Israeli P.M. Netanyahu made headlines in Israel this week with a supposed breakthrough on a peace offer. And the White House? It doesn’t really seem to care about the matter. From yesterday’s State Department briefing with spokesperson Mark Toner and a questioner I’m betting is Matt Lee of AP. Why the big yawn? I figure it’s because a, Netanyahu doesn’t care either, it’s pure posturing on Netanyahu’s part to stem the U.N. statehood initiative, b, the Obama administration can’t stand Netanyahu and doesn’t take his overture very seriously, c, they are putting this issue on ice for the next year…
QUESTION: Have you been able to figure out what these reports coming
out of Israel are? Do they reflect a serious change of position by
Prime Minister Netanyahu, or have you (inaudible) —MR. TONER: Yeah. I tried to get an update for you, Matt. I think we’re
still trying to assess. And again, it’s not for us to really to
characterize the Israeli Government’s position, other than to say that
we remain committed to getting back to the negotiating table. When the
Quartet ministers met in July, they continued to – or committed to
continuing these efforts. And all the members of the Quartet,
including us, have been working with the parties to get their views on
how to overcome the obstacles and get back to the negotiating table.QUESTION: Well, when you say it’s not for you to characterize the – I
mean, you characterize the positions of them there are all the time.
Are you saying it’s not for you to lay them – lay out what the – what
your understanding is of the —MR. TONER: Correct. I think it’s up for – it’s – I would leave that to
Prime Minister Netanyahu to —QUESTION: So you have not heard – you’re not aware that anyone in the
U.S. Government has actually heard directly from Netanyahu or his
aides —MR. TONER: Correct.
QUESTION: — about what they actually are up to?
MR. TONER: Correct.
QUESTION: Should – I mean, shouldn’t a statement like that evoke
agreement or enthusiasm or engender enthusiasm in the Administration,
considering that this was the call of the President of the United
States?MR. TONER: Well, again, yeah, we —
QUESTION: When you say – you will not comment on the position of Mr.
Netanyahu when, in fact, this is the position of the U.S.MR. TONER: Said, we’re trying to get clarity on what Prime Minister
Netanyahu said, and ultimately it’s up for – up to him and his
government to provide that clarity.QUESTION: Wasn’t it – I mean, he said his comments like, what, 36
hours ago? You – I mean, Israeli is your closest ally and you’re
working with them on the peace process and you still don’t have
clarity over what he said?MR. TONER: Again, it’s up to them to state their position.
QUESTION: Well, it doesn’t sound – I mean, okay. But I mean, if you’re
continuing to talk about them being a partner in good faith and they
make this statement like this, and 36 hours later you have no idea
what they said or what they think?MR. TONER: I’m just going to say we remain engaged —
QUESTION: It doesn’t sound like it.
MR. TONER: — on trying to get the parties back to the table.
QUESTION: It doesn’t sound like you’re very engaged if they make this
groundbreaking statement like this and you still —MR. TONER: I assure you we are very engaged in working through the challenges.
QUESTION: It doesn’t sound like it.
QUESTION: A follow-up on this. Israel’s Deputy Foreign Minister Daniel
Ayalon made a YouTube video recently, and this sparked a huge
discussion. And he basically calls West Bank as a disputed area, not
occupied area. Which opinion do you have on —MR. TONER: Again, I’m not aware – I’m not aware of the video, so I’m
not going to comment on something I haven’t seen.QUESTION: Thank you.
(The briefing was concluded at 1:13 p.m.)
