JMS Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 http://www.theage.com.au/world/obamas-stance-worries-israelis-20090417-aa90.html Obama's stance worries Israelis CAN Israel still call the United States its best international friend? Apparently not, if you believe the tone of the local media. Watching the drama unfold inside Israel, the increasingly tense dialogue between US President Barack Obama and new Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is taking on all the trappings of a duel. Almost every day brings news of another sore point between the two countries, a source of yet further inflammation of their once warm relations. One could be forgiven for thinking that the more immediate threat to Israel's national security lay across the Atlantic rather than from closer to home. It is bad enough that President Obama uses almost every opportunity he can to set the parameters of a final peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians. Now US officials are openly using Israeli anxiety over Iran's fledging nuclear program as a bargaining chip to force Israel's hand on giving up control of the West Bank Palestinian territory. No less a figure than White House chief-of-staff Rahm Emanuel — whose father fought with the militant Zionist group the Irgun, and whose appointment had provided such reassurance to Israeli officials — was quoted this week laying down the law to Israel. If Israel wants US help to defuse the Iranian threat, Mr Emanuel was reported to have told Jewish leaders in Washington, then get ready to start evacuating settlements in the West Bank. Talkback radio blazed with fury across the country the same day, as Israelis protested that no US official had the right to tell them where to live. Then on Thursday came the news that Mr Netanyahu's planned first meeting with President Obama in Washington next month had been called off. Mr Netanyahu had hoped to capitalise on his attendance at the annual American Israel Public Affairs Committee conference in Washington to visit the White House. But Administration officials informed Mr Netanyahu's office that the President would not be "in town". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkinsHokieFan Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 About time a US POTUS did this Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twa Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 About time a US POTUS did this Did what? Act unilaterally in regards to other nations interests and coerce concessions? Or are you just pleased with the target THIS time? (been there,Done that...nothing new) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TMat184 Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 No surprise Israelis don't like Obamas foreign policy stances....He dug himself a hole with them when he spoke about diplomacy with Iran. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haithman Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 I found this part of the excerpt; "as Israelis protested that no US official had the right to tell them where to live." Quite amusing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coltsfan in VA Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 Stop giving money to Israel, Egypt, and Jordan would be the first step towards a humble foreign policy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LandoverLex Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 The Israelis are our friends and brothers. The holocaust was a terrible tragedy and we cant allow arabs to whipe them out. The US and Israel need to unite to drive the palestinian swine out of the holy land. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkinsHokieFan Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 Did what?Act unilaterally in regards to other nations interests and coerce concessions? Or are you just pleased with the target THIS time? (been there,Done that...nothing new) I have always asked the question, is our 100 percent unfettered support of Israel a good thing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twa Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 I have always asked the question, is our 100 percent unfettered support of Israel a good thing? Support like always requiring land for peace concessions,demanding restraint and structuring the foundations for talks? Perhaps you speak of a different definition of unfettered;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMS Posted April 20, 2009 Author Share Posted April 20, 2009 No surprise Israelis don't like Obamas foreign policy stances....He dug himself a hole with them when he spoke about diplomacy with Iran. I wouldn't even go that far. The majority of Israeli's support both land for peace and a two state solution. It's the parlementary system of government which in a fractious political environment gives extra weight to extreme positions which is coloring the Israeli governments positions. When the necessary political alliance which forms your government relies on these extreme parties who have only a handful of seats in the Knesset, they can really dictate to the entire government policy because they have the power to bring down the government. Frankly I don't think this stuff is new. Even when Bush was in office, Rummy got pissed at the Israeli's for secretly selling high technology to China and refused to meet with their defense minister or any of his direct subordinates for more than a year. The only thing that is rare is when this type of stuff makes it into the United States press. And that hasn't happenned really yet here either; This article is quoting Israeli news sources not US sources. Clinton did this same type of hard ball politics with Netanyahoo. Didn't work for him, maybee Obama will have more luck. It is interesting that Obama is using Iran's weapon program as a poker chip in this game. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMS Posted April 20, 2009 Author Share Posted April 20, 2009 Support like always requiring land for peace concessions,demanding restraint and structuring the foundations for talks?Perhaps you speak of a different definition of unfettered;) To be fair, we pay a huge price (monitary, politically, and diplomatically) in order to express an opinion on Israeli policies which we directly enable... Talk is the least intrusive expression of our opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prosperity Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 Of course now Rahm Emmanuel is going to be accused of being anti-semetic... oh wait Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tulane Skins Fan Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 You mean Israel isn't the 51st state? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twa Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 To be fair, we pay a huge price (monitary, politically, and diplomatically) in order to express an opinion on Israeli policies which we directly enable...Talk is the least intrusive expression of our opinion. Whatever happened to Talk is Cheap...eh? Ya'll seem to be saying we always enable Israel w/o cost to them,which is a bit disingenuous...No? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prosperity Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 twa, your arguments are incoherent, I recommend you take more time to string them together and not continually referring to things that others may or may not be aware of Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twa Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 Why?...I know most of your responses anyway:) I'm arguing with myself :type: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prosperity Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 Why?...I know most of your responses anyway:)I'm arguing with myself :type: wearing vanity with pride? it's a good match Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twa Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 wearing vanity with pride? it's a good match You're not gonna get religious and throw bible verses at me now,are ya? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bird_1972 Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 The Israelis are our friends and brothers. The holocaust was a terrible tragedy and we cant allow arabs to whipe them out. The US and Israel need to unite to drive the palestinian swine out of the holy land. Dude, I hope this is some kind of sick joke. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
81artmonk Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 This is really bad news if it it is true. It can only mean trouble for the USA. But Obama seems to believe in the make friends with your enemies and alienate your allies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tulane Skins Fan Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 This is really bad news if it it is true. It can only mean trouble for the USA. Why? How? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prosperity Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 You're not gonna get religious and throw bible verses at me now,are ya? why, are you going to claim that you wrote them too? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGoodBits Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 Why? How? You don't really want to get him started do you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tulane Skins Fan Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 You don't really want to get him started do you? That thought crossed my mind way too late. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGoodBits Posted April 20, 2009 Share Posted April 20, 2009 That thought crossed my mind way too late. There's a nice little edit button sitting right there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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