Clinton and Obama pulled 'bait and switch' on Netanyahu?
Just a couple of hours ago, I reported that a letter of assurances regarding the 'settlement freeze' extension was ready. It may not have been everything Israel wanted, but at least it was something.Now, there's a different report, which claims that there is no letter of assurances, and that President Obama and Secretary of State Clinton have pulled a bait and switch on Prime Minister Netanyahu.
The source, a senior diplomat with inside knowledge of Netanyahu's recent meetings in Washington, said Clinton made commitments when talking to Netanyahu, but later slipped out of them by claiming that she had not been speaking on behalf of U.S. President Obama – who, she said in the end, did not give his approval.If Obama and Clinton want to do that, it's just fine. But if that's their game, they can take that 'settlement freeze extension' and put it where the sun don't shine. Netanyahu and Ehud Barak may be willing to vote for it, and maybe Dan Meridor as well, but no one else in the cabinet will.
When Netanyahu called the State Department to clarify America's position, officials expressed surprise at his surprise, the source continued. While Clinton made promises, Netanyahu knew from the beginning that Obama has the final word, they allegedly said.
Clinton had told Netanyahu that the proposed construction freeze would last for three months, and that it would end regardless of whether or not there was progress in talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. After that, she said, America would not push for a third building freeze.
However, according to the diplomat, U.S. leaders have since said that the building ban for Jews in Judea and Samaria would only end if Israel and the PA reached an agreement on the borders of a proposed PA state.
Several other American promises have been called into question as well. While it was initially reported that Israel would receive F-35 fighter jets in exchange for the freeze, Israeli ministers later clarified that the jets are part of a separate package, and that Israel will pay for them in full. It was also suggested that the construction ban would not apply to Jews living in Jerusalem; however, U.S. officials later stated that it would apply to all Jews living east of the 1949 armistice line, including those in Israel's capital city.
If America does not openly declare that a second construction freeze would end in three months with or without a deal with the PA, Netanyahu is unlikely to get the cabinet's support for the new construction ban. Ministers in Shas and within Netanyahu's own Likud party have already stated that they would vote against the proposal without a U.S. promise.They will also have blown whatever trust they have built up with Netanyahu since last May. And you can watch Obama's approval ratings with Israeli Jews head down toward 0%.
If this story is true, Obama and Clinton and whoever came up with this 'brilliant' idea of having Netanyahu sell the extension and then pulling the rug out from under him, are complete and total morons. This rates up there with the photographer-less meeting at the White House in March where Netanyahu had to go in through the service entrance. If this is true, I would bet on no further cooperation with Obama for the remainder of his term.
Labels: bait and switch, Barack Obama, Binyamin Netanyahu, Hillary Clinton, settlement freeze extension
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 2:16 AM
5 Comments:
An earlier report stated that Obama was unhappy when he learned the details of the assurances, such as they were, that were made or implied or hinted on his behalf and pulled them back. So what are we left with? Basically an indefinite and unilateral (well bil-lateral US-Palestinian) imposition of the Green line until Israel can be extorted into giving up its holdings to the East, including, who knows, the kotel. imo if Bibi can't find it in himself to tell the Obama administration forthrightly that Israel will not be blackmailed, well, enough time has been wasted on this foolishness if these reports are true and somebody has to pull the plug.
Hi Carl.
Told you so.I wouldn't trust him if he said the Sun will rise tomorrow,sigh it's high time Israel realises who and what he is.
Why even bother talking to people you can't trust?To buy time for whom? Iran? Meanwhile selling the biggest arms deal ever to the Saudis?
Like I said, the freeze extension was contingent on that letter.
If Obama and Clinton in fact tried to trick Netanyahu with a meaningless oral promise, the freeze extension is going to go nowhere. Shas is not going to vote for it.
And if that happens, the Obama Administration will have only itself to blame for being left to hold the bag.
Makes you wonder why they didn't include Pollard in their bait and switch. Bibi was fooled once before by the Clintons
Its time Bibi and the Israeli government politely and firmly deny every initiative from our failed regime in the US. The US government under the leadership of BHO has proven to be ineffectual and clueless at all aspects of diplomacy. They have no real conception of right and wrong. They have no concept of something being in the interests of the United States, as they so deeply despise the United States.
Following BHO's wishes, or any expressed desire of his from one of his many mouthpieces, the state department, the leftist media, the UN ... is simply not in Israel's interest.
Israel is a strong friend of the US, best we have in the middle east. And despite BHO's failed muslim world engagement policy, Israel will remain our best friend. Even when we treat her like garbage.
Just don't do what BHO wants you to do. Brush off his requests. Freeze discussions of a freeze. Build for your growth. Make it abundantly clear that you will hold any delegitimization on the part of any nation or group as an act of belligerence. Issue arrest warrants for the terrorists and their supporters. Dress down terror enabling and terror supporting countries ambassadors.
Stop accepting blame for something that you have no responsibility for. Start accusing those who have the real responsibility for perpetuating the tragedy, of their actual roles, and hold them to account. Demand the resettlement of the 'refugees'.
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