Israel Matzav

Sarkozy apologizes without apologizing, Obama lies again

After being caught with their pants down last week, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and US President Barack Hussein Obama are trying to get back into Prime Minister Netanyahu's good graces without having to actually apologize for slandering him.

Sarkozy sent a personal letter to Prime Minister Netanyahu over the weekend addressing the IAEA's report on Iran's nuclear program, Yedioth Ahronoth reported Sunday.

The letter contains particularly harsh statements against Iran and is signed with the words "with friendship" in the French president's own hand-writing. The gesture is quite uncommon within diplomatic correspondence.

The letter was relayed to Netanyahu by French Ambassador to Israel Christophe Bigot.

What a perfect last name for a French ambassador....

And then there's the disingenuous, lying Barack Hussein Obama.

On Wednesday, the White House said that working relations between Obama and Netanyahu were very good and that the president talks to Israel's prime minister more than any other leader.

I haven't gone through the White House phone logs and cannot tell you unequivocally that Obama does or does not talk to Netanyahu more than to any other leader. But it's meaningless. If Obama does talk to Netanyahu more than any other leader, it's because he puts more pressure on him than on any other leader. By that standard, maybe he ought to be talking to Assad or Ahmadinejad or Abu Bluff more.

This paved the way for a French apology. In his letter to Netanyahu, Sarkozy fiercely slammed Tehran, accusing it of spreading "propaganda lies" and promised that Paris will lead unprecedented sanctions against Iran at this week's IAEA Board of Governors meeting.

He offered Netanyahu a close cooperation on the issue of sanctions, signaling France will accept Israel's demands on toughening sanctions.

But where's the apology? Well, it might come in January.

Meanwhile, French newspaper Le Figaro reported Saturday that Sarkozy's former envoy to the Middle East Valérie Hoffenberg asked the president to clarify the "misunderstandings" during a special visit to Israel, which may take place in January. She noted that Sarkozy has "accepted the idea," however the Élysée Palace has yet to confirm the report.

So maybe he'll come here and maybe he won't. And maybe he'll apologize and maybe he won't. I think it's time for Netanyahu to stop overlooking this crap and to have a little respect for himself and his country. If Sarkozy comes here in January, I'd send Lieberman to meet with him - maybe even Ayalon. And let Sarkozy sit on a stool.

What could go wrong?

Labels: Barack Hussein Obama, Binyamin Netanyahu, Nicolas Sarkozy

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 8:36 PM