Obama team warns U.S. lawmakers: Expect confrontation with Israel

[IndianaGreen]

Last update - 01:47 08/04/2009

Obama team warns U.S. lawmakers: Expect confrontation with Israel

By Aluf Benn

In an unprecedented move, the Obama administration is readying for a possible confrontation with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by briefing Democratic congressmen on the peace process and the positions of the new government in Israel regarding a two-state solution.

The Obama administration is expecting a clash with Netanyahu over his refusal to support the establishment of a Palestinian state alongside Israel.

In recent weeks, American officials have briefed senior Democratic congressmen and prepared the ground for the possibility of disagreements with Israel over the peace process, according to information recently received. The administration's efforts are focused on President Barack Obama's Democratic Party, which now holds a majority in both the Senate and the House of Representatives. The preemptive briefing is meant to foil the possibility that Netanyahu may try to bypass the administration by rallying support in Congress.

The message that administration officials have relayed to the congressmen is that President Obama is committed to the security of Israel and intends to continue the military assistance agreement that was signed by his predecessor, George W. Bush.

However, Obama considers the two-state solution central to his Middle East policy, as he reiterated during a speech in Turkey on Monday, and he intends to ask that Netanyahu fulfill all the commitments made by previous governments in Israel: accepting the principle of a Palestinian state; freezing settlement activity; evacuating illegal outposts; and providing economic and security assistance to the Palestinian Authority.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1077222.html

[Sebastian Doyle]

1. If the US doesn't have to recognize Hamas as a legitimate political entity

then why do they have to recognize Likud or whatever the party A. Lieberman comes from?

The argument against Hamas is that they refuse to accept the existence of Israel. So how do you recognize an extremist Israeli regime that refuses to accept the legitimacy of a Palestinian state?

[Jefferson23]

2. Well Obama, you certainly have my support and I wish you

all the very best, because you are certainly going to need it, God bless you for trying.

I wonder how fast some will line up against him.

[azurnoir]

6. Which ones are running for re-election next year? n/t

[Barack_America]

3. I posted this over in LBN.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=3820804&mesg_id=3820804

Needless to say, it's very encouraging...though I would like to know who blabbed to Haaretz.

If anyone would like to kick up the LBN post, I'd be greatly obliged.

[aquart]

4. Yippee!

Can't wait to start negotiating!

[Scurrilous]

5. Ha'aretz: Obama Telling Congress "I'm Taking on Netanyahu"

<snip>

"President Obama is telling Democrats on Capitol Hill that, if Netanyahu continues in his opposition to negotiations, he is going to take him on.

It is essential that he do this because Prime Ministers of Israel tend to run to Congress if the US President deviates from, what the Prime Minister perceives as 100% support.

Netanyahu has done that in the past. During the Clinton years, he was an ex officio member of the Republican caucus, openly cavorting with Speaker Gingrich and dissing President Clinton. Clinton still prevailed because most Congressional Democrats stood with their President and push never came to shove.

Obama will likely prevail too but who knows? On Israel issues, Democrats are at least as lockstep behind the occupation as Republicans. Some of the most out- there House liberals (from New York, California, Maryland and Florida) are Likud on Israel at the same time that they were strong opponents of the Iraq war. Some of them are as rightwing as Netanyahu. Or, to be more precise, pretend to be.

That is why Obama needs to tell them. Hey, I know you don't want to get the lobby mad. I understand all about fundraising, But what I'm doing is best for the United States and Israel. And, guys, I'm your President, I expect your support and I'm taking names."

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