Obama takes tough and risky stance on Israeli settlements

[babylonsister]

Yay!

Obama takes tough and risky stance on Israeli settlements

By Steven Thomma | McClatchy Newspapers


WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama Thursday ratcheted up what might be America's toughest bargaining position with Israel in a generation, demanding anew that Israel stop expanding its settlements in the disputed West Bank as a key step toward making peace with its Arab neighbors.

Obama made the demand after a White House meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, building on unusually blunt language the day before from Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

"Each party has obligations," Obama said of the so-called Road Map to Peace, to which Israel is a party. "On the Israeli side, those obligations include stopping settlements."

He said he made that point to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu when they met earlier this month, noting that the conversation "only took place last week" and that Netanyahu must work through domestic politics, but added: "We don't have a moment to lose."

Even before Obama sat down with Abbas, however, Israel's government sent the message that it will continue construction in the settlements. "Normal life in those communities must be allowed to continue," government spokesman Mark Regev said Thursday, adding that normal life included new construction.

Obama also urged the Palestinians to do their part by ensuring security in the West Bank and curbing anti-Israel rhetoric in schools. However, his renewed push on Israel — coming hours after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government signaled that it will keep building in the settlements — suggested an ambitious and perhaps high-risk strategy that could either jump-start peace talks or leave Israel angry and the U.S. looking weak.

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http://www.mcclatchydc.com/251/story/69037.html

[Clio the Leo]

1. "It's a new day......"

Isn't it awesome that we finally have a President who realizes that there are TWO sides two every argument .... even on the West Bank? :)

[babylonsister]

2. Someone thoughtful and reasonable is manna!

I'm very happy he's not caving to either side.

[SamCooke]

5. But how will he make them stop Settlements?

Its not like we can bomb them.

[babylonsister]

3. Good news? Bad news? Big news either way, for all of us. nt

[avaistheone1]

4. So far I agree Obama is doing a good job on this one.

[Kdillard]

6. So far Netanyahu is not playing ball and doing everything he can to

show he is not interested in any kind of resolution. It is a risky how far can we take it without alienating Israel.

[Canuckistanian]

7. Oh horrors, no. We musn't alienate Israel

Because if we alienate Israel...... I don't know how to finish that sentence.

[DrToast]

14. I think you've got things backwards...

It's risky how far Netanyahu wants to push it. His government might be at stake. Here's a good article on it: http://thecable.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2009/05/28/netanyahu_what_the_hell_do_they_want_with_me

[sellitman]

8. Stopping the settlements is a bad move.

Giving up land has done nothing for Israels security in the past and I see no reason that it will under the conditions we see now. Wherever they have given up land, missles are now launched from towards civilian populations.

[Kalyke]

12. So, steamrollering over another group of people who have NOTHING

thanks to the allies' usurping on the Palestinian land by Biblical fiat in 1947 is preferable?

Really?

[rvablue]

13. Yeah, it's a great way towards peace....bulldozing people's houses and then

giving the land to other people.

Would that be OK with you? Then you agree with eminent domain, where your state legislature or city council can give your land to some developers and you get a check for it?

This issue of building new settlements isn't about Isreal cedeing land to anyone. It's about ceasing the acquiring of new land inside the boundaries of the West Bank where Palestinians are already residing.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

9. i completely support obama in this. nt

[Sensitivity]

10. The SETTLEMENTS strategy is contrary to International Law. Israel knows this from countless U.N.

resolutions as well as Bush I efforts to halt their expansion.

Hopefully Obama can have more success, since there is no hope for peace in the Middle East or with the Muslim world while what Carter calls a morally defective "bantustan" policy of legally sanctioned confiscation of Palestinian lands continues in the West Bank.

[Faryn Balyncd]

11. K&R...If we stick to our guns on this (like no one has done since Carter) we may progress toward....

....real peace.