Posted on 03/23/2008 12:25:21 AM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Vice President Dick Cheney, starting a visit on Saturday to try to push forward Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, said Washington would never pressure Israel to take steps that threaten its security.
Palestinians accuse Israel of undermining the U.S.-sponsored peace talks by expanding Jewish settlements, refusing to remove West Bank roadblocks and mounting offensives against militants in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip who fire cross-border rockets into the Jewish state.
"America's commitment to Israel's security is enduring and unshakable, as is Israel's right to protect itself always against terrorism, rocket attacks and other attacks from forces dedicated to Israel's destruction," Cheney told a joint news conference with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.
"The United States will never pressure Israel to take steps that threaten its security."
Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum called Cheney's comments "inciteful and completely biased in favours of the Israeli occupation."
He said it "confirms the United States is a partner to Israel in its war against our people and against the Gaza Strip."
Olmert said his talks with Cheney would include concerns about Iran and Syria, and that "we are anxious to carry on the peace negotiations with the Palestinians."
Cheney said the U.S. role was not to "dictate the outcome" of the peace talks, launched at a conference in Annapolis, Maryland, in November with the goal of reaching a statehood agreement before U.S. President George W. Bush leaves office in January.
PEACE PLAN
"Reaching the necessary agreement will require tough decisions and painful concessions by both sides but America is committed to moving the process forward," Cheney said.
"We want to see a resolution to the conflict, an end to the terrorism that has caused so much grief to Israelis, and a new beginning for the Palestinian people."
Cheney will visit the occupied West Bank over the weekend and meet Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas as well as Prime Minister Salam Fayyad before leaving for Turkey, his last stop on a nine-day visit to the Middle East region.
Israel tightened its economic and military cordon around the Gaza Strip after Hamas Islamists routed Abbas's more secular Fatah forces and seized control of the coastal territory in June.
Bush made his first presidential visit to Israel and the West Bank in January and said he was optimistic a peace deal could be reached before he left office. He is expected to make another trip soon.
The peace talks have shown little sign of progress and have been slowed by increasingly heated disputes over Jewish settlement building near Jerusalem and an Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip that killed more than 120 Palestinians.
The United States says neither Israel nor the Palestinians have done enough to meet their commitments under a long-stalled "road map" peace plan.
The plan calls on Israel to halt all settlement activity and to uproot outposts built in the West Bank without government authorization. It asks the Palestinians to rein in militants.
Palestinians want the United States to put pressure on Israel to halt Jewish settlement expansion as well as to lift security restrictions for Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.
With U.S. backing, Egyptian-brokered ceasefire talks are underway that could bring a halt to rocket fire from Gaza as well as Israeli military operations in the territory, though Israeli officials have played down the chances any lull will last.
You got that right Vet, considering how our current Commander-in-Chief seems to have lost his focus, I keep hoping that a resignation might take place and we could hear those glorious words “I, Richard Bruce Cheney, do solemnly swear...”
And you’re right, that little runt in Iran would crap his burqa!
Cheney would make a great president...
So sad that he has a weak heart...he is 1000% the better man than McLame.
Ping!
You have to think, then, that we're supposed to work through it ourselves. Impeachment didn't go well at all for our side and we're off to a terrible start now with McCain as the nominee. We can only hope for an excellent VP and a cabinet that recognizes the need to remove the garbage within their departments at the executive level, and stronger and more principled members of Congress.
(Vice President)Cheney: U.S. won’t pressure Israel on security...
let’s hope that jorge bush and clueless condi rice gets the VP’s memo!!!!!
“(Vice President)Cheney: U.S. won’t pressure Israel on security...”
Nobody should pressure Israel on security, nor has Bush or Rice done so.
Continuing to occupy land and expand settlements in violation of international law don’t amount to “security measures.”
Nations have, and should have, defined borders for good reasons — one of them being security. Yet Israel doesn’t have defined borders. Israel would be wise to work out a two-state solution with defined borders. That’s what Bush and Rice are advocating, and I believe they’re right.
Amen.
High Volume. Articles on Israel can also be found by clicking on the Topic or Keyword Israel. or WOT [War on Terror]
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Yes, but it seems Israel gets a free pass on anything it does.
Why this should be so, I have no idea.
wrong.....jorge bush and clueless condi continue to fund the pali terrorists.....in the name of humanity efforts...
these animals have repeated ~ even as recently as last week by abbu abbas/abu mazan ~ there will NEVER be peace with Israel and their ultimate goal is the eradication of Israel and the Jews....
your fallacious assumption of occupation is my simpatico with la raza and la mecha ~ since the US conquered the US southwest...it too, should give back the territories....
it is apparent by your words...the US should be advocating a re-negotiated 2 state solution with mexico!!!!
It's this kind of talk that cancels anything positive he might have said.
Whose land are they occupying?
What EXACT international laws are they violating?
And, while you're at it, tell us all about how innocent, pure, and blameless the people whom they are attacking are.
Nations have, and should have, defined borders for good reasons — one of them being security. Yet Israel doesn’t have defined borders.
Perhaps you would like to explain to us EXACTLY who is to blame for that -- we'd love to hear your version of the history of the situation.
Israel would be wise to work out a two-state solution with defined borders.
You have lived all these years and haven't heard of the dozens of conferences, and meetings that Israel has attended on that very subject: how many times Israel has given in to the Palestinians and ceded land to them, only to be attacked IMMEDIATELY thereafter with everything the Pals could lay their hands on?????? That’s what Bush and Rice are advocating, and I believe they’re right. It hasn't worked before, and those innocent Palestinian thugs have already announced that it won't work this time -- or have you missed that, too?
Time for us to get out of the way, and let Israel work it out the only way arabs have understood throughout their entire history.
YOU HAVE GOT TO BE JOKING!!!!! Where do you get your news???
Then wipe out the philistinians!
“The United States will never pressure Israel to take steps that threaten its security.”
Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum called Cheney’s comments “inciteful and completely biased in favours of the Israeli occupation.”
Well, well, well... It looks as if Hamas has just admitted that the only reason Israel is safe and secure is because it ‘occupies’ the territory.
Methinks we now have justification from the enemy to continue it.
Ain’t that the truth!
That’s the truth!
Shoot, he did have to go and say that! Never mind my earlier comments.
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