Netanyahu says expects no U.S. pressure over peace process

[Jefferson23]

By Reuters


Prime Minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday he did not expect to come under pressure from the United States over the Middle East peace strategy of his right-leaning government.

"I think you are talking about something that I doubt existed for any length of time in the past and which I am convinced does not exist today," the hawkish Netanyahu told reporters in reply to a question about possible U.S. pressure.

Netanyahu, who clashed with the Clinton administration while prime minister from 1996 to 1999, has shied away from endorsing the U.S.-backed goal of creating a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, alongside Israel.


U.S. President Barack Obama reaffirmed at a news conference on Tuesday Washington's commitment to a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

In his latest remarks, Netanyahu played down any notion of friction with Obama, saying the United States and Israel shared mutual interests and values, and ties between the two allies were especially strong.

Side-stepping a question on whether he backed Palestinian statehood, Netanyahu referred reporters to a coalition deal Likud reached with the centre-left Labor Party of Defense Minister Ehud Barak on Tuesday.

Under that pact, Likud agreed to respect all of Israel's international agreements - a formula that includes accords envisaging Palestinian statehood.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1074197.html

[Kurska]

1. Has obama really ever pressured Israel?

[Jefferson23]

2. Time will tell, only this so far:

Clinton condemns Israel's demolition of Arab East Jerusalem homes

Move was a violation of international obligations, US secretary of state says at press call with Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas

* Rory McCarthy in Jerusalem
* guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 4 March 2009 14.12 GMT
* Article history

Hillary Clinton criticised Israel's plans to demolish dozens of homes in Arab East Jerusalem today, during a joint news conference with the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas.

The US secretary of state said the move was a violation of Israel's international obligations, and the US would raise the matter with the country's leaders.

"Clearly this kind of activity is unhelpful and not in keeping with the obligations entered into under the 'road map'," she said, referring to the long-stalled peace plan. "It is an issue that we intend to raise with the government of Israel and the government at the municipal level in Jerusalem."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2009/mar/04/hillary-clinton-israel-settlements

[Sebastian Doyle]

3. He'd better start

Someone has to keep that lunatic Netanyahu under control.

[Donald Ian Rankin]

4. Sadly, I think he's right.

I don't expect to see any meaningful US pressure on Israel to make peace.

I'd love to be proved wrong, though.

[geek tragedy]

5. He's got his trained monkey Barak to go out

and stress his commitment to peaceful apartheid.

[azurnoir]

6. Well we can all feel better now

we all know that the past governments have had so much respect for those pacts, BTW anyone heard how those new apartments in area east of Jerusalem are coming along?

[Scurrilous]

7. EU urges new Israeli government to accept Palestinian state

<snip>

"The European Commission pledged Friday to support the new Israeli government as long as it accepts certain benchmarks, including the principle of an autonomous Palestinian state.

"The European Commission is looking forward to working with the new Israeli government in pursuit of a common agenda," the EU executive's head Jose Manuel Barroso said in a message to Israeli premier-designate Benjamin Netanyahu.

"It stands ready to assist and support you in your search for peace, prosperity and security for the people in Israel and the region, based on the vision of two states living side by side in peace and prosperity," he said."

<snip>

"Barroso's spokesman noted: "There are certain benchmarks that we would like to see followed in this relationship."

Another commission spokesman, Amadeu Altafaj Tardio, said that EU foreign ministers would be discussing developments in Israel, and the fallout of its war on the militant Palestinian Hamas movement holding the Gaza Strip.

"There is a new administration, there is a new prime minister, and this has to be considered. Let's see what the intentions of the future government are going to be on a number of issues," he told reporters.

"One of them is (humanitarian aid) access to Gaza. Restrictions are still there, and we will have to see what is the policy of the new administration."

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5h8mmeoFk0LuBJup7MoB6D-OD_Q_w