On summit eve, U.S.-Israel ties not as smooth as usual

Reuters ^ | May 15, 2009 | By Matt Spetalnick - Analysis

[Oldeconomybuyer]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Words matter in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

That's why Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's refusal to say "two-state solution" could make for a rocky start in U.S. President Barack Obama's first major foray into Middle East diplomacy.

Obama meets Netanyahu at the White House on Monday and will host Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak later this month as part of a promised effort to revive the long-stalled Middle East peace process.

Obama's aides have played down the prospect of a confrontational meeting between Obama, who supports Palestinian statehood, and Netanyahu, who as head of a new right-leaning government has balked at the goal of Palestinian independence.

But tensions will be hard to avoid.

Though normally on the same page diplomatically as their superpower ally, Israeli leaders are also wary of Obama's overtures to their arch-enemy, Iran.

"Beyond historic ties and areas of common interest, the Israeli government doesn't view the environment as ripe for peace" as the Obama administration does, said David Schenker, an analyst at the Institute for Near East Policy.

[SonOfDarkSkies]

I wonder if O’Bammy will give Bibi the Gordon Brown treatment?

[truthingod]

Watch—whenever Israel is forced to give up land for peace—something always happens. Just an FYI-—wait and see approach.

[Trod Upon]

Whaddya expect when we elect a closet Muzzie? Have B.O. and the girls found a new “church” yet? No? Why...I’m shocked.

[SunkenCiv]

the prospect of a confrontational meeting between Obama, who supports Palestinian statehood, and Netanyahu, who as head of a new right-leaning government has balked at the goal of Palestinian independence

This is garbage of course. Netanyahu won't say "two-state solution" because its a reference to a suicide note written for Israel by hostile powers. Netanyahu is on record as wanting peace and a disarmed Arab state. If that's not good enough, Israel should start bulldozing the "west bank" (including Arab-occupied eastern Jerusalem) and Gaza to rid it of the terrorist infestation.

[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.

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

[tet68]

Isn’t it funny how the palestinians can have a president,
Abbas, territory, and aren’t a state yet?

They aren’t willing to accept what they have and work with it, they want all of Israel.

I’m to the point Israel should just drive them from Gaza
and the west bank, declare boundries as greater Israel and let the arab nations take in the Palis.

[agrace]

Yep. When it comes down to it, the whole concept of land for peace is absurd. But that’s another discussion.

Here’s to hoping Netanyahu learned his lesson with Clinton and doesn’t cave to Obama.

[SunkenCiv]

Israel should have kept total control of the Rock when Jerusalem was liberated in 1967. That giveback was done so as not to make the Arabs stop likin’ them. Worked great.