Obama invites defiant Netanyahu for talks
Israel rebuffs US demand to halt settlement construction
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu welcoming with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon (left) during a meeting in Jerusalem yesterday. Photo: Jim Hollander/AFP.
US President Barack Obama yesterday invited Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to meet him at the White House, even as the Israeli leader rebuffed a key US demand to halt settlement construction in east Jerusalem.
The invitation for tomorrow's meeting to discuss Middle East peace efforts was handed to Mr Netanyahu by Mr Obama's Middle East envoy George Mitchell at the start of a meeting yesterday, Mr Netanyahu's office said.
Mr Netanyahu is meeting US officials and Jewish leaders in Washington.
Earlier, Mr Netanyahu vowed there would be no halt to settlement building in east Jerusalem, but in an apparent concession to the US, he said Israel was willing to widen the scope of planned indirect talks with the Palestinians.
His comments on settlements were quickly denounced by Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas as unhelpful to attempts to restart talks. Mr Abbas also condemned the recent killing of four Palestinians in the West Bank by Israeli forces.
"Our policy on Jerusalem is the same as all previous governments of Israel for the last 42 years, it has not changed," Mr Netanyahu said ahead of yesterday's weekly Cabinet meeting.
"As far as we are concerned building in Jerusalem is the same as building in Tel Aviv and this is something we have made very clear to the US administration."
The hardline premier said he had spelled out his position in a letter to US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who had demanded a series of Israeli steps to end a crisis over settlement-building in the Holy City.
Israel and the US have been at loggerheads for the past two weeks after the Jewish state announced plans to build 1,600 new homes for settlers in east Jerusalem during a visit by US Vice President Joe Biden.
Mr Netanyahu's office said he had suggested "mutual confidence-building measures" that could be carried out by Israel and the Palestinians.
He also said yesterday that Israel had agreed that all issues could be discussed at planned indirect - or "proximity" - talks that were delayed by the settlement row, reportedly another US demand.
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William P Flynn
Mar 22nd 2010, 10:49
"Our policy on Jerusalem is the same as all previous governments of Israel for the last 42 years, it has not changed," Mr Netanyahu said ahead of yesterday's weekly Cabinet meeting.
Israeli policy may not have changed but the world began to see Israel differently in recent years especially since 9/11.
People, especially Americans are asking questions like, "Why are Europeans, Americans, Australians, Canadians now in the same pickle as Israel was 40 years ago?"
Americans were a loved people welcomed all over the world; now they have to look over their shoulders all the time wherever they go.
Why are Europeans, Americans, Australians etc dying? Why are our airports unsafe? Why do we have to be scanned at a football ground?"
And more and more people are arriving at the answer......Israel.
Maybe President Obama will give Mr N a message; perhaps an offer he can't refuse.
M. Cassar
Mar 22nd 2010, 13:18
In his book ‘the roots of Middle East conflict’ Mr. Margalit says: ‘"This is not an internal conflict. You [the EU] are part of this conflict," he added. "I am talking about terrorism. I am talking about another London, about the clash of civilisations. The clash of civilisations started in Jerusalem and it will end in Jerusalem," Mr Margalit said, referring to the tube bombing in the UK capital in 2005.’ http://euobserver.com/9/29089/?rk=1 My point, the creation of Israel (a border less country for so many decades) per se makes Israel a no country and more like an ugly accident in history. Unless an agreement on two states solution is reached and the victim of the victims of the Holocaust gets their occupied lands back, talking about peace and most importantly security will remain an illusion! By the way Mr Margalit is a Jew (not a Zionist)
Please choose the reason of your report below: