Having spent most of the day stressing "his personal love for the Jewish state as well as the ‘unshakable’ commitment of the United States to Israel’s security," Vice President Biden in return was granted a special surprise by Israel’s right-wing religious Interior Minister, Eli Yishai – the announcement of 1,600 more housing units to be built at the Ultra-Orthodox settlement of Ramat Shlomo in East Jerusalem.
Having recently been dragged into negotiations with Israel kicking and screaming, the Palestinians were naturally apoplectic.
Nabil Abu-Rudeina, spokesman for the Palestinian government, called the new housing announcement “a dangerous decision that will torpedo the negotiations and sentence the American efforts to complete failure,” adding that “it is now clear that the Israeli government is not interested in negotiating nor is it interested in peace. The American administration must respond to this provocation with actual measures, as it is no longer possible to just turn the other cheek, and massive American pressure is required in order to compel Israel to abandon its peace destroying behavior.”
The White House, clearly upset, had press chief Robert Gibbs condemn the move.
Applying the usual diplomatic slap on the wrist for such actions, a spokesman for the American Embassy in Tel Aviv said "the United States opposed unilateral actions that prejudiced the outcome of negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority aimed at creating two states, and this was such an action."
Biden, perhaps realizing he had been obviously humiliated by the extremist Yishai, felt compelled to release the following statement:
I condemn the decision by the government of Israel to advance planning for new housing units in East Jerusalem. The substance and timing of the announcement, particularly with the launching of proximity talks, is precisely the kind of step that undermines the trust we need right now and runs counter to the constructive discussions that I’ve had here in Israel. We must build an atmosphere to support negotiations, not complicate them. This announcement underscores the need to get negotiations under way that can resolve all the outstanding issues of the conflict. The United States recognizes that Jerusalem is a deeply important issue for Israelis and Palestinians and for Jews, Muslims and Christians. We believe that through good faith negotiations, the parties can mutually agree on an outcome that realizes the aspirations of both parties for Jerusalem and safeguards its status for people around the world. Unilateral action taken by either party cannot prejudge the outcome of negotiations on permanent status issues. As George Mitchell said in announcing the proximity talks, "we encourage the parties and all concerned to refrain from any statements or actions which may inflame tensions or prejudice the outcome of these talks.
The text may have started out strong, but sounded rather Bidenesque by the end.
Ethan Bronner of the New York Times seemed stunned in his report, writing that "Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was clearly embarrassed at the move by his interior minister." As one of the commenters here remarked, "Bronner on the Biden Insult: Gee, how embarrassing! "
Earlier in the day, Biden expressed America’s "absolute, total, unvarnished commitment to Israel’s security." At one point he turned to Prime Minister Netanyahu and declared,
"Bibi you heard me say before, progress occurs in the Middle East when everyone knows there is simply no space between the US and Israel. There is no space between the US and Israel when it comes to Israel’s security."
Whether there is any space between US and Israel, what is becoming obvious to everyone but the Obama Administration is that there will soon be no space left in East Jerusalem for a Palestinian capital, Netanyahu’s imaginary freeze notwithstanding.
Not knowing what was later in store for him, Biden tried to end the day on a sentimental note. "Netanyahu gave Biden a certificate saying that a ring of trees was planted in memory of his mother, Catherine Eugenia Jean Finnegan Biden, who passed away in January at the age of 92." Biden received the certificate with these words,
"My love for your country was watered by this Irish lady, who was proudest of me when I was working with and for the security of Israel."
If true, his mother must have been smiling on Joe today. But Eli Yishai had the last laugh of the day.
