« Internet Connection Problem ~ augh! | Main | Obama's Release of Memo's is Most Dangerous Thing a Pres. Has Ever Done in War Time »
April 18, 2009
Israel Not Happy With Obama's Demands
PA: Recognition of Israel as Jewish State a 'Provocation'
The Palestinian Authority has rejected Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu’s condition for moving ahead on negotiations to establish “two states for two peoples.”
PA spokesman Nabil Abu Rudaineh on Thursday night slammed Netanyahu’s insistence that the PA first accept the concept of Israel as a Jewish State before Israel continues talks to establish a new Arab country within its current borders.
Netanyahu told United States Middle East envoy George Mitchell earlier in the evening that Israel is willing to discuss the creation of a PA State – but only if the PA recognizes Israel as a Jewish State.
“Israel expects the Palestinians to first recognize Israel as a Jewish State before talking about two states for two peoples,” Netanyahu said.
The Fatah-led PA government based in Ramallah has agreed in the past to recognize Israel, but not as a Jewish State.
Abu Rudaineh called Netanyahu’s words a “provocation” and claimed that the new Israeli government was placing obstacles before the “solution” of two states for two peoples being promoted by the United States.
The aide to PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas called on the international community to examine Israeli policy, charging that it might have a “poisonous effect” on the region.
The Hamas-led breakaway PA government in Gaza, meanwhile, still refuses to recognize Israel at all, referring to the Jewish State only as “the Zionist entity” whenever it must discuss Israel.
Mitchell was also warned by Netanyahu that the “two-state solution” promoted by America requires the cooperation of Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia.
The prime minister told the U.S. envoy that Israel must have guarantees that a new PA state will not turn Judea and Samaria into a terrorist enclave as Hamas terrorists have already done in Gaza.
Obama's stance worries Israelis
CAN Israel still call the United States its best international friend? Apparently not, if you believe the tone of the local media.
Watching the drama unfold inside Israel, the increasingly tense dialogue between US President Barack Obama and new Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is taking on all the trappings of a duel.
Almost every day brings news of another sore point between the two countries, a source of yet further inflammation of their once warm relations.
One could be forgiven for thinking that the more immediate threat to Israel's national security lay across the Atlantic rather than from closer to home.
It is bad enough that President Obama uses almost every opportunity he can to set the parameters of a final peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians. Now US officials are openly using Israeli anxiety over Iran's fledging nuclear program as a bargaining chip to force Israel's hand on giving up control of the West Bank Palestinian territory.
No less a figure than White House chief-of-staff Rahm Emanuel — whose father fought with the militant Zionist group the Irgun, and whose appointment had provided such reassurance to Israeli officials — was quoted this week laying down the law to Israel.
If Israel wants US help to defuse the Iranian threat, Mr Emanuel was reported to have told Jewish leaders in Washington, then get ready to start evacuating settlements in the West Bank.
Talkback radio blazed with fury across the country the same day, as Israelis protested that no US official had the right to tell them where to live.
Then on Thursday came the news that Mr Netanyahu's planned first meeting with President Obama in Washington next month had been called off.
Mr Netanyahu had hoped to capitalise on his attendance at the annual American Israel Public Affairs Committee conference in Washington to visit the White House.
But Administration officials informed Mr Netanyahu's office that the President would not be "in town."
Yedioth Achronoth, the largest circulation daily in Israel, reports today that President Obama intends to see the two-state solution signed, sealed and delivered during his first term. He also said that the United States will exert pressure to see that deal is put into place. In other words, US sympathy for Israel's position vis a vis Iran depends on Israel's willingness to live up to its commitment to get out of the West Bank and permit the establishment of a Palestinian state there, in Gaza, and East Jerusalem. Yedioth also reports that Obama is conveying his displeasure with the new Israeli government in several ways. The meeting between the new Israeli premier and the president of the United States is perceived in Israel as a sign that the formation process of the new government has been completed and as a salutation by Israel's close friend. Netanyahu had hoped to capitalize on the opportunity and to meet with Obama during the annual AIPAC conference, but the Americans informed the Israelis that Obama was not going to be 'in town.' That being the case, the inclination among Netanyahu's aides is to cancel his trip to attend the AIPAC conference and to try to secure a date for a meeting with Obama later in May.
Wild Thing's comment.......... Damn this cretin Obama gor putting the screws to Israel. I pray Bibi shows the world and Iran and Obama what true resolve and what duty to protecting your country and people means. Obama is undoing every known important alliance we've had in the world, top to bottom. Hussein Obama and his gang have turned their backs on Israel. I would like to somehow get an email through to their government and let them know that We the People are not in the same mind set as this admin. Just to let them know that we do care about them. Giving in to Obama’s treacherous threats would be suicidal and Netanyahu knows it. I never thought I would see my country turn it’s back on Israel . Posted by Wild Thing at April 18, 2009 03:25 PM
Where is Lee Harvey Oswald when we really need him? Posted by: cuchieddie/RVN 66-68 at April 18, 2009 03:42 PM
Obama's an idiot. Netanyahu will not be pushed around by that pint sized Ballerina Rahm Emanuel or maybe pixie is a better description. The US will force Israel to bomb Iran and that will probably set off another war over there. Which berry can ill afford at this point. They haven't a clue what they are doing. He thinks his moslem heritage is enough to stop any aggression. We are losing our greatest ally in the world at this moment. Posted by: Mark at April 18, 2009 05:24 PM
Where's our Jewish community? Oh, I forgot, they're slobbering praises to Obama. Several historical truths, Christians and Jews are not safe in the face of Islam, Socialism and Communism have killed more humans than any other scourge. Posted by: Jack at April 18, 2009 06:21 PM
Mark, pixie hahahahaha good one. I agree, Posted by: Wild Thing at April 18, 2009 07:10 PM
Jack, very scary, I am not liking this at Posted by: Wild Thing at April 18, 2009 07:14 PM
Emanuel Says Obama Insists On Implementing Two State Solution, No Ifs, Ands, or ButsRahm Emanuel told an (unnamed) Jewish leader; "In the next four years there is going to be a permanent status arrangement between Israel and the Palestinians on the basis of two states for two peoples, and it doesn't matter to us at all who is prime minister."
"Any treatment of the Iranian nuclear problem will be contingent upon progress in the negotiations and an Israeli withdrawal from West Bank territory," the paper reports Emanuel as saying.
"US administration officials informed Netanyahu that President Obama will not be able to meet with him in early May, while the AIPAC conference is held in Washington.
"Sources in Washington also said that the Obama administration would not continue the tradition that developed during the Bush administration of hosting Israeli premiers many times during the year, sometimes with just a phone call's advance notice."
Comments
of all the allies we haveI would want my
number one ally to be Israel. And I would
want to be theirs. I wish there was a way
to let them know we are not liking this
from Obama either.
all. And I feel emarassed too on top of
all the anger about Obama. Embarassed that
he represents our country BUT he sure as
heck does not represent us.
