Reading the Cues.President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed their goals, namely preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons and achieving a peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians. In their comments to the press [video], they affirmed the special relationship between the two countries. Obama called Israeli security "tantamount."
However, the Washington Post observed that "within those broad areas of agreement were significant differences in tone and terminology."
The BBC noted that although Obama described the meeting as productive, "there were no big smiles or handshakes for the cameras and overall, the two leaders looked quite stern."
The BBC also reported that the talks went one hour beyond the scheduled time, which led to much speculation among observers. The Post, however, calculated they went over by half an hour, "which Israeli observers took as a good sign."
According to the BBC, President Obama did not publicly confront Netanyahu directly during the statement to the press, but "tried to put the onus on Mr Netanyahu, or perhaps even corner him with a compliment, by saying that the Israeli leader had an opportunity forge a historic peace during his tenure, adding he was confident Mr Netanyahu would seize the moment."
Jon Alterman, director of the Middle East program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, did not think much of reading such cues. "These are two political pros who are trying to assess whether they can work with the other, will have to work around the other, or will have to run over the other to get what they need," Mr. Alterman said, "and each one is too good a politician to signal what his conclusion was."
The differences are more than just terminological or stylistic, though. Where Obama called for a Palestinian statehood, Netanyahu spoke of governance:
I want to make it clear that we don't want to govern the Palestinians. We want to live in peace with them. We want them to govern themselves, absent a handful of powers that could endanger the state of Israel.He added that the "goal has to be an end to conflict" (implying Palestinian statehood is not). This requires "compromises" by both sides. "If we resume negotiations," he continued, "then I think that the Palestinians will have to recognize Israel as a Jewish state; will have to also enable Israel to have the means to defend itself." He said he could "envision an arrangement" between Israel and the Palestinians if "Israel's security conditions are met, and there's recognition of Israel's legitimacy.
Where Israel wants immediate action against Iran, President Obama said they would wait to see the results of the June election to negotiate with the next President. He rejected an "artificial deadline," and also won praise from Netanyahu for leaving "options on the table" in dealing with Tehran, the Guardian reported. Obama indicated they should know by the end of the year if Iran will negotiate. Some interpreted this as Netanyahu giving Obama until the end of the year.
Overall, according to Aaron David Miller, a former Middle East negotiator in both Democratic and Republican administrations, "Anyone who was expecting a major rift in the U.S.-Israeli relationship is going to be disappointed."
Still, this was a case of "President 'Yes We Can' sitting down with Prime Minister 'No You Won't.'"
Palestinian Authority Reacts
Palestinian officials noted their dissatisfaction that the meetings in Washington did not produce concrete results, such as agreement on the removal of Israeli colonial-settlements in the occupied West Bank.
The chief negotiator for the Palestinians, Saeb Erakat, welcomed Obama’s remarks as a sign of "the active re-engagement of the United States." He criticized Mr. Netanyahu for failing to endorse the two-state solution, saying he had "missed another opportunity to show himself to be a genuine partner for peace."
While the Palestinian Authority applauded Obama's remark that "the humanitarian situation in Gaza has to be addressed," Hamas was concerned that the American President could be doing more -- just one of the many splits between the factions' responses to the meeting.
Hamas was more skeptical of the meeting: "The statements by Obama are nothing but wishes on which we do not much count," Fawzi Barhoum, a Hamas spokesman, said in a statement. "It misleads the world's public opinion concerning the American role in supporting the existence of this fanatic Zionist entity."
"Obama's endorsement to Netanyahu, mainly on the issue of the Jewish state amid neglecting the people's suffering and lifting the blockade, doesn't show any substantial change in the U.S. policy towards our people," Barhoum's statement also read.
He noted that Obama's actions "are not accompanied by pressure on the Zionist occupation and concrete measures do not reflect a radical change of American policy toward our people."
Barhoum was quoted by Army Radio: "The goal of Obama's stance during the meeting with Netanyahu is to mislead global public opinion and to ensure the continuation of Israel's existence as a racist state."
Next up for Netanyahu and Obama
Netanyahu apparently had dinner with Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton yesterday evening.
The Israeli leader is to meet with American lawmakers and Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates today.
Next week, Obama will host Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas at the White House, followed by a trip to Egypt, where he will deliver a major speech.
HEADLINES
Poll shows partisan divide on Middle East conflict (Boston Globe)
Fayyad's government may be sworn in Tuesday: sources (Xinhua)
Netanyahu to get pressured to OK Palestinian state (Washington Post)
Netanyahu Wants Palestinian Talks in 'Next Few Weeks' (Bloomberg)
Erekat: Israel shouldn't receive rewards (Jerusalem Post)
UN Committee Against Torture Highly Critical of Israel (Scoop)
Committee Against Torture’s Findings Highlight International Community’s Inaction in the Face of Israel’s Widespread and Systematic Violations of International Law (PCHR)
Researchers: Jerusalem will lose Jewish majority by 2035 (Ha'aretz)
Palestine and the Palestinians
Palestinian lawmakers hold counter-meeting to Knesset's East Jerusalem Incursion (Ma'an News Agency)
Controversial barrier would have isolated Jewish neighborhood (WND.com)
Report: Soldiers beat Palestinian cab driver (Ynetnews)
Hamas: talks to free Israeli soldier can not last forever (Xinhua)
Most Jerusalem Arab children 'live in poverty' (AFP)
Palestinian refugee came a long way during time at Randolph College (Lynchburg News and Advance)
Zaki calls for 'permanent' Palestine-Israel solution (Daily Star - Lebanon)
Poll: Most Israeli Arabs Reject Israel As A Jewish State (Philadelphia Bulletin)
Hebron
Hebron youth stop settlers from touring the old city (International Middle East Media Center)
Hebron Prepares Protests Against Settler Visit (Palestine Media Center)
MKs warn opening Hebron route 'will endanger Jewish lives' (Ynetnews)
Israel
Shin Bet: No chance for peace while Hamas rules Gaza (Ha'aretz)
Israeli settler leader: Hebron is a Jewish city (Ma'an News Agency)
Israelis targeted on Facebook says Shin Bet (BBC News)
'US shouldn't link Iran, Palestinians' (Jerusalem Post)
VIDEO: Israel ready for peace talks – Netanyahu tells Obama (Russia Today)
Far-right group directly funds IDF units, in breach of army rules (Ha'aretz)
Israel at Interpol war crimes parley (Jerusalem Post)
The Neighbors
Hezbollah: IDF drill may be cover for launching new war (Ha'aretz)
Nasrallah: Israel primary disaster for Mideast (PRESS TV)
Nasrallah: Israel is the source of all wars in the Middle East (Jerusalem Post)
What Lebanon's Palestinian Refugees Need From June 7 Election (Al-Manar)
Arab leaders split over peace moves (Jerusalem Post)
Peres seeks to quell crisis in Jordan (Ha'aretz)
US Foreign Policy
House approves $865 million for Palestinians (Jewish Telegraphic Agency)
International Relations/Law
Israel minister says Syria lying about desire for peace (AFP)
Arts and Activism
Norway trade union: Boycott Israel if peace process fails (Ha'aretz)
Nuanced, not anti-Semitic (National Post)
Murder, Money, Mayhem (America Magazine)
Commentary
Mustafa Barghouthi: Can Obama meet Netanyahu’s challenge? (LA Times)
Uri Avnery: Quarrel on the Titanic (Daily Times)
David Corn: Obama, Netanyahu, and Israel's Bomb (Mother Jones)
Jeremy R. Hammond: Obama and Netanyahu Reaffirm Status Quo in Talks (Foreign Policy Journal)
Roger Cohen: Iran and Israel (NY Times)
Letter: Stop US military aid to Israel (Albany Times Union)
Analysis: Obama's tough-love approach to Israel (CNN)
Nadia Hijab: What Kind of State? (Agence Global)
Views expressed on this post or on linked web pages do not represent the Palestine Center, the educational program of the Jerusalem Fund for Education and Community Development. All content is for educational purposes only.
