From Haaretz:
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will soon approve the construction of hundreds of new housing units in West Bank settlements before he declares a moratorium on building in those locales, according to a senior government source.
From the White House:
We regret the reports of Israel’s plans to approve additional settlement construction. Continued settlement activity is inconsistent with Israel’s commitment under the Roadmap.
As the President has said before, the United States does not accept the legitimacy of continued settlement expansion and we urge that it stop. We are working to create a climate in which negotiations can take place, and such actions make it harder to create such a climate.
We do appreciate Israel’s stated intent to place limits on settlement activity and will continue to discuss this with the Israelis as these limitations are defined.
The U.S. commitment to Israel’s security is and will remain unshakeable. We believe it can best be achieved through comprehensive peace in the region, including a two-state solution with a Palestinian state living side by side in peace with Israel.
That is the ultimate goal to which the President is deeply and personally committed.
Our objective remains to resume meaningful negotiations as soon as possible in pursuit of this goal. We are working with all parties – Israelis, Palestinians, and Arab states — on the steps they must take to achieve that objective.
Related posts:
- Did Netanyahu create ‘Shepherd’s Hotel’ row so as to defy Obama?
- 4 ambassadors, and Israel Policy Forum, urge Obama to push Netanyahu to stop the house demolitions
- Netanyahu thinks he’s pinned Obama on settlements
- Why Obama’s gotten nowhere with Netanyahu
- Obama: ‘Don’t build there.’ Netanyahu: ‘Forget about It’
{ 11 comments }
Obama sucks Israeli (AIPAC) dick, as he sucks Big Bank dick. Gee, what a surprize. Like there’s a difference.
It sounds like a reasonable statement to me.
Only if you regard it as reasonable that Israeli settlements swallow up all the land in the entire WB. As you apparently do.
Another odd response.
Yours is the odd response.
The USA should announce it will cut aid to Israel each day it adds any new settlements
–at the very least. Israel is making a laughing stock out of Obama.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090904/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_us_israel
The problem is that it’s past time for statements.
Alas, it’s time for action and President Obama appears to have found himself on a short leash. As have some other presidents historically, like Kennedy.
Richard is pleased to see a statement as he lives to see Palestinian land stolen as he talks and we talk. Abetting ethnic cleansing is part of his tribal duty. The man has no values apart from tribalism.
BDS.
Whether it’s reasonable or not depends on what Obama is willing to do if the Israeli government keeps thumbing its nose at him. I don’t mind a little diplomat-speak if it’s just meant to convey that the US is willing to be reasonable, but if Obama just keeps swallowing settlement increases, then he’s going to be a total flop in the area of peacemaking just as he might well be a flop on health care and on civil liberties and on holding US officials accountable for war crimes. (Though you probably favor that as well).
Obama the dickless wonder strikes again. Or rather, doesn’t strike at all.
For the first time in my life, ever, I am contemplating voting for a republican for president in 2012.
I am far to the left of the mainstream democratic party, and the lessons I learned in the sixties–that liberals are the enemies–appears fully proven by Obama.
Yet of course, Obama is to the right of those 60’s liberals.
“We do appreciate Israel’s stated intent to place limits on settlement activity and will continue to discuss this with the Israelis as these limitations are defined. ”
Obsequious gibberish. Translation: Please don’t interpret this feeble expression of concern over settlement expansion to mean anything , or that we expect Israel to actually stop settlement expansion, that would be silly, only that we will continue to talk about talking about definitions and, you know, discuss stuff.
Until Israel attacks Iran; then it won’t matter as most Americans will sink in the inevitable greater economic Depression as oil prices spike ever higher.
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