Obama reiterates call for Israel to halt West Bank settlement activity

Obama reiterates call for Israel to halt West Bank settlement activity

www.cnn.com

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President Obama on Thursday reiterated U.S. calls for Israel to halt West Bank settlement activity, telling Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas that both sides in the Middle East conflict must fulfill their obligations to create a better atmosphere for the peace process.

"I am confident that we can take this process forward if all the parties are willing to ... meet all the obligations that they have committed to," Obama said after meeting with Abbas at the White House. In particular, Obama called for Israel to halt settlement activity and for the Palestinian

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More fairly reasonable talk out of the Obama administration in regards to the Palestinian question that still looms large 70 years after Israeli independence.

It will be interesting to see how this plays out. The last President to attempt to curb and roll back Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip areas was George H. W. Bush, Sr. when he created a fire storm with AIPAC and the White House and Congress by vetoing 10 billion dollars in Loan Guarantees to build housing.

I wonder how long and how far Obama will press his demands for more fairness in the peace process.


www.cnn.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

The meeting with Abbas came days before Obama is scheduled to meet with Saudi King Abdullah in Riyadh and deliver a long-awaited speech on relations between the United States and the Muslim world in Cairo, Egypt

Last week, Obama met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and pressed the Israeli leader to halt West Bank settlement activity to create a better atmosphere for peace talks.

It will be interesting to hear just what Obama states in his speach and whether it will be meaningless rehtoric or a genuine attempt to move the long stalled peace process forward with some fresh ideas, demands and intitiatives.

reply to post by ProtoplasmicTraveler

Good evening, friend.
I wonder if perhaps this is a "good cop, bad cop" routine. It is awfully suspicious that Obama calls for this, right after meeting with Netanyahu . I'm sure this was discussed, and it very well could be that Bibi gave Obama the go-ahead to make the call, knowing full well that Obama KNOWS that Israel will reject it. This makes the US look like the "good guy", and may ease some of the pressure on the US from the Arab states. This sort of thing goes on between the US and Israel all the time.

Originally posted by ProfEmeritus
reply to post by ProtoplasmicTraveler

 

Good evening, friend.
I wonder if perhaps this is a "good cop, bad cop" routine. It is awfully suspicious that Obama calls for this, right after meeting with Netanyahu . I'm sure this was discussed, and it very well could be that Bibi gave Obama the go-ahead to make the call, knowing full well that Obama KNOWS that Israel will reject it. This makes the US look like the "good guy", and may ease some of the pressure on the US from the Arab states. This sort of thing goes on between the US and Israel all the time.

Excellent observation as always Professor. I too am highly suspicious my friend considering the selection of Rham as Obama's chief of staff. I don't believe anyone could make it through the gauntlet to election to the highest office without getting Tel Aviv's stamp of approval.

This all could be part of a public relations ploy to that Israel is willing to play along with to soften some critics before making a provocative move against Hizbullah in Lebanon or Iran as well.

I don't trust anything Israel!

reply to post by ProtoplasmicTraveler

Here is an excellent video concerning the Israeli domination of the United States, with many retired US Ambassadors to the Middle East testifying to the control of the US by Israel:



In addition, here is a video concerning the Israeli Lobby control of US Policy:

Halt..?? everyone of the settlements built after 1967 should be removed..!!

Basically the only thing which is going to elevate any of this above bland rhetoric is threats. Diplomatic, economic or military threats. We won't see any of those however.

Originally posted by Lazyninja
Basically the only thing which is going to elevate any of this above bland rhetoric is threats. Diplomatic, economic or military threats. We won't see any of those however.

Sanctions should be placed on Israel and U.S. Aid to Israel should be contigent upon them not acting as a terrorist nation.