One of the most closely watched meetings for decades between an Israeli Prime Minister and a US President took place yesterday when Messrs. Obama and Netanyahu sat together at the White House.
The two men met for two hours - during which time Obama pressed the ‘two state solution’ to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on a reluctant Netanyahu, while Netanyahu underlined his belief that Iran was a more pressing concern than Palestinian statehood.
White House watchers pointed out that 2 hours is a long meeting by Preisdential standards and also that the body language of the two men as they sat together suggested none of the fireworks that some had predicted went off in the private encounter.
Here’s a video report on the public comments made by the two leaders as they finished up their marathon chinwag.
Israel’s Haaretz newspaper has a full transcript of the Q&A here.
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Interesting blog post on the meeting: http://blog.american.com/?p=877
- Posted by LLHIt’s sad to see the ignorance of some when talking about Israel. The nation of Israel was created in 1948 with the Balfour declaration and that was a huge mistake. The racist and excluding religion proclaimed by the founders just shames those who perished at the hands of the third reich. This rogue state must learn to live in peace and start to respect the people from whom they stole land and dreams. Unfortunately now whoever criticizes Israel must be anti-semitic. Well, the Israelis are brothers with the Palestinians and killing and abusing the latter is just as anti-semitic. Israeli leaders should be brought to justice once for all, just like the leaders from Irak and other nations who don’t respect human rights. Where is the USA when Palestinians are slaughtered? No intervention. When Saddam gassed the Kurds, there they were, watching and doing nothing. Saddam didn’t follow the script and there was America. Shame on the USA and all those who look the other way when something wicked happens.
- Posted by Rob CollodiWhat makes Israel special is that God chose to reveal himself to the world through them. It is well documented how they have sufferred and been mistreated and also how they have made mistakes. Let any nation that hasn’t made any mistakes throw the first stone. Israel is sane and rational and they can and should protect themselves. The rest of the world should know better than to listen to most of the “reporting” out of that region of the world. How could anyone trust the witness of evil people who intentionally and cowardly do their evil works among and hide behind innocent citizens, hoping that the bloodshed of children which they themselves caused is viewed by the international community as wrongdoing on Israel’s part.
Israel will have peace, but it will be short lived and they will once again be taken to the brink until God hears their cry and rescues them. This story isn’t over yet. God’s a master author, whose lovingly given us foreshadowings of the ending so that we know what we’re seeing as we see it and so that we are comforted in the knowledge that he’s in control always.
- Posted by Stop & ThinkWell said Elimelech,
- Posted by VettefanI’ve observed that the vast majority of the anti-Israel rhetoric is delivered by those who know little of the history of the region or the important role that Israel plays there as a democratic nation of laws. I am not Jewish, and find it astonishing that so many who claim the label here in the U.S. have no love or admiration for this historic and tough little country. They would rather that it roll over and be torn apart by the enemies that surround it.
is anyone can tell me the different between holocust and gaza killings + lebanon destruction + occupy syria + occupy jordan + occupy 96% of palestinian land?
- Posted by eddyIn addition to all of the hatred, antisemitism, and bigotry that many of the posters to this blog are posting, those who wish to bash Israel here are very misinformed. Israel stands as a beacon for democracy, tolerance, and acceptance in a boiling pot for hatred and extremism. There are many Arab citizens of Israel that enjoy the freedoms all Israeli citizens have to offer, and live peacefully with their Jewish and Christian neighbors. Due to the bombs, rockets, shootings, maiming, and kidnapping of their soldiers and citizens, Israel has had to take a tougher stand on those who perpetrate this violence; the violent Arabs (not referring to them all, just the ones who are violent), to keep their citizens safe. I invite all the posters here who believe that Israel is in the wrong to try to imagine what it would be like to be scared to walk in the street or go to the mall and be scared of being blown up. Or, better yet, imagine seeing your mother or sister in a hospital bed with shrapnel all over their bodies because the bomb that exploded only inches from them was loaded with nails to inflict maximum damage. Perhaps then you will rethink your position.
- Posted by Elimelech