Obama Criticizes Israeli Policy, Citing Land Seizures and Overreach

Former U.S. President Barack Obama has sharply criticized Israel's policies toward Palestinians, stating that the nation cannot ensure its long-term security through military and technological superiority alone. Speaking at a conference in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Obama argued that current Israeli policies are incompatible with lasting peace. While condemning the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks, he also criticized Israel's military response and called for a genuine cessation of violence before discussing long-term political solutions. Obama acknowledged the historical persecution of Jews and their understandable desire for a safe haven, but asserted that the establishment and expansion of Jewish communities have also involved the dispossession of local populations. "What cannot be denied either is that they took land from others and went too far," he stated. He warned Israel against relying solely on its power, cautioning that while it might work in the short term, it would lead to a loss of moral superiority. Obama believes the current Israeli government has adopted this approach, arguing that Palestinians will not disappear and that imposing conditions on them that Israelis would not accept themselves is illusory. He urged Israeli leaders to recognize the limits of a force-based strategy. The former president also advised Palestinians to acknowledge Israel's power and the permanence of the state, suggesting they develop a political strategy not based on hopes of military victory. Obama concluded that a lasting solution requires both peoples to recognize each other's existence and abandon the idea of force as a sufficient response.