Israeli PM:;No going back; to 1967 borders

Image by Getty Images via @daylife
Go Israel, Stand Your Ground, Most of Us Still Support You. 

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43106082/ns/politics-white_house

WASHINGTON — In a tense Oval Office meeting, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sat alongside President Barack Obama on Friday and declared that Israel would not withdraw to the 1967 borders to help make way for an adjacent Palestinian state.

Obama had called on Israel to be willing to do just that in a speech the day earlier.
The Israeli leader said he would make some concessions but Israel would not go back to the lines from decades earlier because they are "indefensible."
Obama listened with a strained look on his face.
For his part, Obama said there were differences of formulations and language but said such disputes are going to happen "between friends."
The president never mentioned the 1967 borders in his comments to reporters.
The two men spoke to the press after a lengthy meeting at the White House. Obama said in his speech on Thursday that the United States supports creation of a Palestinian state, with talks based on the border lines that existed before the 1967 Six Day War, in which Israel forces occupied east Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza. Obama's speech deeply angered Israel.

Advertise | AdChoices

"We value your efforts to advance the peace process," Netanyahu said after the meeting. "Israel wants peace, I want peace. ... We want a peace that will endure. ... For there to be peace, Palestinians cannot expect Israel to go back to the 1967 lines."
"We can't go back to the lines. ... I discussed this with the president."

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Related articles

• Israeli PM Rejects Obama '1967 Borders' Plan (news.sky.com)
• Israeli PM Rejects Obama '1967 Borders' Speech (news.sky.com)
• What's so 'shocking' about Obama mentioning 1967 borders? (afroaddis.wordpress.com)
• Obama Calls for Palestinian State Based on 1967 Borders: Netanyahu Responds (waronterrornews.typepad.com)
• Israel: Decades Of Doubt Over Occupied Land (news.sky.com)
• Israeli PM Netanyahu Calls Obama's Position 'Indefensible' (abcnews.go.com)
• It’s not all bad for Israel’s Netanyahu in wake of Obama’s 1967-border speech (theglobeandmail.com)
• After Obama speech, Israel rejects return to 1967 borders (thehill.com)
• Obama Has Proposed for Israel to Return to 1967 Borders (socyberty.com)
• Obama Wants Israel To Roll back Borders To 1967 Boundaries (thenationalbugle.com)
• Israel: Bibi Goes To Washington (waronterrornews.typepad.com)

Israel rejects US calls for east Jerusalem freeze

clipped from news.yahoo.com JERUSALEM – Israel's prime minister on Thursday rejected U.S. calls to halt construction in disputed east Jerusalem, clouding a new peace mission by Washington's Mideast envoy. Benjamin Netanyahu's comments were broadcast on Israel's Channel 2 TV shortly after envoy George Mitchell arrived for his first visit in six weeks. Mitchell's efforts had been on hold due to disagreements over east Jerusalem, the section of the holy city claimed by Israel and the Palestinians. "I am saying one thing. There will be no freeze in Jerusalem," Netanyahu said. "There should be no preconditions to talks." There was no immediate U.S. reaction. The U.S. has been pushing Israel to cancel the planned housing project, halt other east Jerusalem construction and make other confidence-building measures to the Palestinians. Israel captured the area — home to key Jewish, Muslim and Christian holy sites — in the 1967 Mideast war and immediately annexed it. The annexation has never been internationally recognized.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Israel to U.S.: No building halt in east Jerusalem (ctv.ca)
• Israel to go ahead with East Jerusalem construction (cbc.ca)
• Israel to US: No building halt in east Jerusalem (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• Israel to US: No building halt in east Jerusalem (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• Israel to U.S.: No Freeze on Settlements (abcnews.go.com)
• Netanyahu to Obama: Pound sand (hotair.com)

Netanyahu: We want peace, but not at the price of security

Image via Wikipedia

clipped from www.jpost.com Israel wants peace with its neighbors, but not at the price of security, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said Sunday at a ceremony on Ammunition Hill on the eve of Remembrance Day. “Not one day has passed without us reaching out to our neighbors in peace. Not even one day, and we still reach out to those of our neighbors that desire peace,” said Netanyahu, who made his statements in the midst of a stalled peace process with the Palestinians. “Over the years, we have learned that the olive branches of peace will only be attained if we are strong and are willing to defend our country as did those who have fallen here,” he said. US President Barack Obama has called on Netanyahu to stop construction in Jewish neighborhoods in east Jerusalem. Netanyahu has yet to respond. Only such an agreement, Barak said, would “ensure a Jewish majority for generations, in clear borders and an end of conflict and claims.”

Related articles by Zemanta

• Israeli defense minister says occupation must end (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• Israeli defense minister says occupation must end (ctv.ca)
• Israel must repair rift with US, defence minister warns (telegraph.co.uk)
• Netanyahu: US-Israeli relationship "rock solid" (hotair.com)
• Israeli defense minister says occupation must end (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• Polls Suggest Israel Support Is Becoming Dangerously Politicized (usnews.com)

Clinton Bows to Russian Support of Iran

clipped from www.weeklystandard.com President Biden, a lower-level, Israeli government agency announces its intent to build more housing units in East Jerusalem and the Obama administration goes nuclear, condemning the announcement as though it was a violation of some sacred agreement between the two countries—which of course it wasn’t. The Israeli government, in turn, apologizes for the timing of the announcement but is told that this will not be enough. Israel now must, according to the administration, “prove” it wants peace. Vladmir Putin has announced his government’s intention to complete construction of the Iranian nuclear plant at Bushehr this summer, in spite of the fact that the United Nations has declared Iran to be in non-compliance with the its obligations under the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty. Clinton mildly complains about the Russian announcement Russian foreign minister, bluntly tells Clinton and the world that the construction will indeed go forward.

Related articles by Zemanta

• the Hillary Effect: (brothersjuddblog.com)
• Clinton's Moscow trip shows Iran rift (bendbulletin.com)
• News Analysis: Clash Over Building Subsides, as Each Side Claims Success (nytimes.com)
• News Analysis: Clash Over Building Subsides, as Each Side Claims Success (nytimes.com)
• Clinton to Discuss Arms Reduction in Moscow (online.wsj.com)
• Netanyahu and the nuclear dimension (telegraph.co.uk)

World diplomats urge resumption of Mideast talks

clipped from www.washingtonpost.com MOSCOW -- International diplomats on Friday called on Israel and the Palestinians to return to peace negotiations with the goal of creating an independent Palestinian state within two years. They reiterated their condemnation of Israel's latest move to add Jewish housing in disputed east Jerusalem but did not escalate criticism of the Jewish state. The so-called Quartet group of Mideast negotiators met in the Russian capital to set the stage for peace talks in which the United States would be a go-between. Those indirect talks, also called proximity talks, would be the first under the Democratic Obama administration and the hawkish Israeli government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. At a news conference after the meeting, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton spoke approvingly of indications Netanyahu is ready to address her country's concerns. Clinton said she expects to see Netanyahu in Washington next week.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Israeli PM caves in to US demands (guardian.co.uk)
• U.S. Envoy May Head to Israel Sunday (nytimes.com)
• Binyamin Netenyahu concedes to US demands (newstatesman.com)
• U.S. rethinks Mideast talks after tense exchanges with Israel (bendbulletin.com)
• Obama aide calls Israeli settlement announcement an 'insult' to the US (guardian.co.uk)
• Police Presence High in Volatile East Jerusalem (abcnews.go.com)

Obama runs out of patience with Israel

Image via Wikipedia

Obama needs to stop trying to push around and stop telling Israel what to do and start working on Jobs here in America. Between this and the ignorant healthcare and bullying others around has gotten way outta hand.

clipped from www.independent.co.uk The Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday strongly defended Jewish settlement construction in East Jerusalem in the face of US pressure and what one of his own top diplomats described as the worst crisis in relations with Washington for more than three decades. The US is now said to be demanding substantive concessions from Israel after a warning by the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas that he would not take part in talks if the plan to expand the mainly ultra-orthodox Ramat Shlomo settlement went ahead. The row has appeared finally to bring to a head the year-long tensions between the two governments since Barack Obama tried in vain to persuade the Israeli Prime Minister to agree to a total settlement freeze The Israeli Prime Minister insisted yesterday that construction would continue "in the same way as has been customary over the last 42 years".

Related articles by Zemanta

• Tensions Rise As Israel Announces New Homes (news.sky.com)
• 'Deep crisis' in Israel-US ties (news.bbc.co.uk)
• 'Deep crisis' in Israel-US ties (news.bbc.co.uk)
• US peace envoy meeting with Israeli prime minister (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• Netanyahu says settlement row with U.S. 'regrettable' (nationalpost.com)
• Jerusalem row clouds Biden visit (news.bbc.co.uk)

The Middle East Peace Scam

Image via Wikipedia

clipped from canadafreepress.com Only one policy, Only one platform, Only one plan. Pressuring Israel for more concessions “I condemn the decision by the government of Israel to advance planning for new housing units in East Jerusalem”  —Vice President Joseph Robinette Biden, March 09, 2010 For nearly twenty years the great sham of the Middle East Peace Process has dragged on. And this despicable scam has consisted of only one policy, only one platform and only one plan. Pressuring Israel for more concessions. Year in and year out, new peace conferences were declared and new plans for peace were hammered out. All of them had one thing in common, they carved up Israel for a non-existent peace. There are, of course, no worries about whether Israel will trust Abbas and his Fatah gang. As if anybody in their right mind would, You will not, of course, hear about any of this in the media, which is still busy being outraged by the thought of Jews living in Jerusalem

Related articles by Zemanta

• Israel and America: Foolish tricks | Editorial (guardian.co.uk)
• US-Israeli relations in 'crisis of historic proportions' (telegraph.co.uk)
• Brazil leader begins Mid-East tour (news.bbc.co.uk)
• White House uses strong language following Israeli settlement announcement (americablog.com)
• Canada 'regrets' Israeli settlements (cbc.ca)
• White House Takes Harder Line on Netanyahu and Israel After Settlements Flap (themoderatevoice.com)
• US Blasts Israeli Settlement 'Bombshell' (news.sky.com)

Israel should be careful? Why?

The more this news is being pushed around, it's getting to the point where Obama and his friends seem to want to tell Israel what and what not to do. Is it the United States responsibility to tell Israel what to do? Who gave Obama the right to be a bully? Yet, it seems to not just be Israel either.

clipped from www.jpost.com Indyk warned Israel to take more care in the way it treats its longtime ally, and said the ball was now "in [Prime Minister Binyamin] Netanyahu’s court.” “People should understand that an accumulation of these kinds of incidents has being going on a long time,” he said, referring to Israel's announcement of the planned expansion of east Jerusalem's Ramat Shlomo during US Vice President Joe Biden's visit last week. “It’s really important to find a way to prevent those that don’t want see this peace process move forward.” He denied that the current tensions were due to a Netanyahu-Obama personality clash. “We cannot remember an instance when such harsh language was directed at a friend and ally of the United States,” the statement continued. “One can only wonder how far the US is prepared to go in distancing itself from Israel in order to placate the Palestinians in the hope they see it is in their interest to return to the negotiating table.”

Related articles by Zemanta

• 'Deep crisis' in Israel-US ties (news.bbc.co.uk)
• 'Deep crisis' in Israel-US ties (news.bbc.co.uk)
• Obama aide stokes US-Israel row (news.bbc.co.uk)
• Obama aide stokes US-Israel row (news.bbc.co.uk)
• Haaretz: Netanyahu's Fault (andrewsullivan.theatlantic.com)
• Post-Biden spat: what the Israeli papers say (newstatesman.com)
• US-Israeli relations in 'crisis of historic proportions' (telegraph.co.uk)
• Reports: US Wants Israel to Cancel Building Plan (abcnews.go.com)
• You: Israeli-US relations 'at 35-year low' (guardian.co.uk)

U.S. Jews to Biden: Leave Jerusalem Alone

clipped from www.israelnationalnews.com (IsraelNN.com) The veteran United States-based Young Israel movement condemned U.S. Vice President Biden on Thursday, telling Biden to leave Jerusalem alone. The American vice president had condemned Israel's decision to allow Jews to build in historic Jerusalem, in an area that has been annexed by Israel but is claimed by the Palestinian Authority. "We strongly 'condemn' Vice President Biden's statements and respectfully urge him to rescind his incendiary remarks about Jerusalem,” said Young Israel President Shlomo Mostofsky. "The reality is that there is no such entity as 'East Jerusalem,' there is only Jerusalem, which is the united capital of Israel,” Mostofsky continued. “Only Israel can make determinations regarding Jerusalem's future expansion and development.” "Instead of pandering to terrorists, the Vice President should have told the PA to amend its charter, stop preaching hatred in their schools and mosques, and immediately halt all plans for terrorist attacks,”

Related articles by Zemanta

• White House: Israel construction plan an `insult' (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• Israel to investigate Biden fiasco (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• Biden criticizes Israel over building project (theworld.org)
• Entertaining Mr Biden (thejc.com)
• Israel to investigate timing of settlement announcement (cnn.com)
• White House Takes Harder Line on Netanyahu and Israel After Settlements Flap (themoderatevoice.com)
• Clinton rebukes Israel over homes (news.bbc.co.uk)

Report: U.S. vows to halt Israeli building in East Jerusalem

What makes Hillary, and Obama thing that they have a right to say what Israel can and cannot do? Israel is NOT America. It never will be. They have Right to build on their own land.
Hillary's statement has to be one of the stupidest things I have every heard.

clipped from www.haaretz.com U.S. Middle East envoy George Mitchell promised Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas that the U.S. will bring a halt to Israeli building in East Jerusalem, a Palestinian official told the newspaper Al-Quds Al-Arabi on Saturday. "In a telephone conversation, Mitchell said the U.S. would make sure Israel stops building in the area," the Palestinian official told the London-based Arabic daily newspaper. The U.S. has recently expressed frustration over Israel's announcement on Tuesday of new settlement construction, a move that deeply embarrassed visiting U.S. Vice President Joe Biden and imperiled U.S. plans to launch indirect negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians. In an interview with CNN aired Friday night, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Israel's announcement of new construction of homes in a Jewish neighborhood in East Jerusalem was "insulting" to the United States.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Israel to investigate timing of settlement announcement (cnn.com)
• White House Takes Harder Line on Netanyahu and Israel After Settlements Flap (themoderatevoice.com)
• Obama aide stokes US-Israel row (news.bbc.co.uk)
• US diplomatic rift with Israel widens after settler plan (telegraph.co.uk)
• Netanyahu Calls Decision on Jerusalem Homes 'Harmful' (Update2) (businessweek.com)
• Palestinians pull out of talks after Israeli settlement announcement (newstatesman.com)
• Netanyahu says settlement row with U.S. 'regrettable' (nationalpost.com)
• AP Source: Clinton sends tough message to Israel (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
• Biden Says Israel, Palestinians Will Be Held 'Accountable' (businessweek.com)
• Israeli leader urges calm over row with Washington (seattletimes.nwsource.com)

Israel OKs 1,600 new homes in east Jerusalem

clipped from news.yahoo.com JERUSALEM – Israel approved the construction of 1,600 new homes for Jews in disputed east Jerusalem on Tuesday — a move that immediately clouded a visit by Vice President Joe Biden aimed at repairing strained ties and kickstarting Mideast peace talks. The Interior Ministry announced the construction plans just as Biden was wrapping up a series of warm meetings with Israeli leaders. There was no immediate reaction from the vice president. Relations between Israel and the Obama administration have been chilly precisely because of the settlement issue. The U.S., like the Palestinians and the rest of the international community, believe that Israeli settlements built on lands claimed by the Palestinians undermine peace prospects, and President Obama has been more outspoken on the issue than his predecessors. But Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said the move was destroying trust needed to go forward with the new round of indirect peace talks

Related articles by Zemanta

• Israel backs E Jerusalem building (news.bbc.co.uk)
• US Envoy: Israelis and Palestinians accept indirect talks (cnn.com)
• Israel approves W Bank building (news.bbc.co.uk)
• Israel approves W Bank building (news.bbc.co.uk)
• Palestinians, Skeptical, Agree to Talks With Israel (nytimes.com)
• Biden urges Israel to take risks for peace (seattletimes.nwsource.com)