Strong words for Israel

[BSmith1068]

Clinton warns Netanyahu that U.S.-Israeli relationship is at risk

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton warned Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Friday that the U.S.-Israeli relationship is at risk unless Israel took immediate steps to demonstrate it was interested in renewing efforts at a Middle East peace agreement.

Clinton's phone call, made in the wake of the embarrassment suffered by Vice President Biden this week when Israel announced it would build 1,600 housing units in a disputed area of Jerusalem, was an unusually tough message for the longtime U.S. ally. It came two days after Biden condemned the action while in Israel, and demonstrated that Netanyahu's efforts to mollify the administration have fallen short. He has claimed that he did not know the announcement was coming but has not canceled the project.

Relations with Israel have been strained during the Obama administration, and Biden's trip was intended as a fence-mending mission. Now it has led to the biggest crisis between the two countries in years.

Clinton called the prime minister "to make clear the United States considered the announcement a deeply negative signal about Israel's approach to the bilateral relationship and counter to the spirit of the vice president's trip," State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley told reporters at his regular news briefing. Clinton, he said, reinforced "this action had undermined trust and confidence in the peace process and in America's interests."

Crowley added: "The secretary said she could not understand how this happened, particularly in light of the United States' strong commitment to Israel's security, and she made clear that the Israeli government needed to demonstrate not just through words but through specific actions that they are committed to this relationship and to the peace process."

Special Envoy George Mitchell has struggled to relaunch peace talks between the Israelis and Palestinians. Last week, he succeeded in getting the two sides to agree to indirect talks, with Mitchell shuttling between them, but that has been put at risk after the Israeli announcement.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/03/12/AR2010031202615.html?hpid=topnews

Strong words we don't usually see. What do you think is going to happen?

 

[Godwynn]

I hope we leave Israel to fend for itself.

 

[bathsheba666]

Completely unconvincing... same as before....

Israel annexes territory,
America pretends to get tough
Israel gives back about 5% of the size of territory it has just annexed

Rinse and repeat, as it has been for the last 40 years

 

[illram]

That this is being called one of the "biggest crises" in years between the US and Israel is, to me, kind of a testament to how overly buddy buddy we are with them anyway.

 

[G-Man]

This entire thing has been blown way out of proportion. Some beurocrat approved another stage in a building plan that won't start in the next few years, in an area which is Jewish, adjacent to other jewish areas and to the green line (so there's no question it'll remain Israeli anyway) and in Jerusalem, which everyone already knew wasn't part of the building freeze.

The only reason it makes headlines is because now the Palestinians use it as an excuse to continue refusing to negotiate peace.

 

[Silurian]

Maybe its a ploy to stop the Palestinians negotiating that had a bigger reation than intended

 

[G-Man]

Maybe its a ploy to stop the Palestinians negotiating that had a bigger reation than intended

It was a decision by a committee of low-level clerks in the interior ministry, and this discussion was set for this date for month, long before anyone knew about Biden's visit.

 

[Silurian]

Do not clerks watch television or are all clerks in Israel stupid

 

[LightFang]

Here are some strong words:

Aggressive! Brave! Gutsy! Intense! Energetic! Forceful!

I hope Israel appreciates them. I'm so sorry about this strong word drought.

 

[Formaldehyde]

What do you think is going to happen?

I sure hope the Mossad doesn't assassinate Obama.

 

[G-Man]

Do not clerks watch television or are all clerks in Israel stupid

What does it matter? These clerks don't deal with political issues. They just deal with the technical stuff, making sure the building plans meet the required standards.

 

[Winner]

Strong words we don't usually see. What do you think is going to happen?

It's either frustration following the waking from Obamanian dream or a show for the cameras. Or both.

Anyway, it doesn't matter in the slightest. This newest initiative won't bring any results, just as the dozens which came before it didn't and just as dozens more still waiting in the future won't.

It's pointless to try.

 

[Silurian]

I hope the same clerks do not work for the IDF

Sounds like they may stupidly give an A bomb to Hamas

 

[The Imp]

Strong words we don't usually see. What do you think is going to happen?

Nothing. The Israel lobby is very powerful in this country (US)

 

[SS-18 ICBM]

Probably not a step forward for Plan B for Middle Eastern Peace.

 

[The Imp]

Anyway, If I was the President, I would sign an executive order halting all military cooperation with Israel. I would also sign an executive order halting the sale of F-35's to Israel. If they decide to cooperate, and reverse course, I would reverse the E.O.'s

 

[The Imp]

Hell, I would tell the Israeli's that until it played ball, the US would abstain in any anti-Israeli security council votes.

 

[bhsup]

Israel should not settle for anything less than pre-Camp David borders for peace. They won those in wars waged against them and should not have had to give them up.

Heck, personally, I would support them going for the whole "Promised Land", but I know that won't fly.

And thereafter We [Allah] said to the Children of Israel: 'Dwell securely in the Promised Land.

 

[Formaldehyde]

Canceling the $3B we give them each year in military aid when their economy is far stronger than our own would be a good start. I think we should start insisting they pay us $5B or so each year in repayment until the budget is balanced.

 

[Silurian]

VRWCAgent@
The trouble with that is Hamas would form part of the government of Israel and they would give Iran the bomb.

Two state solution safer