Saturday, March 20, 2010
Angry White House seeks to 'modify' Israeli regime
For Jewish settler families, there is nothing controversial about the plans to erect 1,600 new homes. But for Washington they represent an insult that has reduced relations between the United States and Israel to their lowest ebb in a generation. The friendship that has been a cornerstone of American foreign policy for 40 years and sustained a small democracy in a perilously hostile neighbourhood has moved on to novel, shaky ground.
Rather than peace process, the new buzz phrase in Washington is "regime modification", as the Obama administration examines how it can force a rupture in the ruling right-wing coalition and put talks between the Israelis and Palestinians back on a real meaningful track.
Israel chose to announce the expansion of Ramat Shlomo as Joe Biden, the US vice president, was in the Holy Land to clinch an agreement to relaunch indirect negotiations which were regarded as the first albeit limited sign of progress of the Obama era.
Initially Mr Biden and Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, shook hands and made up. But inside the White House there is no appetite for reconciliation. Under the direction of President Obama, Hillary Clinton, the Secretary of State, was ordered to give Mr Netanyahu a telephonic dressing down in which she demanded the homes plan be rescinded.
Mr Obama has invested his prestige heavily in securing a peace deal in the Middle East that has eluded his predecessors – saying it would happen two years from taking office – and this was the latest but greatest rebuke Mr Netanyahu had delivered.
"Behind his cool detached demeanour, there is a part of Obama that is easily frustrated, almost arrogant. I am sure he has reached boiling point," said Aaron David Miller, a senior Middle East negotiator in the Clinton administration.
A frostiness bordering on animosity has been evident since the two leaders first met last May and Mr Obama demanded a freeze on new settlements and placed the greater burden of compromise on the Israelis than the Palestinians.
http://beforeitsnews.com/news/26519/Angry_White_House_seeks_to_modify_Israeli_regime_Obama_Described_As_A_Muslim_And_An_Amateur.html
Rather than peace process, the new buzz phrase in Washington is "regime modification", as the Obama administration examines how it can force a rupture in the ruling right-wing coalition and put talks between the Israelis and Palestinians back on a real meaningful track.
Israel chose to announce the expansion of Ramat Shlomo as Joe Biden, the US vice president, was in the Holy Land to clinch an agreement to relaunch indirect negotiations which were regarded as the first albeit limited sign of progress of the Obama era.
Initially Mr Biden and Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, shook hands and made up. But inside the White House there is no appetite for reconciliation. Under the direction of President Obama, Hillary Clinton, the Secretary of State, was ordered to give Mr Netanyahu a telephonic dressing down in which she demanded the homes plan be rescinded.
Mr Obama has invested his prestige heavily in securing a peace deal in the Middle East that has eluded his predecessors – saying it would happen two years from taking office – and this was the latest but greatest rebuke Mr Netanyahu had delivered.
"Behind his cool detached demeanour, there is a part of Obama that is easily frustrated, almost arrogant. I am sure he has reached boiling point," said Aaron David Miller, a senior Middle East negotiator in the Clinton administration.
A frostiness bordering on animosity has been evident since the two leaders first met last May and Mr Obama demanded a freeze on new settlements and placed the greater burden of compromise on the Israelis than the Palestinians.
http://beforeitsnews.com/news/26519/Angry_White_House_seeks_to_modify_Israeli_regime_Obama_Described_As_A_Muslim_And_An_Amateur.html
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