Posted on 03/19/2010 4:32:05 PM PDT by bruinbirdman
Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, has refused to buckle to US pressure to scrap a Jewish building project in East Jerusalem in a crucial telephone conversation with America's top diplomat.
Mr Netanyahu ceded little ground to Hillary Clinton, the US secretary of state, as he finally responded to a series of conditions she set out to end a 10-day standoff between Israel and its superpower patron.
The Israeli leader gambled that the Obama administration had lost its appetite for a prolonged diplomatic row by accepting just one of Mrs Clinton's demands in full as he agreed to make a "confidence-building" gesture to the Palestinians.
He refused to cancel construction of 1,600 settler homes which lie at the heart of the crisis, offering instead to delay their construction - a proposal understood already to have been made and rejected.
A freeze on further settlement building in East Jerusalem, captured by Israel in 1967, was also ruled out. Instead, he reportedly proposed to continue building, but in secret.
In keeping with a decision to soften the tone of US rhetoric, Mrs Clinton was guarded in her response, neither welcoming nor dismissing Mr Netanyahu's suggestions.
"What I heard from the prime minister in response to the requests we made was useful and productive," she said, speaking after a meeting of the Middle East Quartet negotiating group in Moscow.
The Quartet - which comprises the United States, the United Nations, Russia and the European Union - however joined Mrs Clinton in forcefully condemning Israel's construction plans.
After the Quartet released a statement notable for its strongly-worded language, Sergei Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister, appeared to warn Israel it must comply with international demands.
"We are convinced that Israel will hear this and understand it in the right way. We will
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
I object to the word “buff” (re- or otherwise) in a sentence referring to Hillary Clinton. Mods!
How does it feel, American Jewish Voters, to live in a country that joins the rest of the world bullying Israel?
Good for him.
Good for him.
Skanky and pathetic excuse she is.
Our president stands by idly while a nutjob in Iran gets nukes, and the freaks out when Israel allows families to build homes in a non-contested area of Jerusalem.
Thank God for men like Netenyahu (sp?)
Good Job Benjamin Netanyahu!
ping
Bibi is nobody’s fool. Hillary’s arrogance has blinded her.
Israel should invite the Honduran president and family for a state visit.
All right!!! Shut it, Hillary.
The list, ping
F'ing unbelievable!
Mrs. Prince of Space
Bibi was not in lamp throwing range so I assume he was OK after setting her Heiness straight.
GO Bibi!!!!!
Nice to see him returning the favor this time around.
Bibi is meeting with the maoist this coming week. He will be in D.C. for the AIPAC meeting. As will her heinous.
Maybe the maoist will offer him a bribe too.
Bibi was fooled by one demon president. Doubtful he will be fooled again.
“How does it feel, American Jewish Voters, to live in a country that joins the rest of the world bullying Israel?”
Sad, but expected. And it would have little difference if McCain was elected. America must join the rest of the world in fighting against Israel. We have to learn the hard way.
For all the negative thoughts I have about McCain I can’t imagine him being a Pali tool the way The One and the One-ess are.
But don’t strain yourself trying to convince me... because I guarantee you I’m not going to strain myself defending McCain.
The point of my comment wasn’t really about the last election but about the Rat party in general. They always side with dictatorships and bullies — esp dictatorships and bullies who pick on Israel — and it’s extremely depressing to me that American Jews feel the need to side with them against the Jewish Homeland.
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