Israel – US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called Prime Minister Netanyahu today (Shabbat) and told him that the announcement of the construction in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Ramat Shlomo sent a negative message about Israel’s approach to ties with Washington and undermined the trust between the sides in the peace process.
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Clinton made it clear that the US opposes both the timing of the announcement and the actual building plans themselves and said that she expects the government of Israel not to settle for statements but actions to demonstrate its commitment to the peace process. Israel Radio reported that the difficult conversation between Clinton and Netanyahu lasted 43 minutes.
The State Department summoned Israel’s Ambassador to Washington Michael Oren for a meeting following Israel’s plan to construct 1,600 new housing units.
However the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) says it is shocked by the harsh public criticism directed at Israel by the US Administration.
“We are shocked and stunned at the Administration’s tone and public dressing down of Israel on the issue of future building in Jerusalem,” Abraham H. Foxman, ADL National Director, said in a statement.
“We cannot remember an instance when such harsh language was directed at a friend and ally of the United States,” ADL’s statement said. “One can only wonder how far the US is prepared to go in distancing itself from Israel in order to placate the Palestinians in the hope they see it is in their interest to return to the negotiating table.”
Foxman’s statement noted that the US criticism was “especially troubling” as PM Benjamin Netanyahu made sure to offer clear explanations of the announcement mishap both publically and privately.
“Biden accepted the prime minister’s apology,” ADL said. “Therefore, to raise the issue again in this way is a gross overreaction to a point of policy difference among friends.”
Another US Jewish organization, J Street, chose to slam Israel’s conduct while endorsing the Administration’s position.
“Israel’s recent announcement of 1,600 new housing units in East Jerusalem wasn’t just a slap in the face to Vice President Joe Biden,” J Street said. “It was a wake-up call to us all that business-as-usual peace processing is bringing us no closer to ending the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. And now it may derail or delay the proximity talks just announced by Special Envoy Mitchell.
“The alarm bells couldn’t be ringing more loudly, telling us that hope is fading for a future where a Jewish, democratic Israel lives side-by-side in peace and security with the state of the Palestinian people,” the organization said.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told German and Italian leaders Saturday that Israel does not plan to speed up the controversial construction of settlements, a government source said.
He told them Israel has no plans “to accelerate” the pace of settlement construction in the mostly Arab east Jerusalem, the source said.
Netanyahu also told Merkel and Berlusconi that his government has “taken adequate measures so that such a regrettable incident does not occur again,” the source added.
The premier has ordered an investigation into how government officials announced plans for a new Jewish housing project in east Jerusalem during a visit by Vice President Joe Biden.
Netanyahu’s office said he ordered the probe late Saturday after he met with top Cabinet ministers.
EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, who begins Sunday a Middle East tour, meanwhile Saturday voiced “concern” over the announcement on new homes and urged Netanyahu to demonstrate “leadership.”
The Palestinian Authority hailed the international condemnation of Israel with chief negotiator Saeb Erakat saying: “We want these positions to become binding.”
Netanyahu meanwhile insisted that his policies were not different from those of his predecessors and said all previous Israeli government “have encouraged the construction of Jewish neighbourhoods” in east Jerusalem.
How dare the U.S. tell us what to do! Its not like they’ve ever done anything for us……oh wait,scratch that. Never mind.
MR. Obama, you just destroyed the little hope there was for some kind of peace negotiations.
This points out 1 major thing. Jews for J, I mean Jews for J Street, does not have a pro israel stance, Just the opposite! They are as anti israel as could be. And just wondering, I really have the feeling that jews for jstreet were the architects for the demise of AIPAC. I’ll bet on it that they were the ones that got Mr. Abramof in the hot water.
(let them all rot in hell)
If Netananyahu was really Jewish he would have hung the phone up after one minute speaking to this mamzer.
who’s j street ? and why would we want another arab country surrounding israel? we don’t have enough arab countiers around isaerl? also with a country these so called “palastians” would now have a country to attack isaerl from with treates from other arab counteirs? wats the gain for isaerl ? (
welcome to america courtesy of obama and co. any jew who voted for him is to blame.
America is not the boss.Its not their country.Israel is our country. Jerusalem is the capital of Israel.The Jewish people have the rights to built and live there.
Who are they to tell us not to build in Jerusalem???
Secretary Clinton , Say it ain’t so. I cant believe what i am reading .I am witholding commenting ,until verification of the facts.
Not to worry, the democrats days are numbered and winding down. Cholerye Hillary And Osama will be backing their bags before you know it. Israel like any sovereign nation has a right to build on their terretory. The feeling is that it will antagonize the arabs. It doesn’t seem that the arabs ever needed an excuse for them to have rockets shot or suicide bombers blow up innocent people, that is their way of being heros. They don’t need excuses to kill and maim human beings. Dumb Hillary and the rest of the entourage have no clue of who the arabs are. Do they really believe that any concession will bring peace? What are they really smoking? Maybe its the same cigar the Billy boy didn’t inhale. What excuse do they have after all the land that was returned? Gush Katif and all the other areas are dilapidated ghost towns and murders and shooting rockets and all the other violence has continued. Stupid americans connived Israel to give back land and all be well. What did it get them? Only more trouble from the animals. Hillary and company are only interested in browny points so that something will go on their record. Hopefully we can put that message on her tombstone very soon.
J street has nothing to do with Judaism
It certainly doesn’t represent any people with meaningful Jewish identity and most be exposed
You people are so ignorant…..
The point in this story is not the phone call….
The story is that while the Vice President of the united states is in israel a few hours before meeting with the PM some Israeli government official announces that they will start building in the west bank again…..
Now Israel is a country who has received billions of dollars and all types of weapons from the U S for years they deserve that much that while their vice president is there this announcement should not have taken place that’s called embarrassing someone……
And Israel already apologized for it….
And to the rest of you who say who is america to tell Israel what to do ask yourselves where israel would be without the us…..
Mr. President, no need to endear yourself in the Arab world. They ,trust you .
Hillary did nothing wrong here other then letting bibi know that america did not appreciate the timing of this announcement!
And its typical of the israeli government dysfunction for a thing like this to happen!
Only Israel can behave this way!
What a Chutzpah to call Bibi while he was eating his Cholent.
This ,is Diplomacy at its finest, i mean at its dirtiest. Not to worry. This , too ,shall pass.
Imagine china announcing that they will no longer listen to requests from the U S in regards to Human rights while the president or his VP are that day in china…
Some of you think Israel can do whatever they want
No 22. I don’t know how well you write . But your exclamation marks are a doozie.
reply to # 13
your so sweet you are making it sound as if the community board of brooklyn 12 just announced that a new project will be built.
according to the UN and the Europeans and bush and obama and even according to some of the israeli officials jerusalem has to be part of any peace deal.
not saying i agree with that but it was disgusting for them to announce it when they did.
No 25. Excellent point. Thanks.
The shame and embarresment is on us dummies that elected these morons in Washington to run this country. What a pack of idiots.
politicians come and go but this J street scares me. Ehat they are basically doing is putting AIPAC out of business.
#9 If Jews in the US will start caring even little for their own people who live in Israel, they will stop donating money the democratic party here in the US and instead donate it to Israel, trust me Israel will manage very well. But unfortunately Jews like you just care about yourself . The hell with the Jews in Israel…You are just like the Jews who were silent during WW2
the US should leave Israel alone and mind its own business
The US only airlifted arms during the Yom Kippur war after Israel threatened to use nuclear weapons, until then the US did nothing
The US, courtesey of then president Richard Nixon agreed to airlift Israel’s shopping list of weapons, back in ’73 because Golda Meir told Nixon face to face if they don’t get the weapons needed immediately they (Israel) will be in grave danger and further, will be forced to use its atomic power . In her words, ‘if we go we’ll take the entire Middle East along with us’.
When you take money from your rich Uncle(Sam) you have to expect to dance to his tune.
If Jews are not permitted to live in E. Jerusalem, Arabs should not be permitted to live elsewhere in Eretz Yisroel.