Netanyahu doesn't meet with J Street Congressional delegation
No one is quite saying why but Prime Minister Netanyahu did not meet with a five-member US Congressional delegation brought over by J Street. In a related development, Netanyahu – who meets regularly with visiting congressman – did not meet Thursday with a five-member congressional delegation brought over by J Street.Sounds like she's whining, doesn't it? Heh.
A spokesman for Netanyahu, who said he was not aware of any policy in the Prime Minister's Office of boycotting J Street, said the "prime minister makes an effort to meet all US lawmakers. He understands the importance of Congress, but it is not always possible. Unfortunately it was not possible this time." The spokesman gave no specific reason why it was not possible for Netanyahu to meet this group, which included Steve Cohen (D-TN), Sam Farr (D-CA), Betty McCullom (D-MN), Lynn Woolsey (C-CA) and John Yarmuth (D- KY).
J Street spokeswoman Jessica Rosenblum said in response that “with Israel facing the specter of increasing international isolation, it’s difficult to fathom why the Prime Minister would refuse to welcome members of Congress, who have voted year after year in support of military and other assistance to Israel, and who are being greeted at the highest levels of government across the region. It’s just hard to comprehend the thinking behind this short-sighted decision.”
However, she said that the group was honored on the Knesset floor Monday by Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin, and met with Opposition head Tzipi Livni, as well as with Eran Lehrman from the National Security Council. The NSC is a part of the PMO.
Labels: Binyamin Netanyahu, J Street
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 10:55 PM
1 Comments:
Carl, the front part of the story is also interesting, Bibi envoy and Erkat in US at the same time for separate talks possible to, yes, revive the piece-by-piece process.
--------------
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's special envoy Yitzchak Molcho held secret talks in Washington over the last couple days, government sources signaled Monday night.
His visit comes at the same time Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat consulted separately in Washington Monday with David Hale, acting US Middle East envoy.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton dropped by the Hale-Erekat meeting in an unscheduled visit that has been seen by some as a means of gauging whether the Palestinian and Israeli positions allow any possibility for restarting negotiations.
“The point of the meeting was to work on getting both sides back to the table,” said one State Department official."
-------
The idea being that the EU will drop support for UN Pali recognition because Israel will promise 1967 Green line as baseline for territorial concessions (without Obama backtracking from condemning Jewish presence in E. Jerusalem as "illegitimate" or Palis conceding on "right of return" etc.) Even with Hamas and the PA doing whatever they are doing, Bibi continues rope-a-dope.
Post a Comment
<< Home