'U.S. told Palestinians it would consider allowing UN censure of Israel'
Mitchell's deputy gave Palestinians assurances in bid to draw them into peace talks, says The Guardian.
By Haaretz Service Tags: Barack Obama Israel newsThe Obama administration would consider allowing the United Nations Security Council to censure Israel over its activity in West Bank settlements in order to encourage the Palestinians to participate in peace talks, a Palestinian source told The Guardian on Friday.
According to the source, U.S. special Mideast envoy George Mitchell's deputy, David Hale, told Abbas that the Obama administration views Israeli construction in East Jerusalem as "provocative."
Hale reportedly promised Abbas that the U.S. would consider allowing a Security Council condemnation should such activity continue at a significant level - though he did not clarify what the Obama administration considered significant.
This assurance would mean a U.S. abstention on any resolution, rather than a veto, said The Guardian.
Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat flatly denied the report. It's not true," Erekat said. "We are still talking to the Americans."
Meanwhile, senior Israeli officials told Haaretz on Thursday that Obama told several European leaders that if Israeli-Palestinian talks remain stalemated into September or October, he will convene an international summit on achieving Mideast peace.
The officials said the conference would be run by the Quartet of Middle East peacemakers - the United States, European Union, United Nations and Russia - in a bid to forge a united global front for creating a Palestinian state. The summit, they said, would address such core issues as borders, security arrangements, Palestinian refugees and the status of Jerusalem.
The London-based Al-Quds Al-Arabi reported on Friday that Syria is opposed to the Palestinians returning to the negotiating table, because "Israel has not made enough gestures of good faith, and in light of the fact that senior officials in Israel have been sounding threats against Damascus and Beirut.
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Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas |
| Photo by: (AP) |
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Bibi needs to know that america cannot shelter the bad boy for ever. All BIBI needs to do is to accept , just like PMs Ariel Sharon and Ehud Barak said, that there is "an OCCUPATION" going on since 1947&67, so Israel cannot be the ONLY OCCUPYING POWER, and expect to have the friendship of the world. Bibi Will be wise to accept the SAUDI PEACE PLAN, before the inevitable Declaration of AUGUST 2011.
Michael: "Israel gives and gives and the Palestines whine and the world demands more from Israel how is this fair?" Yes, it's fair! Michael, what has Israel ever given to the Palestinians except hardship?
Aside from your questionable historical perspective, if Israel strikes out in defiance as you describe, WHO is going to "lend" it the bombs?
Successive US administrations have used their power of veto to ensure the continuation of the Israeli occupation and settlement expansion. The Obama administration might try to fool the world that it's different, but reality will tell a different tale.
It is a first little step, but a giant leap for mankind!
What silliness. There have been a few occasions when the US didnt veto a particularly egregious Israeli action and what good did that do
exactly right. Obama is the greatest threat to world peace that has been around for awhile. If Israel gets a knife in the back over the settlements, what confidence can it have over Iran? It is no secret that any attack on Iran by Israel would have to be devastating to be effective. Syria, Lebanon, Gaza, all the jackals circle Israel hoping that its fickle friend will abandon it and looking for an opportunity to devoir it.
The US,the UN, Europeon Union and others all call on Israel to make continued consestions to the Palestions to show good faith. When will the Palestines show any measure of consestions to show their good faith? Israel gives and gives and the Palestines whine and the world demands more from Israel how is this fair?
The unconditional support the US has been providing Israel with, releaves Israel from taking any responsibilty for its own actions and allowes it to spit in the face of its own patron the US as well the entire international community in the face. Israel must learn that there are consequences to its behavior and if it wants to attack Iran despite objections of the US, let it do and face the music.
Why I am not surprised, But Israel will stay firm to their interests just as the Arabs and their supporters stick to their interests. I hope Israel will stop her self from being a Republic Banana
Israel has all the means to be an independant country, so cutting the cord is the best reply to US
"Every time has been backed into a corner before, when the dust has cleared there has been a bunch of dead arabs and a US and Europeans with egg on their faces" Didn't notice any egg on our faces after the Second Lebanon War; Israel was defeated. Still no egg after Operation Cast Lead; Israel was shamed before the world.
"Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat flatly denied the report." So this is not news, but an unsubstanciated rumor. If it were true, it would discourage the PA from negotiating as they would assume they can get all they want without talking to the Israelis. We would only see more demands and ultimatums. If true, Obama has people working for him who know better. He should listen to them.
Israel may be forced to take matters into it's own hands when the US did nothing in '48, '67 and '73. If Israel feels it's existence is at stake and and can't even rely on the sometime support of the US (mostly back stabbing, especially now) you back Israel into a corner. Israel would certainly be insane to trust the likes of Oybummer and Co. Every time has been backed into a corner before, when the dust has cleared there has been a bunch of dead arabs and a US and Europeans with egg on their faces. Do you really want to tell Israel they have nothing to lose by striking back hard?
A quick trip toEast Jerusalem (Sheikh Jarrah)will enable you to see how Palestinian families are being kicked out of the homes they lived in for over 60 years, for the sake of a handful of settlers who have no link whatsover to these houses. As for Israeli settlers in the West Bank, their presence is illegal and it's an excellent thing if they are sent back home in Israel, where they can work and build the country instead of losing their time in illegal settlements.
The liberal North American Jewry will need more that this to convince them of the opposite.
Stop playing the innocent victim, Allon. You know the reasons.
The US use of veto in the UNSC in order to protect Israel from censure has been one of the most blatant examples of bad faith in global politics. I hope that Obama will have the courage to follow through on this and thereby demonstrate to the world that Israel acts consistently in ways that are totally counter to its claims to be a democratic, rights-respecting state.
Fools are those who leave their security in the hands of others than themselves ! Israel must understand that there is no security in the Middle East & she must live with that ! Shabath Shalom !
The overly protective relationship with the US only perpetuated this farce and was never in Israels long term interest. Knowing that there is no safety net will make for sensible decisions from Israel.
This is the thanks Israel gets for the hard work. When will Jews wake up. we just repeated this Passover "in every generation they rose up against us" When will Jews wake up
It is inevitable. Netayahu continues to defy Obama because he thinks the Lobby's control of Congress will protect him. It can't, because Congress does not control how the US votes in the Security Council; that is within the sole control of the President. This will happen precisely because this is the surest way of sending a wake-up call to Likud. And Likud is day-dreaming its way through this, without question.
Its very clear the Obama admistration's strategy is focused on "cleaning their face" in the Arab world because they really see this is a strategic national interest. Very simple: if the US can exercise its power against Israel, Arabs will eventually wave the American flags in every Arab capital. Therefore, any potential threats caused by the feeling of injustice that is fostered by extremists will simply disappear and the US will benefit a lot from this. So now its about conflicting interests among Israel and the US. What Israel is gonna do this time? or perhaps what Obama can do with Israel? Time will reveal everything.