President Obama addresses Jewish concerns -Peter Wallsten
A private meeting held to ease tensions between the White House and American Jewish leaders included a pointed exchange as President Obama said public disagreements between the U.S. government and Israel are useful in the pursuit of Middle East peace, several participants said.
The president's remarks, surprising to some in the room, came as he was questioned about a perceived distance between his administration and Israel -- specifically in his insistence that Israel halt all settlement construction in the West Bank.
Obama criticized the Bush administration policy of unwavering agreement with Israel as ineffective. "He said, 'The United States and Israel were very, very close for eight years, and it produced very little,' " said Abraham Foxman, national director of the Anti-Defamation League...
The White House did not release a transcript of the meeting, [b]ut at least four participants confirmed Obama's comments, as did a White House official present at the meeting.
A private meeting held to ease tensions between the White House and American Jewish leaders included a pointed exchange as President Obama said public disagreements between the U.S. government and Israel are useful in the pursuit of Middle East peace, several participants said.
The president's remarks, surprising to some in the room, came as he was questioned about a perceived distance between his administration and Israel -- specifically in his insistence that Israel halt all settlement construction in the West Bank.
Obama criticized the Bush administration policy of unwavering agreement with Israel as ineffective. "He said, 'The United States and Israel were very, very close for eight years, and it produced very little,' " said Abraham Foxman, national director of the Anti-Defamation League...
The White House did not release a transcript of the meeting, [b]ut at least four participants confirmed Obama's comments, as did a White House official present at the meeting.
[Los Angeles Times]
Why No Progress in for the Past Eight Years? -Rick Richman
At his meeting with Jewish leaders, President Obama noted that for the past eight years there was "no daylight and no progress" between Israel and the Palestinians.
The following would be my summary of the progress over the past eight years:
After the Palestinians rejected an offer of a state at Camp David in 2000, rejected the Clinton Parameters in 2001, and conducted a terror war against Israeli civilians from 2000-2002, Israel nevertheless agreed in 2003 to the "Performance-Based Roadmap" for the creation of a Palestinian state.
In 2003 and thereafter, Israel ceased all settlement activity.
In 2004, after the Palestinian Authority failed to meet its Roadmap obligation to dismantle terror groups and infrastructure, Israel nevertheless proposed to dismantle every existing settlement in Gaza, remove every Israeli soldier, and turn over the entire area to the PA - in exchange for a written American commitment to defensible borders and retention of the major settlement blocs necessary to insure them.
In 2005, after receiving the American commitment, Israel proceeded to carry out the Gaza disengagement, and - at State Department insistence - further dismantled four settlements in the West Bank as well.
In 2006, the Palestinians elected their premier terrorist group to control their government. Hamas from Gaza and Hizbullah from Lebanon caused two wars and finally convinced Israelis further withdrawals were insane.
In 2007, despite the Palestinian failure to carry out its Phase I dismantlement obligation, Israel agreed to proceed immediately to final status negotiations once again under the "Annapolis Process" and in 2008 offered 100% of the West Bank (after land swaps) for a state, with concessions on other major issues, all of which were rejected.
During this eight-year period, the Palestinian concessions can be enumerated more briefly: zero.
(Commentary)
*
At his meeting with Jewish leaders, President Obama noted that for the past eight years there was "no daylight and no progress" between Israel and the Palestinians.
The following would be my summary of the progress over the past eight years:
After the Palestinians rejected an offer of a state at Camp David in 2000, rejected the Clinton Parameters in 2001, and conducted a terror war against Israeli civilians from 2000-2002, Israel nevertheless agreed in 2003 to the "Performance-Based Roadmap" for the creation of a Palestinian state.
In 2003 and thereafter, Israel ceased all settlement activity.
In 2004, after the Palestinian Authority failed to meet its Roadmap obligation to dismantle terror groups and infrastructure, Israel nevertheless proposed to dismantle every existing settlement in Gaza, remove every Israeli soldier, and turn over the entire area to the PA - in exchange for a written American commitment to defensible borders and retention of the major settlement blocs necessary to insure them.
In 2005, after receiving the American commitment, Israel proceeded to carry out the Gaza disengagement, and - at State Department insistence - further dismantled four settlements in the West Bank as well.
In 2006, the Palestinians elected their premier terrorist group to control their government. Hamas from Gaza and Hizbullah from Lebanon caused two wars and finally convinced Israelis further withdrawals were insane.
In 2007, despite the Palestinian failure to carry out its Phase I dismantlement obligation, Israel agreed to proceed immediately to final status negotiations once again under the "Annapolis Process" and in 2008 offered 100% of the West Bank (after land swaps) for a state, with concessions on other major issues, all of which were rejected.
During this eight-year period, the Palestinian concessions can be enumerated more briefly: zero.
(Commentary)
*
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