At a joint press conference with Angela Merkel in Dresden today, Barack Obama spoke of many things, like "why the sea is boiling hot" ("In terms of climate change . . . We're going to have to make some tough decisions and take concrete actions if we are going to deal with a potentially cataclysmic disaster") and "whether pigs have wings" ("We have spoken to the European Union about the possibilities of working with us and helping us in managing the closure of Guantanamo") .
And, as he elocuted once more (as in Cairo yesterday), upon the obstacles to peace in the Middle East and the solutions thereto, he dismissed, in a quite astonishing piece of solipsism, the years upon years, to say nothing of the precious resources, wasted on this very issue by any number of his predecessors, including the most recent:
I think that what is different now is, number one, you're seeing a U.S. administration and American President engage this issue almost on the day that I took office. We've only been in office five months, and yet we've seen extraordinary activity already on this issue. And that's sent a signal to all the parties in the Middle East that we are serious.
Serious indeed, especially on what steps the Israelis must undertake to make Mr. Obama's vision of two states living side by side in peace and harmony a reality, involving primarily, though not exclusively, an end to settlement construction:
. . . as Israel's friend, the United States I think has an obligation to just be honest with that friend about how important it is to achieve a two-state solution - for Israel's national security interests, as well as ours, as well as the Palestinians. And that's an area where steps can be taken.
They're not the only steps, by the way, that Israel can take and will need to take in order to advance movement towards peace. And I mentioned some of the other issues that I've discussed with Prime Minister Netanyahu's office, for example, increasing freedom of movement within the West Bank, dealing with the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and allowing reconstruction to proceed more aggressively.
As for the Palestinians, they "have to get serious about creating the security environment that is required for Israel to feel confident."
They have to deal with incitement issues. There's still a tendency, even within - among Palestinians who say they are interested in peace with Israel, to engage in statements that are - that incite a hatred of Israel or are not constructive to the peace process.
This devil's deal will give even those on the furthest fringes of the Israeli left pause, and is as ludicrous a bargain for Israel as any ever proposed. The Palestinians will agree to stop "engaging in statements," while Israelis begin a slow suicide by putting a halt to their own natural expansion?
When pigs fly, Mr. Obama.
