctions fail to do that, iran continues the Nuclear Weapons program, you have a very fateful decision and the hands of the nuclear program. I get the percentage chance that israel will strike, a bit higher than i think jeff thinks it is. I think netanyahu came close to ordering this in the summer 2012 but he had american opposition. He also did not have the consensus in the Israeli Security establishment. It the talks if the talks break down, iran is making progress in the missile program. Making progress on mastering the Second Generation of centrifuges. Making progress in the various sites. Pursuing a plutonium route. It talks break down, i think you will see that consensus row, and indeed, there were public statements this weekend. Both of which said we may have to act. They were not viewed as hotheads. They were not in favor a couple of years ago of an israeli strike. So, to me, the problem that is more likely is they do reach a deal. And if its a crummy deal. I want to say, i think rob is exactly right because we have seen it already. We have heard the word thrown around. You know what you will get. But you will get it much more broadly. You will get it from parts of the jewish immunity, the most disgusting piece of this. If you have American Jewish leaders saying this is a really bad deal and a deal that is not really going to prevent iran from getting closer and closer and closer to being able to turn around and announce a bomb. Remember how poor our intelligence record is. On the russian bomb, chinese bomb, pakistani bomb, north korean bomb. Remember what the cia discovered about pursuing a nuclear reactor. Nothing. I just was going to say on what if negotiations collapsed . I think it matters very much how they fall apart. Enticing parts of the gain for the United States is managing that. If it looks like the negotiations have come to a standstill. Because it is important to maintain sanctions and strengthen sanctions, and we know those most effective are the multilateral sanctions and particularly those that engage countries that deal with iran, so if we have to do that, we need those guys on site and we want them to fail in such a way that it is clear to the party, and that is part of the challenge for the United States as it plays this out. I think that actually what we have got so far is the u. S. Working very hard to keep israel and gulf allies very closely informed for every in stage of my every stage of the talks. So i understand the scenario that Robin Elliott are painted. I also do not think it will be as polarized as american politics. We are facing historically high levels of reluctance by the American Public to engage in Foreign Affairs in any way. That is something we all have to recognize with. As a foreignpolicy professional that is something i find troubling. American Public Opinion is actually outside of that general renaissance or isolationism or whatever you want to call it. The american politics public has been educated they have no warm feelings dating back to the revolution and that there are boards and all of that. I think the American Public understands this is a country that not only on the Nuclear Issue but a range of other issues is a problem for interNational Security. A problem for american security. So i just do not see it playing out quite the way that has been described. It is not serious. It is different. Jeffrey, you took a hit for suggesting this president would go to a military solution if that is what it came to. Do you still think that . I do. I think there are two conditions the president would use military force on iran. The first is this we discovered that iran is building secret secret nuclear facilities. Again, elliott is one of those people who has given me hit for suggesting it. But i endorse what elliott said is that when the administration said we will know. No we will not. It is only by luck we know anything. So if we discover they are doing something in a subterranean fashion, then i cannot imagine a situation in which the president would not order a strike on the new facility and possibly others. Iran is probably too smart to do that and probably too smart to do the other thing that would prompt a strike, which is to go to overt breakout, to pick out inspectors after the collapse. To rush toward a bomb. I cannot imagine a situation in which the administration would not respond with military force. This is why, i think both parties him at the administration and iranians have a proud interest in perpetuating the talks, because i think they do understand. Does obamas word mean anything into we have determined capability . I think they still believe that is possible, which is why they are engaged in the process in the first place. I think that is why they will be engaged as long as possible. I think if for some reason they miscalculated and did something crazy, then i see no reason why they would hesitate to launch a limited strike on those facilities. A very serious calculation. The general view that people in the middle east have taken or what happened last summer in syria is the president walked away at the last minute without informing allies. It is subject to the interpretation or others that he will do a drum strike drone strike but will not do much more than that and will not attack us because that would be a pretty serious thing. The president has said this many times, so forcefully that it looks as if the iranians are headed for a bomb on his watch he has to stop them, although there is an alternate way of stopping them, which is to say maybe time for the israelis to act. I think it is quite possible the iranians that has what if you about us and what they think of us, you know the ayatollah hates us, it is possible i think that they might draw the conclusion they are safe and can cheat. Look at the chlorine gas. What is the american reaction . Stop using chemical weapons. What is our reaction . Nothing. I think the chance of miscalculation is really quite serious. In terms of a breakdown, what is also interesting and the question asked, enhanced action when the talks started actually means meant something quite different because of changes with russia and other geopolitical factors. The Obama Administration has always said the value taking its time to come to the state and has built an international consensus. Does the consensus matter now . I do not think we have seen in practical terms the russians often their engagement in the process or stance within the process. It is clear there are a lot of things we have to reevaluate about russias foreignpolicy and attitudes towards its neighborhoods in toward the world. But i think on this one we have not seen evidence of their reevaluating or evidence of using the Nuclear Issue as leverage against us on other things. Does not mean we should not worry about the possibility. And if indeed that happens, the process will not survive that i think. But lets work on countries acting in their interest. The issue has been to be a player. They have engage with iranians, Nuclear Cooperation as we know and that times have pulled back or put constraints on the cooperation. They want to be at the table and bf the player table. I do not anticipate they will take themselves out of the process to spite us. I will book go to questions. Ring them up to me when you can. A lot of them were asked to me when the palestinian israeli part of the talk. We have one question here for each panelist. If it were up to you, and i am presuming this relates to israel palestine, what is the next actionable step . What does one do next in terms of advancing the crisis . You mean from the American Perspective . I mean i prefer to answer from the israeli perspective. I do not have the same phobia of our unilateralism that a lot of people do. I like the ideas about partial unilateralism or taking israels israel is taking their faith into their own hands and not waiting for someone else to tell them. For the u. S. , it is an interesting question. Is it better to have the Peace Process or not have the Peace Process cap go i think it is better to have a level of engagement than to have no engagement. So i worry about president obamas mood on this. He does not feel he can do i do not know this because he has said this, i believe it to be so. If he had his druthers, he would use more overt pressure to get him to shut down settlements. He does not want to spend that kind of a local capital them either before or after november. Because of his frustration and an ability to maneuver israelis him at the first time they thought all we have to do is tell them to do x, y, and z and did not do it. I think his tendency we have seen from statements and mainly from inside the white house come the tendency to walk away from this, and i do not think that its a healthy thing. I would prefer the secretary of state i think a set of his ideas are good and a set are little less than fantastical. That is not an insulting thing that has maybe an overly rosy view of a willingness to move ahead. I would love to see in the absence of progress huge amounts of efforts going into making sure the west bank is as nice a place to live as possible, because bad things were happening. We will come back to this topic tomorrow. Can i take 30 seconds before the time . I sort of made a promise to myself that in front of jewish audiences i would not let it go without at least 30 seconds on the urgency of our Community Speaking up and speaking more actively and urgently on the need for action for syria. Our community tends to look at the conflict as a great warp. War. May it last to the last man standing. That is so wrong. Today after we have just recognized not to make any comparisons. Today of all days we should recognize there is a path to genocide in syria. And it is being governed by Bashar Alassad and as long as he is able to use gas against his citizens, gas against kids, then we do nothing about it, which i regret to say american policy is to feed, clothe and take care of refugees when they get out of the country, but to do very little to actually stop the death inside syria. We of all people have a responsibility to speak up. There are thousands of kids eating parked in syria today. This should not be happening. We actually have the power to stop it. About one single american soldier getting in foul involved on the ground in serious. So do not believe the lies about the false choice between an activity or having to send the 82nd airborne in to solve it. That is wrong. Do not believe it. So we can go on if you would like, but i apologize. We have not talked about. Today. [applause] very important. Can you top that . No. When i first started working in this town i was working for congress. We put together it is ok. Thanks for that. Kind of a zombie now. We put together an incredible coalition of muslims and jews to support american engagement and identified involvement. It was powerful, and it pushed back on a lot of the same ideas of people killing each other for centuries and nothing we can do about it or it is a slippery slope. So i want to endorse what rob just said. On the israelipalestinian issue him we talked about unilateralism, and i guess i am more skeptical that it represents something viably within political and in terms of creating a sustainable situation between israelis and palestinians. And i understand the attraction of the idea for israelis of establishing the borders of their states, but i think it would be very painful for israelis as well, because it would involve uprooting people. We talk a lot about why they are unpalatable. I also think there is a big question about it in terms of the idf and if you are withdrawing, what is being withdrawn . If it is just israeli civilians being withdrawn amid that they will continue to operate freely on both sides of whatever line is strong, then i think you have to ask a lot of questions about whether this could be a positive step in the israeli is israelipalestinian dynamic. I think it is important to note this is not the only alternative to driving for comprehensive final status agreement. It is possible to think about something less like another interim agreement. I would argue that its also very difficult. You could look at ad hoc agreements on specific issues where israel and the palestinians do have strong incentives to cooperate on things like water and energy that the deeply affect the quality of life for people and the economic viability. I do not think one should exclude any agreement if one gives up on the comprehensive final status agreement. I am a little surprised at what he said. It seems to me that the settlements that entangle israel in the lives of palestinians to a greater degree than idf activity on the ground, most of which is designed to protect those isolated settlements. You have two guys on a hill and a battalion operating in the palestinian areas around it to protect those three guys on the hill. And a tape that you could take to disentangle. If you could pull out the settlers, unless the soldiers, we would not have had the rockets. Quite the level of entitlement and therefore hatred. Entanglement. The rockets that came out of gaza would be a threat. Also, if you pulled the idea the high and security fence. I am thing start the process of disentanglement with the billions first. Elliott has been put on this because he was part of that position. The notion that you could have sensibly withdrawn all israelis from gaza does not make sense. A couple of thousand, 5000 troops protecting nothing, no juice left. What are they doing . The west bank is different. I want to turn to settlements. I think the Obama Administration has miserably mishandled the settlement issue from the very beginning with George Mitchell, who is a disaster. Disaster by obsessing over the adult issue with settlements. Bill burns and i are good old friends. My dear friends George Mitchell is an idiot. Politically. Most israelis, Something Like 80 thinks that building in jerusalem is obviously going to keep a sensible thing to do. And about eight percent of israeli 80 have very mixed views or confusing views. If the United States took possession we believe construction should be limited to the major blocks in his chilean jerusalem, we would have extremely wide support for any Prime Minister. To do that, to restrain settlement construction beyond the fence. Instead the position we have taken assault construction is the same. The tiny a settlement in the west banks. There is about an 80 or 90 or 100 unity among israelis that they should be building. A wide resale he consensus. We help the Settler Movement a great deal. We helped them. That was not what the administration meant to do and did not know what it was doing. I do think that restraining settlement destruction settlement construction beyond the view is fence is smart. In my own view i would like to see them pulled back inside the fence. I think it is not possible for this Coalition Today to do that. It is possible to think of many coalitions in israeli politics that could do that, and the problem we have created, frankly, we created it. They negotiated when there was lots of settlement construction. We are the people who create a mock underboss machmuda boss. So this was a crisis in a sense over settlement construction. It did not need to happen that the government, the American Government created. Now we have put them in a difficult situation. I have to tell you netanyahu does not want to talk about this. He is restraining settlement construction beyond the fence. There are lots of complaints from people from the Settler Movement and People Living beyond the fence. We want to build a new this and that and cannot get permission. Everything is very slow. He is in fact not restraining construction. The government is slowing it down beyond the fence. At is the policy you think is right, i would say to you that is possibly the policy of the Israeli Government today. Perhaps you have beat out john kerry as optimists of the century. That is not going to happen. This is a good, broad question. How has turkey and egypts role changed in the past here . Year . In the past year, egypt was government by mohamed morsi. Today on the verge of being governed by a new president. They are extraordinarily different like night and day. So egypt has changed dramatically. The real question there are many questions about egypt but in terms of our discussion is will egypt become a constructive regional player . Egypt is totally consumed domestically. With its politics, fight against jihadist in the sinai, etc. Has not played positively or negatively a role outside in quite a long time. Will that change . If it changes for the better, i certainly hope so. I think it would be an enormously positive development of a would play of constructional regional role. That would be great. Turkey has gone the other direction. Turkey tried to play a huge regional role and got slapped at every corner, largely because they were led by a megalomaniac. But there goes my next the visa. But the all did not like his policy toward serious and do not like the idea that the grand vision involves huge costs internationally for her turkey, they wanted them to be closer to the west. Yes they want local elections. At enormous cost politically. I expect there to be a regional chance that we will see another round of civil violence in he if we get to a president ial election in which the Prime Minister tries to become president and exert his authority in a new and more authoritarian way. There is another really good question here. What is the significance of the president s holocaust . Is there a significance to it . Go ahead. You are in the holocaust consult. Were you aware of this . It is interesting in the context of the agreement. I take it as a kind of sensitivity on his part to his political agreement in the u. S. Useful to be widely denounced in the u. S. For making deals. We suggested you could taste Say Something here that differentiates you from iranians. He did it. It was a smart thing to do and might even do good in the sense that when the Palestinian Group recently visited the cash, a lot of negative reaction in the home. We use the word incitement a lot. We talk about this issue. Unfortunately has never been a serious matter for the United States. I partisan, president bipartisan. President s of both hardees have said they should stop. We have never post card or penalized. The glorification of terrorism goes on. The sense that you should not talk about the holocaust continues. If this means henceforth an official palestinian textbooks or broadcasting it will have a more intelligent and historically accurate view of the holocaust, that would be a very good ink. I think we need to see whether this is a onetime pop because we think it can do is good in washington this week or a serious change in the way they will address the issue. Lex this is not the first time he has made the statement. For the past day and he is not a holocaust denier. He has never been a holocaust denier. What he has been, and there is no contradiction, he recognizes the enormity of the holocaust, and he also thinks the sinus to movement played a big role Zionist Movement played a big role in collaborating with the nazis to make life or goal for the jews so they will come in droves to palestine. It is not holocaust denial. It is a totally skewed view of history. It is sort of grotesque and many things but you cannot label him with augmentin is on. Achmedinijad. It would be nice if beyond the recognition of the fact that what he is really doing is changing the tenor of discussions about the entire issue and palestinian public life. That we have yet to see. I was disappointed they were so dismissive. One of the underlying issues in the Peace Process for lack of peace is an unwillingness on the part of many palestinians, if not most leaders to try to understand the basic jewish narrative. I think in this sense israelis have made more process on this issue and in the and palestinians are from there. There are a few leaders will say jews are from this place. It explodes the basic neocolonialists narrative. Any attempt by any Palestinian Leader to say this is jewish history, reality, we will try to understand it, it cannot possibly hurt, especially given the incredible horrible things that are said in much of the discourse. Whatever cynical innovation behind it i cannot see is anything but a good thing. Here is another good question and one that i have been asking. Regarding the flyers distributed outside a synagogue in kiev, even with the claims of both sides that it was a hoax, how concerning is that the fact that this statement is being made in the fact of political instability . What do jews have to worry about in terms of being used as a football or raised in this context. The worry, and i do think by the way that this is a political moves as you are suggesting, not an effort to drum up huge amounts of activity. What it shows is the jewish question as it were still exists. It is amazing all these years after the holocaust in areas with very few jews, this is a very sensitive issue. People think when there is a crisis, what can i do here to unsettle things . What can i do to attract attention . What can i do to change the politics of the region . Jews stole 2014. Very discouraging and the regions of the world. In crimea there are a lot more russian jews, right . There were thousands of jews in crimea. In other areas that are now under that are being fought over. I do not know when i am supposed to say this, but i will say the jews who are there should not in my view be there. And we should make whatever efforts we can and so should the israelis to help get those people to israel or another place where they will be saved because there is no future for them there. I was in ukraine last week and talk to a leader of the Jewish Community about this and he had a very optimistic view about the burst of antisemitism pointed out. Pointed out that 100 years ago antifeminism is an overt and positive a little cold platform on the part of many old in that part of the world. You became popular as a leader by advocating antisemantic policies. Now that both sides are using it to tar the opposite side. Another words, dont support the russians because they are antisemantic. To not support the ukrainians because they are antisemantic. So this person saw that as progress in the fight against antisemitism. I wish i could agree with that. What he said i think is exactly right, to tar the other side in washington. I am not so sure it tar is the other side at home. But that might be true. This is why the jews the old stereotype that the two cases are coming out of the closet. Here is the final question as we wind down. One thing we have talked about and has come up in the questions here come a we talked about the Peace Process and next steps for israel. What about next steps for the palestinians . The questioner asks, what happens about siad . Tom friedman talks about this. Building institutions up on the ground. Who comes after abhas . Is there an outlook for the palestinians . I have a lot of sympathy for him. A lot of empathy is a better word. He looks around him. He sees the palestinian politics is moving not just sideways but backwards. My understanding for the time being he is laying very low. A day will come when he will retire or pass away. There will be a moment of leadership change in the contest for leadership. We are already seeing security around him and the current and old ones. They are back out of the woodwork. They use the head of the Soccer Federation to pledge mr. He invited the iranian soccer team to play. Why . He knows that gets him them off him. A lovely human being coming out of the woodwork. Also camille guys are coming out because they can smell all of the old guys are coming out because they can smell the scents of change. Is there going to be the alternative party . The party of progress, not the party of conflict and progression. Cannot do it alone. Will they stand up . Will they do something . Will we go back . L. A. Its possible, june 2002 about a clean Palestinian Government. Will we start using the link which . Language that has disappeared from public this courts for many years. If we do not say it, they are not going to do it . They have a role to play but they have a we have a role to play but they have a big role, too. I will just say i think we have talked a lot about hamas. Within Palestinian Society both of these parties are on a downward trajectory. Neither of them is viewed as having covered themselves in glory in the advancement of goals or future of prosperity of the palestinian people. That egg the question rob asked, where are you candidates and how the might they emerge . In a few moments, a preview. Next, congressional agenda. A discussion of middle east Peace Process becks. Several live events to tell you about tomorrow. Treasury secretary will testify before a committee about budget for next year. At 10s on cspan three 00 a. M. Eastern. Members of two foreign house subcommittees will talk about russian u. S. Nuclear negotiations and the situations in ukraine. John kerry will talk about transatlantic partnerships and nato on cspan two at 130 eastern. Cspans newest book, sundays at eight. Someone who comes from a , the civilized family, they are taken to the camp, all of the other relatives are killed, they have to behave in a subhuman way to survive and then they come out and they tell their story about a descent into hell and then survival. This story is completely different because he was born in hell and found his home. Voices. F the unique by Public Affairs books, now available at your favorite bookstores. The house and senate are back on monday as they returned from a twoweek break. This part of washington in this segment were going to discuss the week ahead for congress. Joining me is White House Correspondent for reuters. Usnk you so much for joining. Good to be here. Obviously president obama had a conference this morning. It has been an interesting trip for him. He has made it a point of having press conferences throughout the trip that are not about containing to something. He went to four different countries. Most recently the philippines. A lot of people have been watching this. Happened inng that the philippines was that the United States announced something that will probably result in more military being allowed to return. It has been interesting to watch them deal with that. Obviously, it is something the United States is very interested in maintaining and improving. The president has been trying to address that. Lawmakers are returning after a two week vacation. Atright now, you are looking the first and longest for the rest of the year. I would not look for a lot happening over the next two months. Congress is beginning to debate spending for the next year. May what is happening is a big month for primaries both in the house and the senate. In may. S its primary sort of teaiggest, parties, is a not idaho this role willhow big of a the primaries play in what gets done on capitol hill . It is overshadowing everything. The only things moving are things that must move. Vote for lois lerner. They want to hold her in contempt of the house. They wont say look, we are listening to, we are outraged, two. Hes going to be quite a figure in these 2014 races. Have we seen the white house telegraph anything in that manner . Absolutely. It is affecting virtually everything that is going on. You hear more and more talks in the white house about raising the minimum wage. Theres a loting of effort and time into the fact gettingre is no chance pass on capitol hill. He is pressed really hard for democrats to campaign on the success, so far, of the Affordable Care act. We will possibly see a bit on immigration, as well. Democrats running in primaries against the democrats, they are to talk about their love of the Affordable Care act. What are we hearing from the white house about . Guest i think the white house is very proud that they got up to over 8 Million People enrolled. It exceeded expectations from outside pundits, from lots of analysts, and theyre very happy to trumpet that. There will be another enrollment. Coming up later this fall. Right now to have to worry about getting their next health and Human Services secretary confirmed in the senate. That is something they will be working on now. You try to encourage democrats and citizens in states on the country to see the benefits of , and not to focus on the crummy rollout that was last year. If youd like to join the conversation for republicans, the number is jeff, i will have you respond with what we are likely to see in the white house. I think there is going to be a lot of discussing immigration but not voting on immigration. The bill passed the senate and they said we will not be taking this up. Instead, you will have democrats pushing them to try to take it up. The speaker has said two different groups outside of washington, to the donor community, he wants to do something on immigration, but the reality is he will not be doing something on immigration, at least not a comprehensive bill. His own membership does not want. A lot of it is trying to build a coalition at some point in the future to get a republican majority to take up the vote in the house. It does not look like that is going to be happening in 2014. Host we played John Boehners comments. Tell us about whether or not you have heard it a brush back on that. Of the things one of the father you get from washington the more comfortable sums bakersfield speaking their mind. You feel better about being more honest. Basically, mywere membership, they dont want to do anything big. Is interesting juxtaposition that he can be very different. He happened to be the very hard right of his conference. He does month of bills coming to the floor this year, either. Have the pace to possibly take the senate majority. When is his big things, he is talking about bipartisan big things. Are we hearing from the white house on immigration . People expect the president to do something in the realm of order about deportation. This administration has a record , despite the clear interest that she has. He campaigned on it in 2012. Pushed aistration has lot of undocumented immigrants out of this country. The white house has ordered a review, jeh johnson is working on thagh