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Last update - 08:25 09/06/2009
Netanyahu convinced Obama seeks clash with Israel to appease Arabs
By Aluf Benn
Tags: Benjamin Netanyahu 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu believes that U.S. President Barack Obama wants a confrontation with Israel, based on Obama's speech in Cairo last week, Netanyahu's confidants say.

In Netanyahu's opinion, the Americans believe an open controversy with Israel would serve the Obama administration's main objective of improving U.S. relations with the Arab world, the aides say.

In his speech, Obama called for a "new beginning" in relations between America and Islam, and spoke at length about the Israeli-Arab conflict.
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He demanded that Israel recognize the Palestinians' right to a state and freeze construction in the West Bank settlements.

Netanyahu objects to a complete suspension of construction beyond the Green Line. This is Netanyahu's main bone of contention with the Obama administration.

Netanyahu expects Obama to present his plan for peace in the Middle East next month. He fears that the president will present positions that will not be easy for Israel to accept, such as a demand to withdraw to the lines of June 4, 1967. These lines, before the Six-Day War, are at the basis of both the Arab peace initiative and previous American presidents' peace forays.

By telephone yesterday, Netanyahu told Obama of his intention to give a key policy speech on Sunday, in which he would outline his policy to achieve peace and security. Obama promised to listen to the address closely, and the two "agreed to maintain open and continuous contact," the Prime Minister's Bureau said.

Today Netanyahu is to meet the special U.S. envoy to the Middle East, George Mitchell.

Political sources close to Netanyahu say that White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel and Obama's senior political consultant David Axelrod are behind the clash between the administration and Israel.

Israel historically has depended on the White House to balance the consensus of officials in the state and defense departments; this consensus usually leans toward the Arab side.

Israeli officials say that under Obama, the White House has become the main problem in relations.

Israel is also having difficulty mustering the support of Congress and the American Jewish community for its demand to continue expanding the settlements.

Defense Minister Ehud Barak, who visited Washington last week, says the Obama administration has no personal problem with Netanyahu and that the Americans do not not seek to undermine the Israeli coalition and topple the government.

Barak says Obama's positions are guided by strategic considerations - he has undertaken to withdraw from Iraq and is striving to end the war in Afghanistan and needs the moderate Arab states' support. This, rather than "political persecution," is behind the administration's attitude toward Israel, he says.

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      1.   Duh! 02:53  |  Steve 09/06/09
      2.   There you have it--Israel had best take a deal 02:56  |  Labhras 09/06/09
      3.   believe me mr.PM we don`t need annoy more settlements 02:56  |  henyek hirshsohn 09/06/09
      4.   Deja Vu 03:01  |  Lagunan 09/06/09
      5.   Gotta love those "political sources"... 03:04  |  BBSNews 09/06/09
      6.   BIBI... 03:04  |  Ed 09/06/09
      7.   Obama: It`s not personal, just business.. 03:10  |  Martin P 09/06/09
      8.   A desperate man 03:10  |  Mark Lincoln 09/06/09
      9.   Want any cheese with that whine? 03:13  |  Aphemia 09/06/09
      10.   Bibi So Mistaken 03:21  |  Ed 09/06/09
      11.   Bibi seems more mature and tougher this time around. 03:28  |  JMK 09/06/09
      12.   Do as Obama wants. 03:30  |  John 09/06/09
      13.   Paranoia no substitute for policy 03:32  |  Bronxite10 09/06/09
      14.   I know how Binyamin feels 03:33  |  Samuel Prime 09/06/09
      15.   Oh, poor, poor Netanyahu 03:38  |  Giora Meir 09/06/09
      16.   we are looking for all illegal activities to stop 03:39  |  ah duh? 09/06/09
      17.   One could percieve at this time Ehud Barak is acting more like 03:46  |  Sarah 09/06/09
      18.   This is not the United States of America and Israel 03:51  |  American in NY 09/06/09
      19.   I support Bibi. Where do I sign up? 03:53  |  Humble Jew 09/06/09
      20.   YOU BETTER BELIEVE IT 04:01  |  indrajaya 09/06/09
      21.   Israelis - Relax 04:03  |  Paul 09/06/09
      22.   Tough Love 04:06  |  Chet 09/06/09
      23.   Netanyahu absolutely correct! 04:11  |  Le Corbeau 09/06/09
      24.   PM thinks Obama wants policy clash w-Israel to Please Arab World 04:19  |  Akram Zekaria 09/06/09
      25.   Got to give Livini credit for avoiding the trap Netanyahu fell in 04:27  |  lydia 09/06/09
      26.   Speech 04:31  |  Iain 09/06/09
      27.   Bibi: Think Long Term, Settlement Growth Is Not A Big Deal 04:40  |  Robert 09/06/09
      28.   Obama doesn`t want a confrontation with Israel 04:41  |  Natallie Durson 09/06/09
      29.   It`s OK, Obama need more Arabs support and used it for Israel 04:55  |  good news 09/06/09
      30.   Building beyond the green line? 05:12  |  betz55 09/06/09
      31.   Obama`s motivation 05:17  |  Steve 09/06/09
      32.   Give Peace a Chance 05:19  |  Issa Dadoush 09/06/09
      33.   obama...return to June 4, 67` 05:30  |  abraham cohen 09/06/09
      34.   If it looks like a duck, and quacks like a duck... 05:33  |  Rod 09/06/09
      35.   Clash 05:36  |  TC 09/06/09
      36.   There wouldn`t be a clash if we`d be negotiating ... 05:48  |  Smadar 09/06/09
      37.   Good for Obama! 05:49  |  Jon 09/06/09
      38.   Israel communication problem 05:53  |  Mike 09/06/09
      39.   Netanyahu doesn`t get it! 05:57  |  David Silver 09/06/09
      40.   Sooner or later 06:01  |  Jorge 09/06/09
      41.   The obvious solution 06:05  |  Jordan 09/06/09
      42.   Maybe us, non-religious Israeli-Americans will be interned... 06:13  |  S 09/06/09
      43.   Good grief, why is Bibi so confused? 06:17  |  Mr. Red 09/06/09
      44.   What will they think of next! How about P E A C E? 06:18  |  Ivar 09/06/09
      45.   The obvious solution part II 06:19  |  John E. Smoke 09/06/09
      46.   Wrong, Bibi 06:32  |  MarkC 09/06/09
      47.   BIBI CAN SOLVE PROBLEM 07:28  |  Mark of Lewiston 09/06/09
      48.   Obama is merely following what Abba Ebban signed in Res. 242 07:32  |  Wedi Mendefera 09/06/09
      49.   Short sighty ed just to please Arabs 07:33  |  Hanzi Lai 09/06/09
      50.   Bibi 07:33  |  Ed 09/06/09
      51.   Netanyahu - more dangerous than I imagined 07:41  |  Leslie 09/06/09
      52.   I think this a record, Except for Akram, everyone agrees... 07:47  |  BBSNews 09/06/09
      53.   PEACE 07:54  |  GIdon Reichstein 09/06/09
      54.   BBS, you hit it on the head 07:58  |  Abu Firas Al Qudsi 09/06/09
      55.   to # 6 07:59  |  Dragon 09/06/09
      56.   White House Not the Problem 08:06  |  Bill 09/06/09
      57.   Be Of Good Courage 08:11  |  crlman 09/06/09
      58.   Paul # 21 08:26  |  Philippe 09/06/09
      59.   Bibi seeks clash with Obama to appease Settlers... 08:44  |  JustMe 09/06/09
      60.   clash with israel to appease Arabs 08:50  |  Nathan 09/06/09
      61.   It`s the easiest way out for Bibi... (2nd try) 08:53  |  Esther 09/06/09
      62.   Counting on eternal friendship from a superpower 09:43  |  PARIS 09/06/09
      63.   Well, what are the Arabs offering? 10:06  |  No Dope 09/06/09
      64.   #62, PARIS 10:17  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 09/06/09
      65.   #47, Mark of Lewiston 10:24  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 09/06/09
      66.   Wrong, Obama doesn`t wanna appease the Arabs....... 10:42  |  Swiss (Dino) 09/06/09
      67.   Akram Zekaria 11:19  |  arik 09/06/09
      68.   Cipora 11:24  |  arik 09/06/09
      69.   Help me understand please 11:27  |  Reza 09/06/09
      70.   #.66.Dino. Not quite right. Almost yet heres a... 11:33  |  Stephen. 09/06/09
      71.   U.S Clash - nothing could be better for Israel 11:43  |  DT 09/06/09
      72.   All the fuss is about ONE POINT FIVE Percent of the area 12:19  |  settler babe 09/06/09
      73.   Obama looks at small faults: 1.5^% of Y))SH 12:21  |  Settler babe 09/06/09
      74.   USA invariably seeked clash with Arabs to appease Israel 12:25  |  UK 09/06/09
      75.   Dino (Swiss) is right 12:29  |  Dr D 09/06/09
      76.   Gaza was a trainwreck for neo-Zionism 12:37  |  Solow 09/06/09
      77.   IVAR re P E A C E Where does the Pal govt accept it? 12:37  |  PETER SM 09/06/09
      78.   notice a radical change Arab vs Iran vs IsraeL? 12:54  |  Jeff 09/06/09
      79.   Does that mean 12:58  |  Chris Linthwaite 09/06/09
      80.   clash 14:19  |  L. 09/06/09
      81.   What went wrong? 15:27  |  Solow 09/06/09
      82.   Look! I hit my foot. 15:29  |  WHG 09/06/09
      83.   Nathan #60, don`t trust him. 15:31  |  zeev 09/06/09
      84.   Clash with future settlers and supporters 17:46  |  American 09/06/09
      85.   #62 Paris, do you jest, Lieberman????!!! 18:11  |  ballistic 09/06/09
      86.   to No Dope #63 19:10  |  zeev 09/06/09
      87.   OBAMA IS A GREATER EXISTENTIAL THREAT TO ISRAEL THAN IRAN 21:47  |  Shmuel ben Gedaliah 09/06/09
      88.   Nonsense - finally race neutral 22:00  |  Don Boston 09/06/09
      89.   obama people 22:28  |  agokoy 09/06/09
      90.   Mike, very good point 22:31  |  Cosmo 09/06/09
      91.   To Reza in London@69 Very Confusing ISN`T IT? 00:53  |  Whiskey/Bravo 10/06/09
      92.   Swiss (Dino) 666 00:56  |  Philippe 10/06/09
      93.   settler babe does baby math #73 01:40  |  M.Ath 10/06/09
      94.   No Debate 02:22  |  Iain 10/06/09
      95.   aT LEAST CURIOUS... 02:32  |  JOSE MARCIO 10/06/09
      96.   To Shmuel ben Gedalia@87 OBAMA IS A GREATEREXISTENTIALTHREATTOISR 02:59  |  KATHY 10/06/09
      97.   Obama`s sellout in the making 03:10  |  Alan 10/06/09
      98.   The PM vrs Obama 04:02  |  Violet 10/06/09
      99.   NO PALESTINIAN TERROR STATE 04:20  |  Nechama 10/06/09
      100.   Netanyahu`s Fears 10:18  |  Anthony 10/06/09
      101.   # 99 Nechama 10:51  |  maoriboy 10/06/09
      102.   is this REALLY an "elected" leader?! (3rd try) 04:43  |  eric 11/06/09
      103.   #102 Right on, Eric, right on!!!! 18:00  |  ballistic 11/06/09
      104.   Enough hypocrisy 19:28  |  Mike 11/06/09
      105.   Eric - How about "Our Elected Leader" OBAMA 23:27  |  *BEN JABO 11/06/09
      106.   obama`s doing a great job on mideast policy! 06:28  |  eric 12/06/09
      107.   to S. ben Gedaliah #87 - 6th try 08:50  |  zeev 12/06/09
      108.   *BEN JABO #104 09:16  |  zeev 12/06/09
      109.   2ND TRY ZEEV - Beersheva 18:48  |  *BEN JABO 13/06/09
      110.   to *BEN JABO #109 - 2nd try 13:07  |  zeev 14/06/09
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