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Last update - 00:00 17/05/2009
U.S. official: Obama won't present Netanyahu with new peace plan
By Barak Ravid and Natasha Mozgovaya, Haaretz Correspondents, and Haaretz Service
Tags: Netanyahu, Obama, Israel News 

United States President Barack Obama will not present Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with a new peace plan during their meeting on Monday, a senior Obama administration official said Saturday.

"As for the specific plan... [on] what is the best way to move forward, we won't define it as a specific plan on a table," the official said in press briefing ahead of Netanyahu's visit.

Netanyahu is expected to depart for Washington late Saturday night ahead of his meeting with Obama at the White House.
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The pair will meet at 10:30 A.M. Monday morning U.S. Eastern Time (5:30 P.M. Israel time), before holding a short press conference an hour-and-a-half later.

Senior administration officials also said Saturday that a Middle East peace agreement was in the national interest of the U.S.


"The meeting on Monday is a continuation of a very close relationship between the U.S. and Israel, very close friendship and cooperation on many issues," said one official.

"This is [the president's] first opportunity to take the next step to deepen and expand this cooperation. And I'm quite sure it will be the first of many such conversations."

Defense Minister Ehud Barak, meanwhile, said on Saturday that Netanyahu was ready to declare his support for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

"I believe Netanyahu is ready for a process whose end is two states for two peoples," Barak, who is also chairman of the center-left Labor party, told Channel 2.

Barak made the comments shortly before Netanyahu was to set off for the meeting with Obama in Washington, where he was likely to be asked to commit to the establishment of a Palestinian state.


The defense minister said that during the trip, "Netanyahu will tell Obama: We're willing to engage in a process whose end is a regional peace accord."

In the Channel 2 interview, Barak also downplayed Netanyahu's reluctance to support a two-state solution in the face of mounting international pressure to do so.

"The Arabs say 'two states,' I don't see a reason why Netanyahu would not say that at the end of an accord... there will be two peoples living side by side in peace and mutual respect," he said.

The defense minister reiterated that he believed it was possible to reach a peace deal with Israel's neighbors within three years; he noted, however, that it would possibly take another few years before the deal could be implemented.

Barak added: "There is a difference between doing and saying. If one could solve the conflict through statements this would have happened long ago. There was such a government - so why is there no [peace] accord?"

"What is the big difference? The real thing is that the government will be willing to make tough decisions."



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  • Netanyahu: Peace talks can begin before PA recognizes Israel as Jewish
  • Biden tells AIPAC: Israel must support two-state solution
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      1.   Barak said this? Yikes 20:10  |  S 16/05/09
      2.   netanyahu will lie 20:11  |  johnj 16/05/09
      3.   Reality check: Netanyahu doesn`t have a choice 20:27  |  Harold 16/05/09
      4.   Whose words should we ignore Baraks or Bibi 20:29  |  jim the mechanic 16/05/09
      5.   A Bitter Pill for Bibi 20:39  |  Boyd 16/05/09
      6.   Barak bables to console the dying lefty wing. 20:59  |  Joseph.E 16/05/09
      7.   The lady doth protest too much............ 21:11  |  Muslim 16/05/09
      8.   Israel has experienced men in the art of war who also have 21:12  |  Joseph.E 16/05/09
      9.   Were this true 21:12  |  Mark Lincoln`;;;; 16/05/09
      10.   Were this true then 21:13  |  Mark Lincoln 16/05/09
      11.   No more stalling, no more processes. Dismantel settlements now. 21:14  |  Hanna 16/05/09
      12.   harold 21:30  |  Brian Egger 16/05/09
      13.   2 state? 21:53  |  Donald Barnes 16/05/09
      14.   NO to Leftism 22:04  |  Brod 16/05/09
      15.   Israelis must reject politicians who support dhimmitude 22:08  |  Joseph.E 16/05/09
      16.   However are Arabs ready? 22:22  |  Baruch Gold 16/05/09
      17.   In Israel`s Best Interests. 22:23  |  Razi 16/05/09
      18.   two state solution 22:25  |  Cox 16/05/09
      19.   jim the mechanic, Bibi always supported two state solution 22:26  |  Bruce 16/05/09
      20.   Finally... 22:28  |  Gurmit Singh 16/05/09
      21.   Actually the end result will be FOUR States 22:32  |  idf_sergeant 16/05/09
      22.   One State 22:57  |  janet 16/05/09
      23.   It`s ok for Bibi to support two state solution,with an addendum-- 22:59  |  Sarah 16/05/09
      24.   Banana republic 23:08  |  Axel 16/05/09
      25.   Cox, tell me Israel`s borders... 23:15  |  BBSNews 16/05/09
      26.   #8 Joseph E 23:15  |  Chris Linthwaite 16/05/09
      27.   #20 IDF_Sargeant 23:19  |  Chris Linthwaite 16/05/09
      28.   Unelected disingeuous failure should resign 23:20  |  bernard ross 16/05/09
      29.   You Can Run, But You Cannot Hide! 23:32  |  Cool B 16/05/09
      30.   idf_sergeant / 4 states 23:40  |  ZISD 16/05/09
      31.   There will be a Palestinian State. 23:46  |  Stephen. 16/05/09
      32.   a process whose end -in another 490 years might 00:13  |  American in NY 17/05/09
      33.   idf_sergeant # 20 I Vote For The 3-State Solution 00:20  |  Jeff Northridge 17/05/09
      34.   There are already two states 00:29  |  Carlo 17/05/09
      35.   Netanyahu will accept two states-in your dreams 00:39  |  reason 17/05/09
      36.   Bibi & barak support a 1 1/2 Jewish state with 1/2 state 4 Pals 00:42  |  American in NY 17/05/09
      37.   US never had any peace plan 00:52  |  Frank 17/05/09
      38.   To janet, response #21. 01:00  |  sandra chitayat. 17/05/09
      39.   To #18 01:16  |  WHG 17/05/09
      40.   4 States? 01:18  |  Dana 17/05/09
      41.   Hold on,Hold on Boyd #5 .Just pipe down with your glee. 01:51  |  Whiskey/Bravo 17/05/09
      42.   To IDF_ sergeant#20 ...Like the number of your post: 02:00  |  Whiskey/Bravo 17/05/09
      43.   Says the U.S. official....... 02:04  |  Johnboy 17/05/09
      44.   WELL # 2: johnj ...HOPE YOU ARE RIGHT. .I CERTAINLY HOPE YOU ARE 02:05  |  Whiskey/Bravo 17/05/09
      45.   To mark Lincoln..There will be no ACTIONS I PROMISE YOU. 02:25  |  Whiskey/Bravo 17/05/09
      46.   Hey Harold #3 Netanyahu does not need the entire world.ONLY 02:29  |  Whiskey/Bravo 17/05/09
      47.   Hamas & Israel 03:50  |  Matthew_DC 17/05/09
      48.   BARAK making the work of Natenyhu more difficult ! 04:41  |  Akram Zekaria 17/05/09
      49.   A follow up to my previous post: 04:48  |  Akram Zekaria 17/05/09
      50.   Whiskey/Bravo 12:33  |  jennifer 17/05/09
      51.   idf_sergeant you overlooked the 5th state 16:40  |  American in NY 17/05/09
      52.   Stephen mon cher# 31 Your caption floored me,until I read it to 19:23  |  Whiskey/Bravo 17/05/09
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