Krauthammer Blasts Obama on the Israeli Settlement Issue

IBD/The Lid ^ | 6/4/09 | The Lid

[Shellybenoit]

Via his actions over the past two weeks or his speech in Cairo today, it is clear that president Obama is putting most of the blame for the lack of Middle East peace on Israel and the settlements. His demand of a settlement building freeze requires a prohibition on construction inside the footprint of communities that today are de facto Israeli territory. These are the city-settlements that have long been slated for inclusion into Israel in any final-status agreement, with equivalent Israeli territory awarded to the future Palestinian state through land swaps.

Obama has chosen to ignore previous agreements between Israel and the United States. Agreements that were used to sell Israel on agreeing to the "road map." The President talks a lot about the importance of dialogue, diplomacy, and humility. He even says that the United States will no longer impose its will on other nations, his actions toward Israel are very much at odds with his words.

Obama has been turning up the pressure. His demand during today's speech in Cairo was nothing less than throwing Israel under the bus. Charles Krauthammer agrees, he suggests that Obama's stance toward the settlements is not only bad for Israel, but bad for the United States:

[Islaminaction]

Obama has no right at all to tell Israel how to run their country. We give the same about of aid to Egypt each year and he does not demand anything from them.

[BusterBear]

He’s quite the tin-pot dictator when it comes to certain groups - Detroit executives, bankers, investors (such as bondholders in car companies), opponents of Sotomayor, conservative talk radio hosts, Israelis who don’t recognize him as their Master, etc.

Another Mugabe, with a lot more power.

[SunkenCiv]

These are the city-settlements that have long been slated for inclusion into Israel in any final-status agreement, with equivalent Israeli territory awarded to the future Palestinian state through land swaps. Obama has chosen to ignore previous agreements between Israel and the United States. Agreements that were used to sell Israel on agreeing to the "road map." The President talks a lot about the importance of dialogue, diplomacy, and humility. He even says that the United States will no longer impose its will on other nations, his actions toward Israel are very much at odds with his words.