"Insulted" by Israel, U.S. scrambles to save talks

Reuters via Yahoo! News ^ | March 13, 2010 | Alastair Macdonald

[americanophile]

JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Israel's relationship with the United States, a defining feature of the troubled Middle East, was under severe strain as diplomats scrambled on Saturday to save newborn U.S.-brokered peace talks with the Palestinians.

A senior U.S. official predicted "a dicey period here in the next couple days to a couple of weeks" as Palestinians demanded the reversal of a new Israeli settlement plan and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition, which includes pro-settler parties, reacts to unusually blunt criticism from Washington.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called Israel's behavior "insulting" after it approved 1,600 new homes last week at a settlement in the Jerusalem area on the very day Vice President Joe Biden was there to set a seal on relaunched negotiations.

Biden told Reuters on Friday he believed Netanyahu was

sincere in seeking a deal to give the Palestinians a state and that the premier understood that Israel had "no alternative."

Though Clinton stressed that Washington's ties with the Jewish state were "durable and strong," she had told Netanyahu in a telephone call on Friday that he must act to repair the relationship and show his commitment to an alliance which, she reminded him, was key to Israel's security in a hostile region.

An Israeli official, who declined to be identified, told Reuters that Netanyahu was "conducting consultations with senior cabinet colleagues." He declined to give further details.

Asked what would be Netanyahu's next move to try to restore Israel's relationship with its main ally, the Israeli official said: "We'll know only once the consultations are over."

[john in springfield]

I think the Israelis should tell the Obama administration to go gefilte themselves.

[4woodenboats]

Bibi ought to bitch slap the tramp & entourage all the way back to the muletrain that packed them in.

Same for Hillary. If Hamas doesn't pick 'em off on the way, it'd be more proof they're spies.

[tarheelswamprat]

Asked what would be Netanyahu's next move to try to restore Israel's relationship with its main ally, the Israeli official said: "We'll know only once the consultations are over."

Netanyahu should just send Hillary one of those "Reset" buttons that worked so well with the Russians...

[eyedigress]

The “Kenyan” Marxist Muslim ain’t playing no games is he? Thank God he sent the smartest dumb ass democrat in the room to straighten it all out. Idiots

[tarheelswamprat]

The Obama Gang is out to take down Netanyahu’s government. ... They are going for the jugular with possible assistance from Israel’s own defense minister Ehud Barak.

Tzipi Livni is doing her part as well. However, the circumstances are quite a bit different than before. Caroline Glick has a good exposition of this on her website.

[VRWCTexan]

No not really -

I have closely followed news in and about all aspects of Israel for 20+ years, and Iran’s march towards development of nuclear weapons for the past 10 years -

It’s fair to say that the appeasers in GWB’s admin won the day during his second term - but now it’s gone completely off the rails with obama...

[TigersEye]

Hillary is a kook.

[VRWCTexan]

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3862111,00.html

The US State Department summoned Israel’s Ambassador in Washington Michael Oren for a meeting Friday where he was reprimanded by a US official.

The meeting was called in the wake of Israel’s plan to construct 1,600 new housing units in east Jerusalem, which was announced during US Vice President Joe Biden’s visit to Israel.

During the meeting, Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg harshly criticized Israel’s conduct and called for trust-building steps that would allow US special envoy George Mitchell to return to the region and commence talks with the Palestinians.

[chilltherats]

Personally, I hope this was done on purpose. If so, good on you, Bibi!

[mkjessup]

Netanyahu should begin having weekly press conferences where he calls upon the U.S. Government to provide a Mexistinian homeland for the millions of Hispanics in the American southwest who are without their own nation. La Raza would stand and cheer. Hoist Washington on it's own picard.
On it's own WHAAAT Jessup!?!?!?


Sorry. PITARD. (hey, gotta find *something* to laugh about)

[devolve]

.

Excellent slideshow potlatch!

[PSYCHO-FREEP]

OBVIOUS message to Bi Bi;

With “Friends” like this, who needs enemies?

[Red in Blue PA]

Some things simply need to be shouted......

Insulted by Israel but not phased by Iran...

[Maverick68]

Netanyahu’s “gaffe” sounds like something obama would do, actually...maybe that’s why they’re so peeved...

[rrrod]

cant prove it but this seems like a scam obama and co pulled....looks like it was a set up.

[stephenjohnbanker]

Obama would have flunked out of M.I.T.

GUARANTEED.

[SJackson]

Middle East and terrorism, occasional political and Jewish issues Ping List. High Volume

If you’d like to be on or off, please FR mail me.

..................

[3722535r]

Netanyahu understands who he is dealing with.....Your pics illustrate that perfectly.....

[JustSurrounded]

Insulting? After Biden was some 90 minutes LATE to a dinner hosted by Bibi?

Exactly. What kind of baby games are we playing? Time to send grownups.

[nolongerademocrat]

“Mossad’s response?”

I don’t know, thousands of billboards across the U.S. asking, “Do you miss me yet?”