Israel Envoy: U.S. Ties at Their Worst in 35 years

Haaretz ^ | 3/15/10 | Barak Ravid

[nickcarraway]

Israel's ambassador to the United States, Michael Oren, has told the country's diplomats there that U.S.-Israeli relations face their worst crisis in 35 years, despite attempts by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office to project a sense of "business as usual""

Oren was speaking to Israeli consuls general in a conference call on Saturday night. Sunday, Netanyahu continued to consult with the forum of seven senior cabinet ministers over a list of demands that U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton made in a telephone conversation Friday.

Clinton harshly criticized the announcement last week of plans to expand the Ramat Shlomo neighborhood in East Jerusalem while U.S. Vice President Joe Biden was visiting Israel. Advertisement

Haaretz has learned that Clinton's list includes at least four steps the United States expects Netanyahu to carry out to restore confidence in bilateral relations and permit the resumption of peace talks with the Palestinians.

1. Investigate the process that led to the announcement of the Ramat Shlomo construction plans in the middle of Biden's visit. The Americans seek an official response from Israel on whether this was a bureaucratic mistake or a deliberate act carried out for political reasons. Already on Saturday night, Netanyahu announced the convening of a committee to look into the issue.

2. Reverse the decision by the Jerusalem District Planning and Building Committee to approve construction of 1,600 new housing units in Ramat Shlomo.

3. Make a substantial gesture toward the Palestinians enabling the renewal of peace talks. The Americans suggested that hundreds of Palestinian prisoners be released, that the Israel Defense Forces withdraw from additional areas of the West Bank and transfer them to Palestinian control, that the siege of the Gaza Strip be eased and further roadblocks in the West Bank be removed.

[rrrod]

silly Jews...obama knows best.....

[Liberty Valance]

l o l

[JohnLongIsland]

How could Obama be wrong when 78% of Jewish voters in the last election supported him; the irony being that percentage won’t change much come the next election.

[SpaceBar]

[highlander_UW]

Obama is going out of it's way to discard every ally the US ever had. England, our best ally is angry at Obama’s antics as well.

[Atchafalaya]

Bibi to Hillary “pound sand”

[Atchafalaya]

Good one, made me laugh.
A.

[Arthur Wildfire! March]

Obama is an excellent diplunat:

Obama’s Outstanding Record of Dip-lunacy [several headlines and links]
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/2470815/posts?page=3

[Doogle]

..."send crazy Uncle Joe over.he'll straighten it out, nobody messes with Joe...oh wait he went didn't he?....geeez their running out of creditable people to send"

[Scotsman will be Free]

Release prisoners, and give up more territory. Why sure. Works everytime it’s tried. That is, if the goal is give the terrorists more incentive to attack you.

[rlmorel]

35 years? 35 years...35 years...what Administration could possibly have had worse ties with Israel?

It just escapes me.

[DeusExMachina05]

This is all a setup by the Obama admin so that the Israelis have to come running back to him with some “goodies”, such as concessions to the Palis to make nice nice.

[Tzfat]

How could Obama be wrong when 78% of Jewish voters in the last election supported him; the irony being that percentage won’t change much come the next election.

You know, I am curious why every Israel thread has a comment like this. What is the point? Obama has a 4% popularity in Israel. He is overwhelmingly dispised there. So, why does American Jewry's liberal slant get mentioned each time?

It sounds almost like "blame the victim." So, let's get this clear: Jews didn't deserve the first Holocaust, and they won't deserve the one that is on the horizon, even if they had voted for Hussein. But to the point: Israelis didn't vote for for him. Americans did.

[Truth29]

Perhaps it is time for Israel to redress the power balance with the US. Instead of trying to appease Obama and his fellow travelers, Israel could explain a series of increasingly confrontation and military steps that would be taken against the Palestinians, Southern Lebanon Syria and Iran if the US persists in its actions.

[agere_contra]

Every Israel thread has a comment like that because its pertinent.

Its not some crypto-setup for the “Jews deserving it”. It simply displays the colossal divide between American Jews and reality.

See also: the black vote and Margaret Sanger/eugenics threads.

[Old Badger]

The Obama administration has adopted the position now of being the defacto (sp?) representative of the Palestinians and Israel is on its own. Union thuggery at its best!

[GregB]

That is because we have the worst President ever!!!! Yes Obama you SUCK!!!!!

[JohnLongIsland]

You could argue left and right , but the facts are the facts.

[bert]

......The Obama administration has adopted the position now of being the defacto (sp?) representative of the Palestinians ......

That is not strictly true. The Brown Clown has a position that is perceived as elevating himself. He is attempting to promote himself by adopting methods that have been obsolete for at least ten years.

Ok, you said de facto. That is an apparent result but self help is his driving reason. The lord must be obeyed is his thought. He is lord