Posted on 01/07/2008 11:11:37 AM PST by bruinbirdman
U.S. President George W. Bush has declined to meet with former Prime Minister and current Likud Opposition Leader MK Binyamin Netanyahu during his upcoming visit to Israel, slated to begin on Wednesday, according to the Jerusalem Post.
Sources in Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s Kadima party quoted in the report offered this explanation: “At the White House, they think [Mr. Netanyahu] is a liar because of his behavior when he was prime minister.”
Outraged Likud officials accused Prime Minister Ehud Olmert of sabotaging what would normally be a routine meeting between a visiting U.S. President and an Israeli Opposition Leader, a long-established diplomatic custom.
“Given the extent to which the prime minister is willing to endanger the country to survive politically, it is not surprising that the Prime Minister’s Office is going out of its way to prevent Bibi (Netanyahu) from meeting with Bush,” said senior Likud sources.
A spokesman for Olmert stated that he was unaware of any efforts to block a meeting between Bush and Netanyahu.
Bush has no plans to meet with any politician or other officials opposed to the Annapolis process.
What wrong Dubya don’t want hear the truth
Poor judgment by Bush.
I watched Netanyahu’s speech to Congress a few years back. If there is a politician from this era who sounded more like Winston Churchill, I don’t know who it is.
The headline appears to conflict with the story.
Ohlmert is out of his depth as prime minister. But Bibi — whom I’ve met and for whom a very good friend of mine works — is borderline radioactive. Netanyahu is a lot more like Bill Clinton than any other foreign leader, in my opinion.
I soooooo wish Duncan Hunter were president.
It’s not clear from the article who is at fault. Bush and the White House or Olmert and Kadima?
But I wouldn’t be surprised. Bush has taken a deep dive. It’s shameful.
I would not deem to second-guess our Presidents reasons for this. I’m sure he has a lot of information that I do not have, so I will trust his decision.
If true, very disappointing.
For a while I had been thinking W and Condi were playing good cop/bad cop with the Israel but now it looks like the administration really has decided to toss Israel under the bus. Gotta work on that legacy.
Not new. Remember George HW Bush helped oust Shamir and Clinton helped elect Barak.
I believe it has to do with the shooting of a certain US Naval Vessel.
That's what many are saying about Obama.
Personally, I'd rather have a leader who can deliver than one who can talk.
(Winston was one of the few who did both.)
In my opinion, Benjamin Netanyahu is an inteligent leader with a strong military background and the jutspa to do what is right over the objections of Israeli and foreign leaders.
Netanyahu doesn’t quite have the Tony Blair ability to orate, but he’s damn sure close to it, if not.
Running this peace effort without his input is a massive mistake. And if he is against it, that seals my thoughts on the peace effort in granit.
Exactly. But gone are the days when FReepers scrutinized sources, read articles before commenting, or even heaven forbid engaging the brain, before posting.
Saudi fiends..
You are absolutely correct. He was phenomenal.
Netanyahu doesn’t quite have the Tony Blair ability to orate, but he’s damn sure close to it, if not.
Running this peace effort without his input is a massive mistake. And if he is against it, that seals my thoughts on the peace effort in granite.
Don’t believe so, I think that was more our fault for refusing to tell them we were there than their fault for shooting it....
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