Tuesday, November 03, 2009

Obama's about-face on Mideast peace: Yet another administration self-destructs by putting Israel and its U.S. lobby first

(Telegraph) -- Signalling an end to the brief flirtation with the Palestinian cause, the US secretary of state flew to Jerusalem to voice full American support for Israel and its prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. In an effort to repair badly strained US-Israeli relations, she heaped praise on Mr Netanyahu, lauding his offer to limit settlement construction – even though it falls well short of President Obama's original demands. She said: "What the prime minister has offered in specifics on restraints on a policy of settlements... is unprecedented in the context of prior to negotiations." Risking the ire of the Arab world, she also joined Israeli calls for an immediate Palestinian return to the negotiating table without preconditions. America's about-turn on the most contentious issue stalling a resumption of Middle East peace talks has delighted Israel. But it will also damage Mr Obama's reputation as a peacemaker for many Arabs, bolster critics who have accused him of naïvety and enhance a growing sense of betrayal in the Palestinian territories...Cont'd...LINK

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