Netanyahu meets Obama, rejects 1967 border proposal

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Friday he was prepared to make compromises to peace but he rejected President Barack Obama’s proposal that Israel return to its 1967 borders.

Obama and Netanyahu met at the White House a day after the U.S. president endorsed a longstanding Palestinian demand on the borders for their future state.

In remarks to reporters in the Oval Office, Obama said he had reiterated the principles he had laid out on Thursday.

Both men acknowledged differences between their positions.

Obama said the United States and Israel had an extraordinary bond. Netanyahu said he and Obama could still work together for peace.

Main issues discussed

The US president said that any final solution must include two states, Israel and a Palestinian state, which exist viably on each others borders.

Netanyahu said that while the refugee issue needed to be resolved, it could not be resolved within Israel’s borders.

Obama reiterated that Israel’s security would be “paramount” in any likely peace deal with the Palestinians.

In remarks to reporters in the Oval Office, Obama said he had reiterated the principles he had laid out on Thursday.

The two leaders also discussed issues relating to the recent Arab uprisings across the Middle East which has seen leaders ousted in Egypt and Tunisia.

Obama said that the two leaders discussed the protests in Syria, which is “of concern” to Israel. He said he explained to Netanyahu the steps the US is taking in regards to the situation, including sanctions against Syria and Syrian President Bashar Assad.

The two leaders also discussed Iran and the dangers presented by its possible procurement of nuclear weapons.

The US president said that he discussed with Netanyahu Iranian “hypocracy,” saying that while Iran supports of democratization processes in the Middle East, the Islamic Republic also actively clamps down on anti-government opposition on its own soil.

Distrust

President Obama has reportedly told aides and allies that he does not believe that Netanyahu will ever be willing to make the kind of big concessions that will lead to a peace deal.

Netanyahu has reportedly complained that Obama has pushed Israel too far — a point driven home during a furious phone call with Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on Thursday morning, just hours before Obama’s speech, during which the prime minister reacted angrily to the president’s plan to endorse Israel’s pre-1967 borders for a future Palestinian state.

Netanyahu, his close associates say, desperately wants Obama to use the diplomatic muscle of the United States to protect Israel from the United Nations General Assembly vote on Palestinian statehood in September not only by vetoing it in the Security Council, but also by leaning hard on America’s European allies to get them to reject it as well.

Obama has reportedly indicated that he will certainly do the first. But it remains unclear how far Obama can go to persuade Britain, France and other American allies to join the United States in rejecting the move, particularly as long as Netanyahu continues to resist endorsing the pre-1967 lines.

“Their relationship is correct at best,” said Judith Kipper, director of Middle East programs at the Institute of World Affairs. Netanyahu “likes the status quo, and he particularly identifies with the conservative Republicans.”

msnbc, NYT

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Comments

30 responses to “Netanyahu meets Obama, rejects 1967 border proposal”

  1. Look at the picture…like a happily married couple…
    hahhahahhhaha 

    1. Amine123 Avatar
      Amine123

      unholy matromony 

  2. Look at the picture…like a happily married couple…
    hahhahahhhaha 

    1. Amine123 Avatar
      Amine123

      unholy matromony 

  3. Look at the picture…like a happily married couple…
    hahhahahhhaha 

    1.  Avatar
      Anonymous

      unholy matromony 

  4. kareemthehippy Avatar
    kareemthehippy

     Nobody has anything bad to say about Netanyahu then? Shame on all of you. We can all criticize Hezbollah (AND RIGHTLY SO) , but we can’t criticize Netanyahu, who violates human rights and doesn’t put any effort for peace if it doesn’t mean having Gaza as an open-air prison, and the West Bank being home of illegal settlements.

    This is just pure BS 

    1. eblashko Avatar
      eblashko

      Your comparison doesn’t hold. Palestinians are much more dangerous and hostile towards us Israelis than Lebanese people are towards Hezbollah. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t like Netanyahu at all, but I don’t like him because his refusal to make peace with the Palestinians, not because of his methods of protecting me from them. 

      The Labor and Kadima governments Barak, Sharon, and Olmert (and hopefully soon Livni) pursued peace through negotiations while at the same time protecting us from suicide bombs and Gazan rockets. They had a vision for the end of the conflict. Netanyahu only has a vision for staying in office. Hopefully that vision won’t be realized.

      1. kareemthehippy Avatar
        kareemthehippy

         If Israel ceased its human rights/international law violations, then you wouldn’t have to deal with such dangers.  If you want me to remind you of what they are, I would be MORE than happy to do so. 

        My comparison does hold, because Hezbollah has the potential of destabilizing lebanon and turning it into complete chaos once again.  At least you guys can level cities whenever you feel like youre facing with some security problems. 

        Peace? Oslo Accords and Camp David II were complete nonsense.  It’s simple white-washing, and Yaser Arafat did not agree to these for the benefit of the Palestinian people. Hamas wouldn’t do any better, but they would not have been elected if Gaza was not the world’s largest open-air prison.

      2. kareemthehippy Avatar
        kareemthehippy

         If Israel ceased its human rights/international law violations, then you wouldn’t have to deal with such dangers.  If you want me to remind you of what they are, I would be MORE than happy to do so. 

        My comparison does hold, because Hezbollah has the potential of destabilizing lebanon and turning it into complete chaos once again.  At least you guys can level cities whenever you feel like youre facing with some security problems. 

        Peace? Oslo Accords and Camp David II were complete nonsense.  It’s simple white-washing, and Yaser Arafat did not agree to these for the benefit of the Palestinian people. Hamas wouldn’t do any better, but they would not have been elected if Gaza was not the world’s largest open-air prison.

    2. antar2011 Avatar
      antar2011

      both were taught in the same school…but in different languages.one in hebrew, the other in persian. 

      1. kareemthehippy Avatar
        kareemthehippy

        Truth!  

    3. antar2011 Avatar
      antar2011

      both were taught in the same school…but in different languages.one in hebrew, the other in persian. 

  5.  Avatar
    Anonymous

     Nobody has anything bad to say about Netanyahu then? Shame on all of you. We can all criticize Hezbollah (AND RIGHTLY SO) , but we can’t criticize Netanyahu, who violates human rights and doesn’t put any effort for peace if it doesn’t mean having Gaza as an open-air prison, and the West Bank being home of illegal settlements.

    This is just pure BS 

    1.  Avatar
      Anonymous

      Palestinians are much more dangerous and hostile towards Israelis than Hezbollah is towards Lebanese people. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t like Netanyahu at all, but because his refusal to make peace with the Palestinians, not because of his methods of protecting me from them. 

      The Labor and Kadima governments Barak, Sharon, and Olmert (and hopefully soon Livni) pursued peace while at the same time protecting us from Gazan rockets. They had a vision for the end of the conflict. Netanyahu only has a vision for staying on office. 

    2.  Avatar
      Anonymous

      both were taught in the same school…but in different languages.one in hebrew, the other in persian. 

      1.  Avatar
        Anonymous

        Truth!  

    3.  Avatar
      Anonymous

      both were taught in the same school…but in different languages.one in hebrew, the other in persian. 

  6. kareemthehippy Avatar
    kareemthehippy

     I’m disappointed that my response against @eblashko:disqus  was not placed. I did not use any form of racist/abusive language, and only was engaging in fair discussion/debate with a fellow political enthusiast who seeks for a better society.  I find this unfair 

    1. eblashko Avatar
      eblashko

      Write it again, man. I’m curious to see what you wrote.

  7. kareemthehippy Avatar
    kareemthehippy

     I’m disappointed that my response against @eblashko:disqus  was not placed. I did not use any form of racist/abusive language, and only was engaging in fair discussion/debate with a fellow political enthusiast who seeks for a better society.  I find this unfair 

  8.  Avatar
    Anonymous

     I’m disappointed that my response against @eblashko:disqus  was not placed. I did not use any form of racist/abusive language, and only was engaging in fair discussion/debate with a fellow political enthusiast who seeks for a better society.  I find this unfair 

    1.  Avatar
      Anonymous

      Write it again, man. I’m curious to see what you wrote.

  9. But why rejected President Barack Obama’s proposal that Israel return to its 1967 borders.What’s reason, If Israel do that then I think it is good for both country.

  10. But why rejected President Barack Obama’s proposal that Israel return to its 1967 borders.What’s reason, If Israel do that then I think it is good for both country.

  11. Amine123 Avatar
    Amine123

    The last US Presidents and Oslo treaty all declared 1967 lines are the borders to start peace talks, Netanyahu is a hard liner and Abbas is a weak President both will not achieve any real peace in the region.
    It’s time for Abbas to quit and it’s time for IUSA to take a hard line against so called ally.
    They imprisoned 4 million Palestinian surrounded by concrete walls, they kicked 2 million out of the country while the Arab so called Leaders killing their own people to stay in power. For 50 years every dictator in the Arab world used Palestine to divert their own people from the real issue, do you wonder why Israel want Assad to stay in power, or why HA or Hamas still existing and Iran dictatorship. They are good for Israel.

    1. UN is the World Governing Body let us obide by their laws 

  12. Amine123 Avatar
    Amine123

    The last US Presidents and Oslo treaty all declared 1967 lines are the borders to start peace talks, Netanyahu is a hard liner and Abbas is a weak President both will not achieve any real peace in the region.
    It’s time for Abbas to quit and it’s time for IUSA to take a hard line against so called ally.
    They imprisoned 4 million Palestinian surrounded by concrete walls, they kicked 2 million out of the country while the Arab so called Leaders killing their own people to stay in power. For 50 years every dictator in the Arab world used Palestine to divert their own people from the real issue, do you wonder why Israel want Assad to stay in power, or why HA or Hamas still existing and Iran dictatorship. They are good for Israel.

  13.  Avatar
    Anonymous

    The last US Presidents and Oslo treaty all declared 1967 lines are the borders to start peace talks, Netanyahu is a hard liner and Abbas is a weak President both will not achieve any real peace in the region.
    It’s time for Abbas to quit and it’s time for IUSA to take a hard line against so called ally.
    They imprisoned 4 million Palestinian surrounded by concrete walls, they kicked 2 million out of the country while the Arab so called Leaders killing their own people to stay in power. For 50 years every dictator in the Arab world used Palestine to divert their own people from the real issue, do you wonder why Israel want Assad to stay in power, or why HA or Hamas still existing and Iran dictatorship. They are good for Israel.

    1. UN is the World Governing Body let us obide by their laws 

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