ROARING FORK BROADCASTING COMPANY
Alleviating affordability challenges for locals in tourist economies must be tackled at all levels of government, but Republicans are making it harder, according to Colorado Democratic U.S. Sen. John Hickenlooper.
“It's gonna get worse … unless we find affordable housing. The local leadership knows that and usually that's a local leadership, local money thing,” Hickenlooper said in an appearance in El Jebel on Thursday. “But I think the state and the federal government are both willing to step up now.”
Speaking at a roundtable event with Roaring Fork Valley residents, Hickenlooper discussed housing affordability and ownership in mobile home parks, as well as cost-of-living issues and immigration reform. Voces Unidas de las Montañas, a Latino advocacy and policy nonprofit founded in Glenwood Springs, facilitated the discussion between Hickenlooper and about eight Latino community members living from Aspen to Parachute.
“I hope that the two parties, all of them (in Congress), will listen very carefully to what (the authors) have to say,” Olmert said.
Congressional leaders sent Netanyahu an official invitation on May 31, asking him to “share the Israeli government’s vision for defending democracy, [combating] terror and establishing a just and lasting peace in the region.”
In their letter regarding the upcoming event, the six authors call the invitation a “terrible mistake.”
“Normally, we Israelis would consider the invitation recognition of our two nations’ shared values and a welcome gesture from our closest friend and ally, to whom we are deeply and morally indebted,” the authors wrote. “But ... Mr. Netanyahu’s appearance in Washington will not represent the State of Israel and its citizens, and it will reward his scandalous and destructive conduct toward our country.”
The authors included former Prime Minister Ehud Barak and former Mossad Director Tamir Pardo, as well as the president of the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities, a Nobel Prize-winning chemist, a former official in Israel’s State Attorney’s Office and an acclaimed novelist.
Olmert, who led Israel from 2006-09, has long criticized Netanyahu and has publicly denounced Netanyahu’s handling of the ongoing war in Gaza.
During his interview on Wednesday, Olmert argued that “arrogance” at the top levels of Israel’s government left the country unprepared for the Oct. 7 attacks on Israel, which were led by the militant Palestinian Islamist group Hamas (attackers killed around 1,200 Israelis — mostly civilians — according to Israeli officials).
“We are the startup nation, we are the smartest guys on earth,” Olmert said, mockingly imitating Israeli leadership. “Who are these Palestinians that they can outsmart us? I am Bibi Netanyahu, I am the greatest leader of all time.”
Since the attack, Olmert said Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza has extended beyond its usefulness in providing for the country’s security, noting that Israeli officials have suspected Netanyahu of perpetuating the war in order to put off the political challenges he will face in its aftermath.
“Those who are partners of Netanyahu … say he wants to keep the war going,” Olmert said, “so he will not have to face the ramifications of the afterward.”
Israel is in its ninth month of war in Gaza, with a growing number of Israeli critics calling on Netanyahu’s government to end the war and clarify its goals for its aftermath. Netanyahu’s rival, former defense minister and general Benny Gantz, left the prime minister’s war cabinet (protesting his lack of strategy for ending the war) and Israeli military officials have said that the idea of totally destroying Hamas is “misleading to the public.”
Netanyahu has said on Sunday that the “intense” phase of Israel’s war in Gaza is approaching its end. The war after Oct. 7 has killed around 37,000 Palestinians — mostly civilians — according to Gazan health officials.
Netanyahu has said he is pursuing “total victory” over Hamas. Netanyahu and Hamas have wobbled in their support for ceasefire proposals.
Olmert laid out three essential next steps for Israel: to stop the war “yesterday,” find an agreement for the return of the hostages and commit to an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza on the condition that Israel will arrange an alternative military security force to prevent a Hamas resurgence.
Olmert said it was foolish to believe that Israel could accomplish any further goals with continued fighting in Gaza.
“I know more than most people in the world,” Olmert said. “There is nothing at this point that we can gain that is worth the cost of continuing the war.”
Olmert was prime minister during a previous Israeli invasion of Gaza in 2008 and 2009. That war ended when Israel declared a unilateral ceasefire and withdrew its troops from Gaza.
Later in the Ideas Fest event, Jordanian Ambassador to the United States Dina Kawar said her country supports a UN peacekeeping force to support the Palestinian Authority — the body that currently governs Palestinian-controlled parts of the West Bank — in governing Gaza after the war. She agreed that the idea would mean the demilitarization of Hamas. Kawar pointed out that Jordan has not had ties with Hamas since 1999.
Olmert advocated — as he has commonly done before — for renewed negotiations toward the creation of a Palestinian state. Olmert presented Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas with a proposal for a Palestinian state during the Israeli leader’s time in office. Abbas has said he rejected the deal, but Olmert held on Wednesday that Palestinian leadership “never said no.”
Netanyahu publicly opposes the creation of a Palestinian state.
“Let’s assume,” Olmert said, “that we do that which I think is impossible, which is to eliminate every single Hamas fighter … then what? We will still have six million Palestinians. What will we do with the six million Palestinians? Does Israel want to remain forever an occupier in the West Bank and Gaza with six million Palestinians? Is it reasonable? Is it possible?”
At the end of the interview, Ignatius turned to the crowd and said, “You don’t get more straightforward answers about the Middle East than that.”