What did Obama try to hint to Netanyahu at their White House meet?
A photo of the meeting shows a painting hanging above the leaders of historic significance.
By Roey Simioni Tags: Israel newsMany words have been written in the Israeli media about the meeting between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Barack Obama at the White House last week, but not one word of its content has been leaked, to the journalists' great distress. Nonetheless, after the White House released a photograph of the two leaders in the Oval Office private dining room, one can in fact discern that the U.S. president stressed to the Israeli premier the historic importance of advancing peace in the Middle East.
In the photo, which was released on Friday, the pair are sitting around a dinning table, speaking and smiling as if the relations between their two countries had never been strained. A painting hangs on the wall beside the two leaders, which if Netanyahu did not see it, or saw it and did not understand its significance, then Obama, who recently won the Nobel Peace Prize, must have taken the trouble to explain to him its historic importance.
In the picture, which was painted in 1865 by the artist George Peter Alexander Healy, Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States, is seen conferring with William Sherman, Ulysses Grant and David Porter, the commanders of the Union army. During conversations the four men held on the River Queen steamboat on March 27 and March 28 of that year, just over a week before the end of the U.S. Civil War, they discussed the conditions of the peace treaty they would offer the defeated Confederate forces. The accord, even if it had many deficiencies, brought about the reunion of the North and South, the economic recovery of the South, the abolition of slavery and the emancipation of African Americans.
Obama's message to Netanyahu, if there really was such a message, is quite clear: If you end the blood feud and make a peace of the brave, you will be remembered in history as a great leader, like Lincoln (the former president most esteemed by Obama).
By the way, for dozens of years U.S. presidents have only used the dinning room in which Obama and Netanyahu met to host informal meals with members of their staffs or guests; to take in the day's news in newspapers and on television; and to discuss White House politics. The room, which contains a small television, is the most likely place in which the president can be found watching news reports from the United States and the world. Among the many guests who have visited the room over the years are former prime minister Ariel Sharon, numerous vice presidents, politicians from across the American political spectrum and the Presidents' relatives.
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U.S. President Obama meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu in the Oval Office on Monday. |
| Photo by: (White House) |
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And did not break into two states.
Never try to interpret more into it, than it is meant to be.
Regarding the article, what did Obama try to hint to Netanyahu at their White House meet - I was not aware that Haaretz was interested in pursuing tabloid journalism. We all are of course interested in what may have transpired during those meets, but to try and "divine" as it were, the content of those talks is impossible when all you are basing it on one photo! Specifically the line, "Obama's message...is really quite clear." Obviously its clear to the person who made it up. I am simply amused and somewhat uncomfortable that are news is being assumed from photographs, it simply doesn't seem responsible and is reminiscent of those tabloid articles that seek to determine the relationship of whatever hapless couple is having difficulties based on "body language experts".
Or may be he delivered a other meaning. If you do not work with Abbas then he will resign, the PLO leadership an organisers will joined him. Israel will be force to take over security an social security an education an health systems an of cause you will have to give them the vote. This will create just a single state, Jews worst nightmare. which will make Jews a minority, an eventually a Muslim government an leader ship an eventually the end of a state called Israel. Or you end the fighting with a complete treaty from the position of strength Israel has now an get to keep the Idea of Israel as a Jewish country. He also probably mention how he might not find time to sign of on bills for Israel loans an mew defence equipment. The is also a other meaning, the confederency loss because it did not have any international allies of any standing, Israel keep to the same road it will eventually loose international allies. America is virtually the last one standing anyway.
Netanyahu has a clear and decades old goal. The elimination of Palestinians from Judea and Samaria and it's annexation once the Palestinians are gone. Obama is an idiot if he thinks Netanyahu will change his life-long goal.
Funny how evil people like you are able to twist things around. Just think about it. It's going to take an Israeli Abraham Lincoln to achieve real peace. Bibi is far from it. Rabin came close. The armed struggle continues....
Reconstruction of the American South as full equals to the North, after the American Civil War, resulted in a Global Superpower of 50 States unmatched in History. Reconstruction of Palestine-Israel, 2 states, 1 Country, will create another future Superpower stronger than Israel is now by itself, with a larger, more diverse population, and much more security than exists today, and a possible future Middle Eastearn Union much like European Union is today.
is what Israel lives with everyday. thats what bibi meant. The Fort hood shooting is another reminder which helps the American people see the lack of respect that terrorists have for human life something Israel lives with. Hamas doesn't want peace and like Iran and the PA, are playing the naieve west. Lincoln was not facing an enemy that as the Fort Hood shooter said repeating the words of al quaida and terrorists, that they love death more than life and will kill thousands of people to obtain it.Lincoln did not appease and succumb to a religious fanaticism which wants to wipe out all the freedoms of the west.
What picture could have been hanging there such that nothing could have been read into it? Anyway, if Obama's trying to communicate with these sort of smoke signals, he's not going to get far. With Netanyahu, a bullhorn and a baseball bat might be more the ticket.
he wasn't in power, but now he is and the US doesn't forget http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/975574.html
would he be able to avoid that gentleman's earthy fate?
Whatever Obama hinted, if anything, from the painting who knows but perhaps the message one may take if an analogy is to be drawn is the Palestinians (especially HAMAS) have to be militarily defeated like teh Confederacy before peace is to be made. Lincoln made a just peace from a position of strength. That is what great leaders and statesmen do. They do no surrender or sell out.
Icing on the cakes and and fancy cups, next time. ; )
The idea of 'hinting' anything to Bibi Netanyahu seems silly. He is not the kind of guy that takes hints or notices subtle messages in painting. I wonder who leaked the story of the painting? I wonder if they are really so silly as to think any communications happened as a result? There is a cross-purpose. Never before has it been absolutely essential to the United States to be seen as even-handed and bringing some stability to the region. Never before has there been a government in Israel so determined to destabilize the region and prove to America that it is a mere supplicant.
All Obama should tell Bibi is: end the occupation and retire to the Green Line and shut up. There is no other way to peace. However, Israel will not give up land that "god" gave them, so don't expect peace either.
Only Israeli politician alive seemingly ready for a peace of the brave..
it's very likely Netanyahu understood the painting much more that the President ... moreover, the President does not admire Lincoln; he wants to only to be looked up to just at Lincoln was ... the President that Obama admires most above all others is President Obama himself ... in his mind, no other president even comes close
your gimmicks are going nowhere, and your reliance on some or other lobby to "bring me to heel" will not work. You can continue trying, or you can get to work. Call me back with a decision. You have a week.
The author seems to want to equate what inspired the artist to paint the painting. If the author really wanted to give the historical context he would have written that the victors of the war,(the North=Israel) dictated the terms of the treaty and the losers,(the Confederates=Arabs) had the choice of accepting the terms or continuing the fight. I am sure that Obama would not agree to backing the Israelis writing the Peace Treaty and the Arabs being obliged to sign it. I am sure that this is not what Obama hinted.
... we have never had such a politically involved President before... for good or for bad...
Which kind of journalism is this ? In fact this Simioni tells us what he would have said to Nettaniyahu if himself was Obama !