Netanyahu to Obama: Pound sand
posted at 10:55 am on April 22, 2010 by Ed Morrissey
Benjamin Netanyahu delivered an unequivocal message to the Obama administration this morning, rejecting completely a call from Barack Obama to stop building settlements in Jerusalem. The rejection creates a standoff between the two traditional allies in the region and all but halts Obama’s efforts to force Israel back to the bargaining table (via JWF):
Aides to Israel’s prime minister said Thursday that he has officially rejected President Barack Obama’s demand to suspend all construction in contested east Jerusalem, a move that threatens to entrench a year-old deadlock in Israeli-Palestinian peacemaking.
The aides said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered his government’s position to Obama over the weekend, ahead of the scheduled arrival later Thursday of the U.S. president’s special Mideast envoy, George Mitchell. They spoke on condition of anonymity because the contact between the two leaders was private.
Washington had put Mitchell’s shuttle diplomacy on hold for more than a month as it awaited a reply from Israel. Aides to Netanyahu provided no information on whether the Israeli leader had offered any other concessions to the Palestinians in an effort to restart the long-stalled talks.
The AP sounds almost disbelieving in reporting this, adding in this odd paragraph:
But with Israel eager to ease tensions with its closest and most important ally, it appeared likely the Jewish state tempered its rejection with other confidence building gestures toward the Palestinians.
Really? “It appeared likely” isn’t even rumor-mongering. It’s complete fantasy by the writer. Nothing in the article reports on “gestures,” confidence-building or otherwise, and AP reporter Amy Teibel doesn’t provide even an anonymous source for the reporting. It’s nonsensical spin aimed at somehow keeping this from becoming an abject diplomatic failure by Barack Obama.
Netanyahu just taught Obama a lesson, which is that a nation that has been surrounded by terrorists and other enemies for decades isn’t going to be intimidated by an Ivory Tower academic, even if he sits in the Oval Office. After Obama’s shameful treatment of Netanyahu on his visit to Washington DC, he could hardly have expected any better response. Instead of cowing Netanyahu into submission, Obama has alienated him — and as a side effect, made Netanyahu more popular at home because of it.
That’s what makes Teibel’s reporting so disingenuous. If Netanyahu was so eager to “ease tensions” with Obama, he would have found some sort of face-saving compromise for his ally. Instead, Netanyahu just told Obama to pound sand.
Blowback
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He can be – you can emigrate.
I think we should just hand those who like another country so much a one-way ticket and be done with it.
Dark-Star on April 22, 2010 at 12:50 PM
I guess you mean other than those Indians cursed with Oil on their land. Or the many desirable Casino plots of land.
Seriously though. 40 years ago the one reservation near Phoenix was pretty close to town the other way out. Scottsdale was a small town back them in the middle of nowhere. Amazing how things change over time. Amazing how developers can make things happen.
Steveangell on April 22, 2010 at 12:51 PM
Addendum to my12:42 comment: The Teibel story appears at the link provided in the Headlines.
However, the baseless assertion by Teibel about “other confidence-building measures” has been removed without notation of the editing.
novaculus on April 22, 2010 at 12:51 PM
AMEN!
Jug-ears doesn’t speak for us.
infidel4life on April 22, 2010 at 12:52 PM
No, then he would have Bibi as his prime minister.
Shimon Peres is President of the State.
unclesmrgol on April 22, 2010 at 12:53 PM
Amazing how they no longer feel the need to annotate editing when they get caught in journalism malpractice.
Steveangell on April 22, 2010 at 12:54 PM
Doh! I keep getting the two mixed up.
Dark-Star on April 22, 2010 at 12:55 PM
How lucky the Israelis are to have a leader who loves his country and his fellow countrymen and actually wants to protect them from harm, unlike our douchebag president practically inviting our enemies to attack us.
Worst. President. EVER!!!!
NoLeftTurn on April 22, 2010 at 12:58 PM
Maybe not. In the words of Moshe Dayan:
…or…
Bibi will reap what he sows in East Jerusalem.
unclesmrgol on April 22, 2010 at 12:59 PM
We are very lucky not to have a government like Italy or Israel, where there’s a person designated to keep peace with all 50 parties. Then again, maybe we aren’t.
The grass is always greener…
unclesmrgol on April 22, 2010 at 1:01 PM
…Another partner in peace that Obama and his “smart power” are doing everything they can to dismantle decades of allegiance.
….stay strong Israel….Americans are seeing Obama for the failed Hustler in Chief he really is.
….You hopefully will not have to put up with his arrogance and ignorance for very long.
…Neuter in 2010….kick out in 2012.
Baxter Greene on April 22, 2010 at 1:01 PM
Not so long as he can lead the US around like a bull on a tether.
Dark-Star on April 22, 2010 at 1:04 PM
Ed, I don’t know if that’s your intent or not, but it seems to me that you’re portraying this disagreement between Obama and Netanyahu as an ego thing. It was absolutely not.
This is a case of Obama asking the impossible, and an Israeli leader having to say “sorry, but you can’t get water from a stone”, which in this case absolutely is supported by a large majority of Israelis – both for their political stripes, and their belief that this won’t do any good. Things like Jerusalem you discuss at the end of the negotiations, not before they even start.
AlexB on April 22, 2010 at 1:12 PM
heh
go bibi
cmsinaz on April 22, 2010 at 1:23 PM
MB4 on April 22, 2010 at 1:28 PM
The request was to stop construction in east Jerusalem for goodness sakes. Settlements connotes the West Bank.
Since when is a part time lecturer, community organizing thug an academic?
Basilsbest on April 22, 2010 at 1:37 PM
All Americans are behind Bibi. Except for those in power and the 78% of American Jews who put them there.
Basilsbest on April 22, 2010 at 1:39 PM
Not quite sure what your point is here. Maybe Dayan wouldn’t smile at the situation, but he would surely support what Bibi has done here. The takeaway point from these quotes is that Israel will survive only by force. “Peace” is a pipe dream. That’s grim, but it’s reality.
Dayan and Meir understood this. Bibi understands. Every US president since the birth of modern Israel until now has understood it, with two exceptions: Carter, and now Obama.
Carter and Obama get “Peace” Prizes. Bibi is busy saving his country. Israelis should count themselves lucky they have a man like that at the helm while we ride out this pathetic, clueless Obama administration.
Pavel on April 22, 2010 at 1:40 PM
Go Bibi, Go Bibi, It’s your birthday, It’s your birthday, We gonna party like it’s your birthday….
Anyone else find it sad that Netanyahu has bigger balls than Congressional Republicans?
LAAAAAAAME.
Animator Girl on April 22, 2010 at 1:44 PM
Dark-Star on April 22, 2010 at 12:50 PM
Volunteering to be the first recipient?
PJ Emeritus on April 22, 2010 at 1:49 PM
American military (OBAMA) confrontation with Israel (dem Jooos) coming in 5…..4……3….
After all, that’s what a real Caliph would do….no?
PappyD61 on April 22, 2010 at 1:51 PM
I was going to suggest the Israel-firsters get a chance to support their favorite nation in a whole new way.
Won’t happen of course…we have neither the funds nor the will for such a venture.
Dark-Star on April 22, 2010 at 1:51 PM
And also those who fawn over the Cuban healthcare system and the various European nations, just to be clear.
Dark-Star on April 22, 2010 at 1:51 PM
?………
If Obama orders the U.S. Military to confront Israel (if they take on Iran) what does that do to support for Israel in the U.S.?
What if Israel whips the U.S. just like they did the Ruskies (over Lebanon in the 80′s)?
How soon can Obama be impeached? Does it have to wait until January?
Will this country survive until January?
PappyD61 on April 22, 2010 at 1:53 PM
Dark-Star, you are a fvckin Jew-hating a–hole. Drop dead.
Andy in Agoura Hills on April 22, 2010 at 1:55 PM
remember how the Dems were going to make the world LIKE US MORE?
I guess I was wrong because I thought they meant OUR ALLIES WOULD LIKE US MORE………I didn’t know they were going to court and be approved by our enemies.
Great Going…….AMERICAS’ REGIME TEAM!!!!
PappyD61 on April 22, 2010 at 1:57 PM
All Bibi needs to do is print out a birth certificate like Obama did, and he’s on the next Presidential ticket.
Ya think he’ll get the Jewish vote?
Cybergeezer on April 22, 2010 at 1:59 PM
Don’t let him suck you into his black hole.
Cybergeezer on April 22, 2010 at 2:01 PM
Andy the @$$hole in Agoura Hills, you are a hateful Zionist tool who wants the US to prop up Israel at all costs, and probably loaded up on ‘redneck courage’ right now.
If you adore Israel so badly, why don’t you go there and spend your own money and blood. Maybe you could even get a job driving the bulldozers, I bet you’d like that.
Dark-Star on April 22, 2010 at 2:02 PM
Apparently, you’re fine with the US being in a RED hole (of debt).
Dark-Star on April 22, 2010 at 2:03 PM
As the initial furor cools, what remains of at least equal interest is what I call the Conservatives’ Petraeus Problem. This is something that came into a harsh focus that just hasn’t faded, particularly now as Petraeus heads into a spring whirl of gala conservative dinners where he will be the honored guest, both at the Irving Kristol Lecture at AEI in Washington, and at Commentary magazine in New York. If Petraeus is just another Zbig Brzezinski-Jim Jones Arabist who sees the world from the Arab-Islamic perspective that Israel is the axis on which all problems turn, that’s one thing. But if he is just another Arabist who is also the hero of Iraq and more to conservatives who support Israel, or, at least, who have traditionally supported Israel, that is something else again.
The impulse on the Right has been to deny, downplay or just ignore the implications of Petraeus’ Arab-Israeli comments. Amazingly, at two weeks into the controversy, Petraeus’ Senate testimony still hadn’t received any coverage at NRO or The Corner, (Andy McCarthy’s piece came later), had been whitewashed in brief at the Weekly Standard’s blog, whitewashed at the American Spectator, and ignored in columns (John Bolton, Linda Chavez) on Israel’s abuse at the hands of the Obama administration (predicated on the mindset, sensationally enough, shared by Petraeus) or further whitewashed (Brett Stephens). A particularly virulent (and even slanderous to me) Petraeus defense was mounted at Commentary’s blog Contentions summed up first and then here.
Dick Morris was the first conservative that I know of to “come out” and, in effect, join me in noting Petraeus’ hostility to Israel. He wrote: “Gen. Petraeus told the Senate Armed Services Committee that `Arab anger over the Palestinian question limits the strength and depth of U.S. partnerships with governments and peoples [in the region] … Enduring hostilities between Israel and some of its neighbors present distinct challenges to our ability to advance our interests in the area of responsibility.’ In other words, blame Israel.” It’s that simple.
- Diana West
MB4 on April 22, 2010 at 2:20 PM
It may be a little extreme but I think that to a degree David Petraeus is to Obama on Israeli Jews as Jeremy Wright was to Obama on American Jews.
MB4 on April 22, 2010 at 2:23 PM
There is no “East” Jerusalem. That’s an arab/muzzie wish. There is only Jerusalem. It was Jewish, is Jewish, and will always be Jewish. Regardless of what a–holes like you hope for.
Andy in Agoura Hills on April 22, 2010 at 2:27 PM
Zionist tool, eh? I knew you were a holocaust-denying Jew-hating motherfvcker. BTW, I have spent my money and blood defending the Jewish State. Guess what? Not ONE American soldier has. More American soldiers have died fighting for muzzies a–hole. Does that bother you?
As for bulldozers, I have a friend in the IDF that flattened muzzie houses all over the Gaza Strip. Its a real rush.
Andy in Agoura Hills on April 22, 2010 at 2:32 PM
David Petraeus co-wrote the COIN manual that has guided the Pentagon in Iraq and Afghanistan. As some say, “There is nothing new under the sun” and COIN is basically what used to be called “Winning hearts and minds”. This is, of course, now “Winning Muslim hearts and minds” and what better way to do that than to go along with them and blaming Israel as both Obama and Petraeus so clearly do.
MB4 on April 22, 2010 at 2:34 PM
Is that you Jeremy Wright? Joseph Goebbels?
MB4 on April 22, 2010 at 2:39 PM
Leave My Islamic brother el Dark-Star alone or he will report you to our Brother, Imam Hussien Obama, who is now in control of your country and it’s military. Brother el Dark-Star has his suicide belt ready and will blow all you infidels and Zionists up if you don’t leave him alone! You have been warned.
Aleph on April 22, 2010 at 2:45 PM
American military (OBAMA) confrontation with Israel (dem Jooos) coming in 5…..4……3….
After all, that’s what a real Caliph would do….no?
PappyD61 on April 22, 2010 at 1:51 PM
I just have to tell you that you always get to the heart of the matter with clever and thought-provoking style. Love reading your posts, Pappy.
tigerlily on April 22, 2010 at 2:45 PM
We have heard it all from Lucky Lindy and the rest of the “America Firsters” before WW2. “Bury your head and the problems will go away”. “Isolationism rulez!!!”. “Go live in England if you love them so much!”. The problem is that the Islamofascists will behave as fascists behave. They may eat us last, but I guarentee they have us on the menu.
Dawnsblood on April 22, 2010 at 2:47 PM
Jeez – a St. Pancake idolater – HA sure has gotten some scumbag commenters over the past year or so.
TexasJew on April 22, 2010 at 2:57 PM
Yes, I second that….Go Pound Sand!
BigMike252 on April 22, 2010 at 3:24 PM
Surely not. They love us now that they have one of their acolytes in the White House.
SKYFOX on April 22, 2010 at 3:24 PM
This whole “settlement” thing has been blown out of proportion, once again aided and abetted by our lame stream media. 1600 apartments is not 1600 “homes”, as reported by CNN, or “houses”, or in any way “settlements”. Israel has named Jerusalem its capitol city, and as I understand it, these apartments are going up in a part of Jerusalem already inhabited by Jews. But let’s make a big deal about it and bring the anti-Semites out of the woodwork, giving more support to Obama’s agenda in the ME. What the hell happened to “Never again”? I will never understand the American Jews and their overwhelming support of Obama, never.
oldoldbabs on April 22, 2010 at 3:34 PM
I’m with you, Andy.
1921 C DRUM on April 22, 2010 at 3:37 PM
Why not?
Just like every U.S. President since Truman, he would have Israel’s best interest in mind over America’s.
Nothing like embracing the status quo!
David2.0 on April 22, 2010 at 3:39 PM
You know, I would buy this “best interests of America” to diss Israel argument from the left if they just supported our immigration laws as they stand today and stopped fighting for amnesty for illegals. I thought immigration laws were to protect the security and well-being of the legal citizens of this country, you know, in the “best intersts of America”. My support for Israel has nothing to do with what Israel can do for me, it has to do with a democracy of freedom loving people fighting for their survival on a daily basis, surrounded by countries that pray daily for their destruction, much like they plot and pray for the destruction of my country. It’s really that simple.
oldoldbabs on April 22, 2010 at 3:49 PM
You have a serious f’ing problem with Jews don’t you Paultard?
Inanemergencydial on April 22, 2010 at 3:54 PM
Examples a–hole? Or are you still pulling “facts” out of yer ass?
Andy in Agoura Hills on April 22, 2010 at 4:07 PM
.
And here too. I almost forgot what strong leadership looks like. *sigh*
ronsfi on April 22, 2010 at 4:14 PM
Yeah Bibi!!!! Now that’s leadership!
Pablo Snooze on April 22, 2010 at 4:54 PM
Speaking of fantasy, how about this:
Yeah, prior to a year ago the process was just haulin’ a$$.
ya2daup on April 22, 2010 at 5:28 PM
No, Dayan had come to the conclusion by the end of his life that taking things from others had consequences that could last for generations, and was advocating quite the opposite tack — Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
All of his later writings emphasized that philosophy — that taking from a powerless enemy was excellent short term strategy, but rather bad in the long term.
unclesmrgol on April 22, 2010 at 5:44 PM
unclesmrgol on April 22, 2010 at 5:48 PM
I don’t see anything in your quote about Jerusalem. Jerusalem isn’t a homestead on a hill in the Shomron. Jerusalem has been Jewish for 3000 years, except when the Jews were forbidden from living there by various rulers.
In East Jerusalem is the Old Walled City, wherein are the remains of the holiest site in Judaism, the 2nd Temple, upon which Muslims built 2 mosques, there are the Christian sites of the Crucifixion, and ancient Jewish, Arab, and Christian neighborhoods. Nearly is the Mount of Olives. Jordan took that whole area in battle in 1949, and completely destroyed the Jewish Quarter including graveyards, and driving out the residents. Jews were not allowed into what had been their own neighborhoods for centuries, including Judaism’s most holy pilgrimage site. Jews were not allowed there at all.
In 1967, Israel won that back and rebuilt the Jewish Quarter. Jews can go to the Western Wall once again. And everyone who wants to go to the Old City can go there. Muslims pray at the Dome of the Rock and the Al Aksa mosque every day.
East Jerusalem is part of Jerusalem. Before the 67 war there was no such thing as “East” or “West” Jerusalem. Arabs and Jews live all over Jerusalem. it’s not a “settlement.”
YehuditTX on April 22, 2010 at 5:57 PM
Agree. Very bad idea. But if you really want to get into what was whose when….how far back do you want to go? The previous nation there was the Jewish nation. Then the area was Roman, then Christian as part of Byzantium, then Muslim, then back to Christendom, then back to Islam, much later divided up by the Brits and the French when they created Jordan and Saudi Arabia, which were new countries. Jews lived there all through that. They lost homes and farms too, century after century.
Then we have the Jews from Arab lands who were forced out after 1948, and their property confiscated. So lets set up a commission and go through all the various personal claims, and settle them. Israel would certainly be amenable to that. Meanwhile the Pals destroy more Jewish land. They destroyed Jericho and Joseph’s tomb within the past 15 years.
YehuditTX on April 22, 2010 at 6:05 PM
Hmm, in American English, purchasing /= taking, but falsely making them synonymous sure helps the argument, doesn’t it?
Oh, and “powerless” – really? Really?? Rewriting history must be a very rewarding hobby, huh?
Sheesh!
Fatal on April 22, 2010 at 6:12 PM
So all the Americans who say how much they love Paris, or Japan, or Bali…even who live there for years….or have dual citizenship….one way ticket??
(Lots of countries have dual citizenship arrangements. IIRC the US has them with both the UK and France, as well as Israel. For example.)
(Meanwhile Jordan is stripping Palestinian Jordanians of their citizenship, and other Arab nations refuse to give them citizenship, so ironically for some Arabs the only country where they can become a citizen, the only country which welcomes them, is Israel. And that’s about 20% of Israel’s population.)
YehuditTX on April 22, 2010 at 6:13 PM
Bibi is simply the latest to realize that this president is an empty suit.
n0doz on April 22, 2010 at 7:58 PM
Thanks Andy in Agoura Hills for your previous answer.
I wonder how this will all end? Or do we know? If I was Jewish I would be concerned about the hatred in this country and not just from some of the previous comments. It seems to have exploded since the election and europe seems to be returning to pre WW2 thinking. How come so many Jews are in the “o’s” administration and go along with his hatred? Or as you explained before, they are secularists (?) and hate their own kind?
Bambi on April 22, 2010 at 8:23 PM
I’d go back to the last people to peaceably live there without shooting someone else or dispossessing them. I’m sort of a rule of law guy.
So, for example, in the Jewish Quarter, if a Jew who is or is a descendant of a person forced out in 1948 shows up with a valid deed, they get their land back. If a Palestinian who is or is a descendant of a person forced out in 1948, shows up with a valid deed in West Jerusalem, they get their land back.
The Trust has shown itself to be a sham — especially when it awards half a house to Settlers because the Muslim owners of the house built an addition without a permit at a time when the Israelis were awarding no building permits to Palestinians. It’s one thing to say “tear it down” and totally another to force a house to be shared between people who now (if they didn’t before) absolutely hate each other.
As I’ve pointed out in previous comments, there’s plenty of bad blood, but equitable treatment by the Israeli Government (whose catspaw the Trust is) would go far to alleviate things. As an American, I tend not to want religious preference in my governments, and that, of course, is what makes the USA far different from Israel (and infinitely preferable, in my mind).
As an interesting point wrt security, here, we build our security fences on American soil — not on Mexico’s. The Isrealis build their security fences on land not in Israel. The presumption of collective punishment which attaches to that act goes far to generate bad will even in those who might previously have had good will.
unclesmrgol on April 22, 2010 at 9:26 PM
Ah, entire villages purchased from their previous owners, and their names now lost.
I can just imagine the rush to sell the land.
unclesmrgol on April 22, 2010 at 9:28 PM
You find Jooos too expensive for you to maintain anymore do you? Maybe by betraying them to Islam, you might get a two fer and please the scary Muslims that make you pis* your pants?
BL@KBIRD on April 22, 2010 at 9:35 PM
So many people that hate a people for reason they don’t even know, you see down deep inside they are dead. They hate Israel and Jews why? Is it for there medical advancements, or there want to be clean. Ah there it is, the answer, the left is filthy in mind and body, they stink. You see the haters of Israel right here in this thread, and their arguments are specious at best, and mostly WRONG. I suspect a good cleansing would clear their minds and body’s. Bibi just do what you have to do, you will have the haters nipping at your legs no matter what you do, just do it, the haters can pound sand.
jainphx on April 22, 2010 at 11:02 PM
The leader of the free world stood up for freedom today.
Hawkins1701 on April 23, 2010 at 12:19 AM
It sure would be nice to see Senate Republicans take some “intestinal fortitude” lessons from Netanyahu
olesparkie on April 23, 2010 at 8:44 AM
Uh, ‘our’ President means yours, too. How can that happen if someone emigrates from the U.S. to Israel?
You need to reread, this time for comprehension.
Interesting point, but a non-sequitur, considering the wish your interlocutor was expressing.
Remember, reading comprehension is your friend — even when you’re trolling.
RD on April 23, 2010 at 6:08 PM
And undoubtedly a troll. N’est-ce pas?
RD on April 23, 2010 at 6:19 PM
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