Emanuel Says Obama Insists On Implementing Two State Solution, No Ifs, Ands, or Buts

[cali]

Rahm Emanuel told an (unnamed) Jewish leader; "In the next four years there is going to be a permanent status arrangement between Israel and the Palestinians on the basis of two states for two peoples, and it doesn't matter to us at all who is prime minister."

He also said that the United States will exert pressure to see that deal is put into place."Any treatment of the Iranian nuclear problem will be contingent upon progress in the negotiations and an Israeli withdrawal from West Bank territory," the paper reports Emanuel as saying. In other words, US sympathy for Israel's position vis a vis Iran depends on Israel's willingness to live up to its commitment to get out of the West Bank and permit the establishment of a Palestinian state there, in Gaza, and East Jerusalem.

Yedioth also reports that Obama is conveying his displeasure with the new Israeli government in several ways. "US administration officials informed Netanyahu that President Obama will not be able to meet with him in early May, while the AIPAC conference is held in Washington. The meeting between the new Israeli premier and the president of the United States is perceived in Israel as a sign that the formation process of the new government has been completed and as a salutation by Israel's close friend. Netanyahu had hoped to capitalize on the opportunity and to meet with Obama during the annual AIPAC conference, but the Americans informed the Israelis that Obama was not going to be 'in town.' That being the case, the inclination among Netanyahu's aides is to cancel his trip to attend the AIPAC conference and to try to secure a date for a meeting with Obama later in May.

"Sources in Washington also said that the Obama administration would not continue the tradition that developed during the Bush administration of hosting Israeli premiers many times during the year, sometimes with just a phone call's advance notice."

<snip>


http://www.israelpolicyforum.org/blog/emanuel-says-obama-insists-implementing-two-state-solution-no-ifs-ands-or-buts

Dear Mods, this has been posted in I/P but I'm posting it here because it signals a MAJOR shift in U.S. foreign policy and deserves wider readership.

[mike_c]

1. now THAT is an impressive foreign policy move...

...or at least a big step in the right direction! Kudos, president Obama!

[cali]

4. and that the message is being delivered by Rahm Emanuel

is not only smart as hell, it's done in the inimicable Rahm style. I lot of folks here thought he was AIPAC's man in the White House. I always knew he was Obama's man in the White House. That's the damn chief of staff telling them how it will be.

[w4rma]

2. Extremely good. (nt)

[WyLoochka]

3. Yes, please leave it visible

I would not have seen this if it were buried in I/P. This is indeed a major shift in foreign policy about which everyone should be informed.

At long long last.

[Thrill]

5. I also think its Brilliant having Rahm deliver that message too.

[wyldwolf]

6. Translation:

Emanuel: "They're both going to have their own country, and we don't give a rat's ass if the prime minister is Moses, Netn'yoo hoo, or Jesus Fuckin' Christ"

[cali]

7. sounds about right to me.

[madmax]

8. We finally have a real President

President Obama is front and center taking on every thorny issue and trying to get the mess cleaned up at every level, both foreign and domestic. That's why I love this guy so much.

[Occam Bandage]

9. I will have everlasting respect for Obama if he can pull this off. nt

[cali]

10. he's already earning my respect on this issue

this is such a big change.

[Imperialism Inc.]

11. Well imagine that. An approach that takes a stand for something and

doesn't bow to every whim of the Israeli leadership.

[Schema Thing]

12. Chess.... not dodgeball.

[cali]

13. yep. and really smart playing too.

[cali]

14. kick for amazingly good news.

[Adelante]

15. k&r

:kick:

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

16. Fill me in. The US was officially AGAINST the existence of a Palestinian state? -nt

[cali]

17. oh, c'mon. just read. n/t

[Warren DeMontague]

22. To be fair, it's an emphatic backing up of what has been US policy for a while.

It's just that for the last 8 years, you had people in the WH who only thought of Israel as the place where Jesus rode his dinosaur.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

23. Good day to you too.

Jeez, it was a honest question. The article doesn't clarify that.

[DavidDvorkin]

18. Oh, come on. Everyone knows that Emmanuel is just another antisem-

Er.

Unfortunately, he will inevitably be called a "Jewish antisemite" by some, as if that constituted an argument. Maybe it's already happened.

[cali]

20. I doubt there will be much if any of that.

unfortunately, he's already been roundly condemned by many who have called him an AIPAC mole- and worse. That's much more prevalent than what you're speculating about.

[Spazito]

19. Wow, that seem clear enough....

I hope what is being reported is accurate and, if so there is not a lot of ambiguity to be found in it.

Would recommend but we haven't gotten the official all clear yet so can only write "recommended".

Edited to add: Recommend option is now working again, so have recommended for real!

[Warren DeMontague]

21. Good. Yes. Two states.

Unfortunately, the loonies on both sides who would prefer not to have 2 states have been getting louder, lately.

[cali]

25. his is a very different approach in that the administration is clearly

signaling that they're ready to really apply pressure to Israel. It's almost as if they've read Walt's recent how-to piece.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

24. I can think of a number of offices of which I'd like to be a fly on a wall of.

[SpartanDem]

26. K&R

[classysassy]

27. I am sure

Abe will have something to say about this" revolting development."

[GeorgeGist]

28. It's been more than 60 years and the World still refuses to accept ...

the Winners lose-lose solution to the Jewish problem.