Netanyahu-Obama White House Meeting Ends With No Progress

Wednesday March 24, 2010 08:17 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

United States President, Barack Obama, held a meeting with Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, for 90 minutes and discussed the bilateral U.S-Israeli relations and the construction of settlements in East Jerusalem, yet, no progress was mentioned after their extended meeting.

The meeting was mainly focused on the recent tension between Israel and the United States over settlement activities in occupied East Jerusalem. It also came amidst the announcement of further settlement construction in East Jerusalem.

The two leaders did not speak to the press after their 90 minutes meeting, while Netanyahu remained at the White House for 2 more hours after the meeting ended.

Israeli online daily, Haaretz, reported that the crisis between the two sides was not resolved and that the white House and the Obama administration still lack trust towards Netanyahu.

Yet, Haaretz added that Obama and Secretary of State, Hilary Clinton, made a decision to test Netanyahu and see whether he would implement the gestures of good will he promised to conduct towards the Palestinians.

Netanyahu handed the U.S. Administration a letter detailing his “plan to rebuild trust with the White House”, but Obama and Clinton were not satisfied with the letter.

The Israeli Prime Minister and his aides held a meeting with Clinton and U.S. Vice President, Joe Biden, on Monday.

Described as positive, the meeting facilitated the way for the unscheduled Netanyahu-Obama meeting.

Both Biden and Clinton told Netanyahu that the current measures are not enough and that he must make “further concessions” in order to restore trust.

A source at the White House said that Biden and Clinton were not satisfied with the answers of Netanyahu.

Haaretz reported that White House officials were annoyed by the attempts of Netanyahu in which he tried to claim that building in East Jerusalem is equivalent to building in its West.

Netanyahu still insists on constructing settlements in East Jerusalem, and told US House of Representatives spokesperson, Nancy Pelosi, along with other congressional leaders, that the Palestinian demand that Israel should halt its settlement activities “is illogical and unreasonable”.

U.S., Israel fail to reach agreement on Israeli settlement plan

WASHINGTON, March 24, 2010 (Xinhua) --

The United States did not reach agreement with Israel over the latter's settlement plan after two days of visit by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday.

The talks between Netanyahu and U.S. Middle East envoy George Mitchell concluded but did not heal the dispute between the two countries, U.S. officials were quoted by the Associated Press as saying.

The officials, who refused to be named, said the two sides were trying to find ways to get Israeli-Palestinian peace talks back on track and Netanyahu had prolonged his stay with an hope for an agreement.

On Tuesday, Netanyahu held talks with U.S. President Barack Obama, who asked Netanyahu to build confidence for the Middle East peace talks.

The United States has demanded that Israel reverse new housing plan in East Jerusalem, which Netanyahu has so far rejected. The U.S.-brokered indirect talks between Israelis and Palestinians are currently stalled as the Palestinians refused to negotiate unless Israel stops building in East Jerusalem.

The Obama administration, which has been trying its best to push the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, was angry over the Israeli government's approval of 1,600 homes in East Jerusalem on March 9 when U.S. Vice President Joe Biden was pushing both Israel and the Palestinians to resume peace talks.

Both Biden and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton issued condemnation on the Netanyahu-led government for the move, which was described by Clinton as "an insult" and "a deeply negative signal" about Israel's approach to relations with Washington.

Before the meeting with Obama, Netanyahu told the AIPAC conference that building more houses in the Jewish neighborhoods "in no way precludes the possibility of the two-state solution," stressing that Jerusalem is not a settlement, but the eternal capital of Israel.

The Palestinians insists that the peace talks will not be resumed until the Israeli government totally freezes the Jewish settlement activities in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, while the Israeli government claims to ensure the "natural growth" of the Jewish settlements.

Obama asks Netanyahu to build confidence for peace talks

WASHINGTON, March 24, 2010, (Xinhua) --

U.S. President Barack Obama asked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to build confidence for the Middle East peace talks during their meeting on Tuesday, the White House said on Wednesday.

The talks were "honest and straightforward," said the White House spokesman Robert Gibbs.

Obama and Netanyahu held a 90-minute closed-door meeting at the White House on Tuesday, trying to defuse the bilateral tensions arising from Israel's new housing plan in East Jerusalem.

The United States has demanded that Israel reverse the housing plan, which Netanyahu has so far rejected. The U.S.-brokered indirect talks between Israelis and Palestinians are currently stalled as the Palestinians refused to negotiate unless Israel stops building in East Jerusalem.

"There are areas in which we have disagreements. Those were discussed last night," said Gibbs, adding that Obama asked Netanyahu "to build confidence up to proximity talks."

The Obama administration, who has been trying its best to push the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, was angry over the Israeli government's approval of 1,600 homes in East Jerusalem on March 9 when U.S. Vice President Joe Biden was pushing both Israel and the Palestinians to resume peace talks.

Before the meeting with Obama, Netanyahu told the AIPAC conference that building more houses in the Jewish neighborhoods " in no way precludes the possibility of the two-state solution," stressing that Jerusalem is not a settlement, but the eternal capital of Israel.

On Tuesday afternoon, Netanyahu met with some influential Congress members and told the lawmakers that the peace process may be delayed for another year should the Palestinians refused to drop "illogical and unreasonable demand" for Israel's full freeze on Jewish settlements.

Editor: yan

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