Rahm Emanuel: Now is not the time for a new Mideast peace plan
White House Chief of Staff tells Bloomberg TV the relationship between Obama and Netanyahu are 'constructive.'
By Natasha Mozgovaya Tags: US Barack Obama Israel newsWhite House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel said in an interview on Monday that the time has not come yet for a new U.S. Mideast peace proposal.
In an interview with Charlie Rose on Bloomberg Television, Emanuel emphasized that a new U.S. plan isn't the correct move at this time.
"A number of people have advocated that. That time is not now. The time now is to get back to the proximity talks [and] have those conversations that eventually will lead to direct negotiations, start to make the hard decisions to bring a balance between the aspirations of the Israelis for security and make that blend with the aspirations of the Palestinian people for their sovereignty," Emanuel said.
The U.S. Chief of Staff went on to describe the relationship between the United States and Israel as "solid."
"Our bond with Israel is unshakable and unbreakable both as it relates to security, as it relates to a common set of values and also as a common strategic vision because the threats to Israel are similar to some of the threats the United States faces," he said.
Emanuel also expressed strong faith in the relationship between U.S. President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. When asked whether the relationship is cordial and constructive, Emanuel answered that "it's a constructive, honest relationship amongst not only friends, but two people who also have responsibilities to their respective countries: total honest, very constructive working relationship," said Emanuel.
On cooperation regarding Iran, he said that "Iran, as Israel describes, is an existential threat to them. The United States has seen Iran's desire to get a nuclear weapon as its own sense of threat, which is why it organized the P5+1," said Emanuel, speaking of the meeting of the United Nations Security Council and Germany on Iran.
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I love your way
If it wasn't for our Begin,Shamir,Eitan Livni Rahm Emanuels father,and many more courageous men an women,Israel/Jews would not have been able to return to their REAL country Eretz Yisrael. Israel was attacked the minute it became an independant country by the Arab hordes who tried to anninilate it.Israel fought 4+armies who were tring to subvert hatefully.But failed miserably. Well,tough luck we beat the hell out all of them victoriosly. Your lot are nothing but begars,thieves being mainly Islamofascists who will never learn to come forward to the 21st century,STUCK in the 7th. At the rate Islamist are behaving,there will never be a Palestinian state for hundreds of years,sorry to say. Suggest you put your thinking cap on and read the historical narrative from an impartial website. p/s Am an ex IDF.
If wishes were horses, beggars would ride If turnips were swords, i'd wear one by my side If ifs and ands were pots and pans, there'd be no need for tinkers' hands. Take no notice of what Emanuel said. Does anyone in reality believes in politicians? So wishing he may be sincere is debateable. I do not Nezam.
Let me congratulate you once again,for in lieu of the:CJ's,the Johnboy's Lincolns and the odd bodieoodd bodds et al,you write with a clear vision and truth. Iraq is having daily problems,killings continue apace.The Shiites,versus the Sunnies. So many clans,tribes same as in Gaza too. Now what will transpire when our troops withdraw? More chaos?Who knows.Still the ME is going to continue in their vein and no change in their attitude will emanate democratically,about that I am certain. And here is Israel having the burden to avert being forced by Obama and clique giving up(as an fiat)The division of Jerusalem. I fervently hope the last will never come to pass. Israel's PR has been dismal for years. Time to update it somewhat.But will they have the time,patience to accept,making an effort at leasits adherence. Your suggestion on the EU? Well,I am a bit dubious/pessimistic in that direction,knowing the Islamization of most European countries who have to pander to.
that blew up the King David hotel....and bombed Palestinian buses and cafes....
WE DON'T BELIEVE YOU RHAM.
Think Senate elections in November till then it should look good. Good for what? sorry, but good for whom? The US,or Israel? Rahm is a tricky fellow,you never know what goes on in his brain.Do I trust him?NO,Do I trust BHO? Not at all.
But not decided as yet.If you read Yonatan's post you will find the article he presented. I went to all of them. i.e Washington Post, Wall Street journal,and the others. Rahm is a very ambitious man and perhaps he is thinking ahead? We'll find out soon.
And things can change at any time with Bibi doing everything he can to demonstrate to the world that Israel has absolutely no intention of ending its extralegal activities in the West Bank and Jerusalem. So nothing that Emanuel says can be written in stone; especially with the world growing ever more impatient with Israel. There's two paths that can bring a final status and the two state solution; one is smooth and mostly straight, while the other is rocky and winding. Obama can swing the latter in relatively short order, and he'll have the international support to do it, but "that time is not now" because the smoother path is obviously politically preferable. Don't forget the two year time frame that's been mentioned; most recently as a consensus by the members of the Quartet. Now's not the time, but the time is coming.
You dont make policy, you only execute the president's wishes and they are well known, he wants peace in the M.E. in his first term. So stop diluting the issues as you are irrelevant in the scheem of things.
If our Jewish chief of staff in the white house said what Haaretz is alleging, then president Obama needs to clip Rahm's wings and remind him who is the boss.
This is the ultimate offer to Israel, generous to a fault.
....is not really an independent newspaper when it comes to issues related to the ME conflict, is it...??? I would say it's about as independent and neutral as the Al-Manar channel in Lebanon...:)
You might not like the way Israel acts as a country...but it acts under the rule of one speaker. The person with the last word. Palestinian leadership speaks with several mouths. It has always been the same. When you finally get a strong leader willing to give and take..then you can have a peace partner in Israel
You forgot to mention Iraq - the war Israel had to have!
Think Senate elections in November till then it should look good.
prayer might accomplish just as much or just as little.
Peace now? The occupation is only 43 years old! Plenty of time left! (Though not much land.)
... foremost, Lieberman must go...
in his interview he is simply not believable. His boss is doing nothing to block Iran's race to nuclear weapons ,nothing against Iran's support for anti-Israel terrorists. Israel must look to it's defenses. Egypt's Mubarek will not last forever and a much more active Islamic regime could very well replace him . This regime could very well tilt toward Iran ,the new "strong horse" ..as the steadily weaker USA ...etc,etc.
In less than four months the US begins the final stage of Operation Draw-down in Iraq. Leaving behind some 50.000 US Servicemen. They know, only too well in Washington, that no matter how well they have trained the Iraqi Army/Police that loyalties lie with the ethnic clans rather than with the Central Government. Iran, has its own agenda, sure they are risk averse and may not actually invade Iraq, mainly because they have a small Army and lack the logistics, yet they do have a modus operandi of subversion through their proxies. Yes, Now is not the time for the US to push Israel into a corner, so to speak. For in reality both countries are facing the same enemies. Now is the time for Israel to reacquire the diplomatic skills and PR, for opportunity comes sporadically in the political minefield of the ME. Israel must engage with Ramallah asap. Israel must repair its relations with the EU. Good night from snowy Swiss Alps.
While Israel has always wanted peace they simply never have had a partner, and still don't. Since BiBi was elected he: 1) made the Bar-llan peace speech. 2) called for direct negotiations. 3) lifted numerous checkpoints in the West Bank. 4) Announced an historic settlement building freeze in the West Bank. What has been the Pal response: 1) Started riots in Jerusalem under false pretenses. 2) Both Fatah and Hamas called for a return to "resistance" a euphemism for violence. 3) Rejected direct negotiations. 4) Shot and killed a Jewish civilian at one of the lifted checkpoints. 5) Started rocket attacks from Gaza again. Gee I wonder if the time is right for peace plan.
The US has three hundred million more citizens than Israel; if they dropped Israel in the sand they would be have a problem finding it.
yesterday was the right time if you ask me. for some reason, obama seems to be very hands off and ignorant with regards to the peace process, just like bush. to be clear, it is very much in the national security interests of both america and israel to pursue a final peace treaty between palestine and israel.
BHO & the (D) leadership is concerned that even the reformed may vote (R) and thus are pretending to stop the one sided pressure on Israel.
EMANUEL: Well, we're at a point, as you know, the prime minister -- we had -- it is not a hidden secret -- a disagreement as it related to the settlements in Jerusalem... I say there is no need for negotioation when the outcome will end up back to Jerusalem
Obama is off his game plan, this creates an opening to act to set in to motion plans for Israel's, not the USA's, benefit.
... is it Rahm?
I watched the interview. Emanuel's claim of a good relationship between Bibi and Obama was totally undercut by his body laguage, which told another story completely.
The US tries to build an Iran plan and Bibi, who says there is a lot to fear from Iran, doesn't show up because he wants The Territories. No new plan needed: 242 and 337 and Taba and Camp David.
that is too bad.
What proximity talks is Emanuel talking about? They were put on indefinite hold. Waiting for Santa Claus or the Messiah would be just as practical an idea. Sounds like Obama's getting tired of playing with the Middle East peace toy. Too hard.
Isn't that sweet!
A short quote: For all the current talk about Israel costing America lives and treasure, the striking fact is that the U.S. has never had to go to war to defend the Jewish state. This is more than can be said for Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Bosnia, Kosovo and the people of Afghanistan and Iraq. That's because for 62 years Israelis have provided for their own defense, in an alliance with the U.S. that has reflected American values and?in both the Cold War and the war on terror?advanced American interests.