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| Israel-Palestine-Jordan |
| 'Israel, US relations at lowest level in 35 years' |
| 2010-03-16 |
| Israel's envoy to Washington said ties between the two allies have hit "the most severe crisis since 1975" over Tel Aviv settlement plan that embarrassed the US administration at a time that it was promoting indirect peace talks with the Palestinians. "Israel's relations with the US are facing the most severe crisis since 1975," Israel's Ambassador to Washington Michael Oren said on Monday. Israel's Foreign Ministry had no immediate comment on Oren's remarks. The year 1975 witnessed a major crisis between the key allies over the US calls for a partial withdrawal from Egypt's Sinai Peninsula, then under Israeli occupation. Israel's settlement plan to build 1,600 new housing units in east Jerusalem (al-Quds), which was announced during a visit by US Vice President Joe Biden aimed at promoting indirect peace talks with the Palestinians, ignited a new crisis between the two sides. US administration officials including Biden, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and senior presidential advisor David Axelrod have slammed both the new construction and the timing of the announcement as insulting and destructive to peace efforts. In American media the move was deemed as a "slap in the face" of US President Barack Obama's administration. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu voiced regret on Sunday for what he described as bureaucratic happenstance, saying "We know how to deal with these situations -- with equanimity, responsibly and seriously." Israeli media reported that Clinton, in a telephone call to Netanyahu on Friday, demanded he reverse the decision to construct the settler homes at Ramat Shlomo in northern Jerusalem (al-Quds). Israel, however, declined to comment. In Washington, the influential pro-Israel lobbying group, American Israel Public Affairs Committee, called on the White House to take immediate steps to defuse tension with Israel. A US envoy is expected back in the region later in the week to try to get peace talks, suspended since December 2008, under way. Acting Palestinian Authority Chief Mahmoud Abbas, however, refused direct or indirect negotiations without a complete settlement freeze. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #12 there's an f'n leap year in there too somewhere Look on the bright side: The earth started turning a bit faster because of the earthquake in Chile. |
| Posted by: gorb 2010-03-16 23:47 |
| #11 What has gotten lost in the shuffle here is that a settlement freeze has never been a prerequisite for negotiations until after President Obama's Cairo speech. Also, when Secretary Clinton tried to soften the bungled language the Arab League pulled the rug out from under her cankles. That's no excuse for Israel's ill-timed announcement but the situation should viewed in the context of recent events. If she doesn't like the water she's carrying she can always stop carrying it. IMHO. Until then, I think we can safely assume she agrees with Zero about the situation. |
| Posted by: Thing From Snowy Mountain 2010-03-16 20:20 |
| #10 I wish it were only 560 days. (2x365) + (10x30) = 1030... right? til Jan 20 2013 there's an f'n leap year in there too somewhere |
| Posted by: Frank G 2010-03-16 18:57 |
| #9 Acting Palestinian Authority Chief Mahmoud Abbas, however, refused direct or indirect negotiations without a complete settlement freeze. What has gotten lost in the shuffle here is that a settlement freeze has never been a prerequisite for negotiations until after President ObamaÂ’s Cairo speech. Also, when Secretary Clinton tried to soften the bungled language the Arab League pulled the rug out from under her cankles. ThatÂ’s no excuse for IsraelÂ’s ill-timed announcement but the situation should viewed in the context of recent events. |
| Posted by: DepotGuy 2010-03-16 12:18 |
| #8 Lest we forget the Israelis have their friends in the US press corps. This could boomerang badly for the Big O. I certainly hope it does. What a tool that man is. This issue with Israel is all smoke and mirrors, created to bully them and nothing more. |
| Posted by: remoteman 2010-03-16 12:17 |
| #7 fwiw, the WaPost editorial today counseled Obama to retreat from his confrontation with Israel (and blame Obama for the 'blunt and undiplomatic' Clinton phone call. I expect other newspaper have similar editorials. |
| Posted by: lord garth 2010-03-16 11:42 |
| #6 I guess no one told Obama, and Clinton has forgotten. On his very first visit to USA as Israeli PM, his first term, Bibi spoke to Congress about phasing out USA aid to Israel. A move that aroused considerable heat in Israel[1]---now he can get his way without any domestic opposition. [1] Jews survived 2000 years of Diaspora by finding powerful patrons---the psychological need is very fundamental. |
| Posted by: g(r)omgoru 2010-03-16 09:55 |
| #5 Thanks for the count Lex. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2010-03-16 08:01 |
| #4 I think #3 needs to lay off the sauce. |
| Posted by: Oscar 2010-03-16 05:28 |
| #3 You can see the fear in the Liberal's eyes. They know what they dont want to know...and they are out in the open. Its later when they have a broken thumb and at least ten inches of slit open belly fat and trying to push a large curl of lower bowel back into the cavity..that they know its going to get dark and then...twenty hyenas and no Jesus. |
| Posted by: BlackBart 2010-03-16 03:21 |
| #2 Israel outlasted Ford and Carter (remember those clowns?). They'll outlast this clown. 560 days to go. |
| Posted by: lex 2010-03-16 00:48 |
| #1 Israel know one thing for certain, America will be at her side, however reluctanly, by our prez O. They also know that he will not last forever in office, read voted out, and they will not piss off the American supporters. They will go it alone until those crazy Americans figure it out. |
| Posted by: 49 Pan 2010-03-16 00:36 |