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Last update - 04:48 31/05/2009
ANALYSIS / Congress gives Obama green light to squeeze Israel
By Aluf Benn
Tags: Israel News, Barack Obama 

United States President Barack Obama lays out long-term visionary goals, such as Middle East peace, but he moves with political pragmatism in advancing them. This is as true of his domestic and economic objectives as it is of his complex approach to Israel.

His statements are carefully tailored to the measure of Congress' support for Israel. Congressional representatives are committed to preserving Israel's security and dealing with Iran, but do not support strengthening the settlements. So Obama stresses his support for Israel's security, but is willing to confront Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the settlements.

This strategy, echoed in every statement by administration officials about the Middle East, was probably formulated by White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel. Obama reiterated it at his meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at the White House on Thursday. Obama demanded that the Palestinians stop their incitement against Israel and said he would not talk to Hamas until it recognizes Israel. Congress supports these positions strongly, but they have a price. On the eve of Obama's "reconciliation" speech to the Muslim world in Cairo, scheduled for this Thursday, he has one main demand from Israel - stop the settlements. That was his little gift to the Arab world.
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The U.S. administration understands this demand as the total suspension of construction in the settlements and the evacuation of the illegal outposts. Netanyahu is willing to evacuate the outposts but insists on building to accommodate "natural growth" on the basis of the understandings reached with former president George W. Bush: construction within built-up areas in settlements beyond the separation fence, expanding settlement blocs inside the barrier beyond the built-up area and unlimited construction in Jewish neighborhoods in East Jerusalem.

Obama insists on a complete halt in construction. He is not bound by Bush-era understandings. A State Department spokesman hinted that Obama is also not bound by the "Bush letter" to Sharon of April 2004. The letter, seen as recognition of a future annexation of settlement blocs to Israel, was given in exchange for the disengagement from the Gaza Strip and northern Samaria.

Netanyahu sent a dovish member of his cabinet, Ehud Barak, to the U.S. to explain that a total construction freeze was neither practical nor moral - in other words, the world will have to accept the settlements and their development as faits accomplis. If even Barak says so, there is no chance of the Israeli political system accepting the freeze.

The Americans are insisting that Israel must deliver on its commitment in the road map to a halt in all settlement construction.

Netanyahu faces a difficult dilemma, whose outcome will also affect his coalition's fate. He does not have too many cards to play with, but realizes he must give the Americans something. In the coming weeks he will try to concoct a formula that will keep his coalition and party intact, and satisfy Obama as well.

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  • Israel rebuffs U.S. call for total settlement freeze
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      1.   "not fair" 03:58  |  sam 31/05/09
      2.   Were you laughing when you wrote that? 04:05  |  Barack Obama 31/05/09
      3.   Obama the hypocrite 04:17  |  Sanders 31/05/09
      4.   Congress also gave obama ok to eliminate US civil rights 04:40  |  Arie 31/05/09
      5.   Arf, arf 04:53  |  Chrisona 31/05/09
      6.   Americans support 2 state solution 04:57  |  LisaV 31/05/09
      7.   Analysis: If this is true 04:59  |  Mark Lincoln 31/05/09
      8.   Wait until La Raza Removes his American Settlements 05:02  |  UsedToPostHere 31/05/09
      9.   Bye bye to the "exchange of letters" Bibi... 05:05  |  BBSNews 31/05/09
      10.   THE PARTY`S OVER... 05:21  |  Ed 31/05/09
      11.   Democrats In The World Arena? 05:28  |  crlman 31/05/09
      12.   Time for a retreat 05:34  |  Shimon Cleopas 31/05/09
      13.   Yer going down, Bibi 05:43  |  Johnboy 31/05/09
      14.   What he going to do if Israel say no 05:43  |  Jason 31/05/09
      15.   Obama is the death knell for Israel 06:00  |  Scott L. Havsy 31/05/09
      16.   speeding up the messiah 06:07  |  Robert 31/05/09
      17.   Impass Suggestion 06:11  |  Jasper 31/05/09
      18.   You write: Bibi realizes he has to give the US something. WHY? 06:31  |  Jake 31/05/09
      19.   The nice thing about being in a parallel universe. 07:06  |  Bernie 31/05/09
      20.   Obama,the UN,Iran+allies,etc.vs Israel 07:56  |  Chaym Acharit 31/05/09
      21.   Israel can say "No" 08:03  |  DT 31/05/09
      22.   Denial 08:03  |  Iain 31/05/09
      23.   Questionable Judgement. 08:11  |  Bazmann 31/05/09
      24.   Yes, reality is here! 08:31  |  no more settlements 31/05/09
      25.   sam actually hamas did try and does support 2 state solution 09:30  |  muslim-- 31/05/09
      26.   Two States Solution 09:42  |  Taha Mokhtar 31/05/09
      27.   A hard rains gonna fall 10:20  |  Bruce 31/05/09
      28.   How is it not possible to stop construction? 10:23  |  David 31/05/09
      29.   some illegal settlements? 10:27  |  the only 31/05/09
      30.   Reality 10:32  |  leo 31/05/09
      31.   Bibi way back then declared publicly that israel doesn`t need aid 10:37  |  anyone? 31/05/09
      32.   THE CHICKENS ARE COMING HOME TO ROOST 10:54  |  B`galil 31/05/09
      33.   Squeezing (liquidating) the Settlements is the price of peace 10:58  |  Ivar 31/05/09
      34.   4 11:01  |  tool 31/05/09
      35.   Don`t worry, the Arabs are coming. 11:17  |  Gilad 31/05/09
      36.   Our folly, Israel`s survival... 11:17  |  dom youngross 31/05/09
      37.   to jake 11:20  |  mark 31/05/09
      38.   American demands 11:25  |  Natallie Durson 31/05/09
      39.   I bet liberal Jews are smiling now 11:31  |  Gregor 31/05/09
      40.   our main stupidity 11:51  |  amihai 31/05/09
      41.   Moreover, Ed #10... the "understandings" with Bush... 11:53  |  Esther 31/05/09
      42.   These articles are inciting anger and hate 12:23  |  Sunday 31/05/09
      43.   Isnt it amazing that those advoting for Israel resistance 12:29  |  Sunday 31/05/09
      44.   Congress, Obama, and hillary are going to squeeze Netanyahu? 12:37  |  ameneyman 31/05/09
      45.   Stop Settlements? Stop Israel 12:39  |  Shmuel 31/05/09
      46.   Jake #18: because Israel`s existence depends 100% on US goodwill 12:51  |  Paul 31/05/09
      47.   #26, GREGOR OF CANADA, your a nut 12:57  |  VIPER 31/05/09
      48.   gregor, you are a genious 13:20  |  amos 31/05/09
      49.   Over the Israeli settlements in the west bank, I see civil war. 13:24  |  Erastus CoupeDeVille 31/05/09
      50.   to dom youngross #24 13:32  |  zeev 31/05/09
      51.   why all the fuss from the posters? 13:36  |  richelle 31/05/09
      52.   Good on Obama. Settlements need to stop. 13:37  |  richelle 31/05/09
      53.   OBAMA IS 10 TIMES STRONGER THAN CLINTON 13:58  |  indrajaya 31/05/09
      54.   Israel`s Security is not rooted in the settlements 14:14  |  Johan Odin 31/05/09
      55.   In our hearts, we American support one state 14:16  |  Janet 31/05/09
      56.   LaRaza 14:17  |  Janet 31/05/09
      57.   Obama Demands Israel Settlement Freeze 14:51  |  Greg 31/05/09
      58.   Supporting Israel security and objecting to the settlements 14:58  |  Dr Regina N. 31/05/09
      59.   The squeeze 15:03  |  Joe 31/05/09
      60.   re:mark 15:04  |  UsedToPostHere 31/05/09
      61.   # 26 gregor 15:05  |  Axel 31/05/09
      62.   Obama`s politics 15:16  |  Rabbi Ashkenazi 31/05/09
      63.   re:Janet 15:16  |  UsedToPostHere 31/05/09
      64.   betrayal 15:21  |  oz 31/05/09
      65.   we believe in change 15:29  |  danish 31/05/09
      66.   foreign aide 15:39  |  marty 31/05/09
      67.   charm offensive 15:56  |  oz 31/05/09
      68.   Lincoln as usual has no perspective on the truth#1 16:02  |  Arie 31/05/09
      69.   Lincoln as usual has no perspective on the truth#2 16:06  |  Arie 31/05/09
      70.   Lincoln as usual has no perspective on the truth#3 16:13  |  Arie 31/05/09
      71.   Time is running out 16:16  |  Lucee 31/05/09
      72.   Only a fraction of American aid to Israel is commonly known 16:17  |  Natallie Durson 31/05/09
      73.   Change if here ... hooray 16:18  |  Lucee 31/05/09
      74.   to #21, DT 16:24  |  juge 31/05/09
      75.   Obama not bound by Quisling letters 16:27  |  W 31/05/09
      76.   BBSnews - Bye, bye to your alleged following 16:29  |  *BEN JABO 31/05/09
      77.   Obama is doing Israel a favour 16:32  |  ezzat tamimi 31/05/09
      78.   Barak Hussein Obama 16:44  |  Chris Linthwaite 31/05/09
      79.   to Gregor #26 - 2nd try 16:49  |  zeev 31/05/09
      80.   #40 Joe - The squeeze 16:50  |  Gully Foyle 31/05/09
      81.   Yes to new settlements .. 16:54  |  Gully Foyle 31/05/09
      82.   #56, 57, 58 Arie giving his perspective of the truth 17:06  |  Chris Linthwaite 31/05/09
      83.   us aid 17:13  |  oz 31/05/09
      84.   Settlements are, after all, theft of land 17:13  |  Mitch 31/05/09
      85.   Smiling liberals 17:13  |  Ed 31/05/09
      86.   W: "obama not bound?" If that is true 17:23  |  Arie 31/05/09
      87.   to Johnboy!! 17:31  |  Zvi 31/05/09
      88.   congress 17:31  |  ehud 31/05/09
      89.   ANALYSIS / Congress gives Obama green light to squeeze Israel 17:34  |  Cliff 31/05/09
      90.   The policy is not right because its anti-Israel 17:53  |  Sunday 31/05/09
      91.   fair solution 17:55  |  tonny 31/05/09
      92.   Cliif, explain how you can steal land in California? 18:31  |  BBSNews 31/05/09
      93.   Havsy-# 15 Israel, not Obama is responsible for Israels situatio 18:34  |  American in NY 31/05/09
      94.   Squatters are anti-Israel :"Sunday"... 18:35  |  BBSNews 31/05/09
      95.   Obama 18:42  |  Jack Cipilinski 31/05/09
      96.   what are they thinking... 18:52  |  jim 31/05/09
      97.   BBSnews.nut Calif. was stolen from Mexico 18:54  |  *BEN JABO 31/05/09
      98.   BBSnews.nut 18:55  |  *BEN JABO 31/05/09
      99.   Rahm Emanuel, I salute You 19:10  |  ari 31/05/09
      100.   To all who suggest that Israel can say No. 19:18  |  n_erber 31/05/09
      101.   no land for peace 19:23  |  johnson 31/05/09
      102.   Chris:In some way I appreciate your candor 19:29  |  Arie 31/05/09
      103.   Ya gotta admire the Zionists 19:30  |  tad chase 31/05/09
      104.   re: n_erber 19:32  |  UsedToPostHere 31/05/09
      105.   bbsn 19:57  |  bar kochva 31/05/09
      106.   #96..keep drinking that same `Dead Sea Water` (End) 20:09  |  Edithann 31/05/09
      107.   Palestinians 20:10  |  Dave 31/05/09
      108.   To 98. 20:10  |  n_erber 31/05/09
      109.   Israel is no bargaining chip for the Islamic World 20:11  |  Rodney Dezarn 31/05/09
      110.   regime change 20:12  |  oz 31/05/09
      111.   obama and Israel 20:19  |  Alexander 31/05/09
      112.   money for peace plan not israel 20:38  |  marty 31/05/09
      113.   For #73 W - The Bush Letter 20:39  |  chet 31/05/09
      114.   Settlements 22:12  |  Jerry 31/05/09
      115.   America is not squeezing Israel; it is simply refusing to support 00:08  |  American in NY 01/06/09
      116.   pay for performance 15:44  |  marty 01/06/09
      117.   #113 Chet - The chattering chimp 17:51  |  *BEN JABO 01/06/09
      118.   #117 Ben Jabo, the clueless. 22:17  |  ballistic 01/06/09
      119.   Netanyahu boxed in 02:27  |  Gully Foyle 02/06/09
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