Thursday at the White House, Obama appeared with the Emir of Qatar. The president made a long statement that included a very vague reference to the issue:
We discussed our mutual interest in seeing a peaceful resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The Emir was not restrained, and his view of the matter bulked far larger in a short statement:
HIS HIGHNESS EMIR SHEIKH HAMAD BIN KHALIFA AL-THANI:
And, of course, the most important issue for us in the region is that Palestine-Israeli conflict and how to find a way to establish a Palestinian state. And we do understand your position, Mr. President, in supporting the existence of two states peacefully living side by side, and we support your position.
Neither man mentioned Qatar’s neighbor, Iran.
