Washington – After laying out a vision for Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, the White House is now hoping Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu will decide to accept that framework for negotiations, a senior US official told Jewish leaders Friday.
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The message seems to place the onus on Israel for moving forward with an overture toward the Palestinians, which the US would like to see as part of its effort to create momentum in the peace process that would convince the Palestinians not to seek a unilateral declaration of statehood at the UN this September.
Steve Simon, senior National Security Council advisor on the Middle East, held a conference call with Jewish leaders on Friday in which he said that the Palestinians had indicated that they would move forward with talks on the basis of Obama’s plan if Israel agreed to as well and that the US was now waiting for Israel’s answer, according to participants on the off-the-record call.
US President Barack Obama detailed a basis for a Palestinian state as a framework for negotiations in a Middle East policy address last month aimed in part at spurring on talks. But his outline, particularly that the pre-1967 lines with mutually agreed land swaps serve as the basis for a Palestinian state, troubled Netanyahu, who quickly pushed back against the idea.
Simon also told the leaders that the US was working with Israel to devise a response to the mass protests being threatened by Palestinians on the borders of Israel and coming from the West Bank, since both countries would like to see such a trend stopped. He praised the Palestinian security services for working effectively with Israel to stem such protests in recent weeks.
A National Security Council spokesman declined to confirm Simon’s remarks, noting that he was speaking during an off-the-record call.
Hope BO waits & waits until 2012…when he’ll wait no more because G-d willing this openly anti-Israel, anti-Jewish President will be OUT OF OFFICE.
They can keep on waiting – sitting down so their feet won’t hurt from waiting so much.
Bibi – NEVER AGAIN!!!!!!!!!! not an inch!!!!!!!!!!
keep on waiting until Moshiach comes or 2012 whic ever comes first
Waiting on Israel? Interesting, any logical person woud first wait on the PLO and Hamas to recognize Israel, which is what the White House should demand first. If the White House is worried about the unilateral agreement then let Israel annex everýthing and then the White House will ask the PLO to recognizE Israel before they annex everything. The White House is chicken. Please vote Republican.
hoping to accept what doesnt this president get it both houses and both parties are backing israel
The Republicans know that anyone can beat Obama, and they don’t want to waste time and money any earlier than they have to. The only reason Obama is at 45% and not below 40% is his luck with Bin Laden yms, which has already partially passed as people focus on the economy. Therefore, they are waiting in the wings, either with a candidate we don’t know of yet or with a blitz for someone like Romney or Huntsman. I suspect the former.
Let Abama first return Alaska to Russians!
I hope Israel will have courage to say NO to this guy.
Tell Obama he can hold his breath!