The Sarkozy-Obama exchange reflects the world's growing frustration with Netanyahu
French President Sarkozy overheard telling President Obama that Prime Minister Netanyahu is 'a liar' when microphone accidentally left on after G20 summit press conference.
By Barak Ravid Tags: Barack Obama Benjamin Netanyahu UN UNESCO Avigdor LiebermanIf a remark by French President Nicolas Sarkozy publicized Tuesday is any indication, not much is left of what was once a strong friendship between himself and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, dating back to when both men were finance ministers.
The French president, unaware last Thursday that a mic in the meeting room at the G20 summit at Cannes was on, was heard calling Netanyahu "a liar" in what he thought was a private exchange with U.S. President Barack Obama. "I cannot bear Netanyahu, he's a liar," Sarkozy told Obama, who was also unaware that the mic had been turned on and was being monitored by reporters via the headsets used for simultaneous translations.
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Sarkozy and Obama at last week’s G20 meeting in Cannes. |
| Photo by: AFP |
Obama didn't exactly defend Netanyahu, either.
"You're fed up with him, but I have to deal with him even more often than you," Obama replied, according to wire service reports.
Obama also complained to Sarkozy about France's vote in favor of Palestinian membership in UNESCO, and asked him to tell the Palestinians to stop their unilateral moves at the United Nations.
"We'll have to impose economic sanctions on the Palestinians," Obama said.
Several journalists, including a few from large media organizations, heard the exchange but did not initially report it, agreeing among themselves that to do so would be a violation of journalistic ethics. The remarks appeared Tuesday on a relatively obscure French website that deals with media criticism.
A Reuters reporter, however, confirmed that he had heard the exchange, and neither the White House nor Elysee Palace issued any denials.
It is not the only time recently that Sarkozy has expressed his frustration with Netanyahu.
During a French cabinet meeting a few weeks ago, he told his ministers, "Abu Mazen [Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas] is a statesman, but Netanyahu never misses an opportunity to disappoint us," according to a report in Le Canard Enchaine. "Just now he approved the construction of 1,100 apartments in the Arab section of Jerusalem."
And while Obama has been restraining himself so as not to alienate voters before the 2012 presidential election, his disdain for Netanyahu is well-known.
Former U.S. defense secretary Robert Gates reportedly called Netanyahu "ungrateful" in a meeting with Obama before the former left his post this summer, adding that the prime minister was "endangering his country by refusing to grapple with Israel's growing isolation."
The Prime Minister's Office refused to comment on Tuesday. At the Foreign Ministry, whose head, Avigdor Lieberman, has gotten his own share of insults from Sarkozy, there were some amused responses.
"It's a good thing the microphones didn't catch what Merkel told Obama about Sarkozy," said one senior official, who refused to be named.
Vice Premier Silvan Shalom played down the episode: "Everyone talks about everyone. Sometimes even good friends say things about each other, certainly in such competitive professions," Shalom told Army Radio. "So you have to consider the main things. Is Obama a friend of Israel's? Is Sarkozy a friend of Israel's? Is their policy a consistent policy of support for Israel? The answer to all of these questions is affirmative and, as far as I'm concerned, that is what's important."
The exchange between Sarkozy and Obama is not exceptional; it represents the increasing contempt and frustration many world leaders feel for Netanyahu and the wavering position of the Israeli government in the international arena. Though Netanyahu promised nearly three years ago that he would deliver "surprises" with regard to the peace process and implement historic measures, many world leaders have stopped believing him.
"I don't believe a word he says," German Chancellor Angela Merkel reportedly said recently, in a closed conversation.
Earlier this year, Merkel confronted Netanyahu directly, saying, "You've disappointed us. You haven't taken a single step to advance peace."
Other world leaders, such as British Prime Minister David Cameron, have simply taken to avoiding Netanyahu.
Meanwhile, two of Netanyahu's only friends of late, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou have both vowed to resign in the face of their respective countries' economic collapse.Next week Netanyahu will be visiting the Hague, one of the few major cities in which the Israeli prime minister is still received cordially.
Reuters contributed to this report.
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The face of Israel is not the face of Netanyahu.
Caling Netanyahu a liar is a bit inaccurate. He lies only to foreign leaders, the UN and the Israeli public in general. He always tells the truth to settler and Haredim. He is on their side and will be as duplicitous as possible to continue the stalemate. Go, Sarkosy.
If Bibi is annoying Sarkozy, Obama, Cameron and others, he is obviously getting it right by standing up for Israel. Barak and Olmert were sycophantic but still didn't get peace.
Not long ago Europeans were calling George Bush a liar. That didn't upset most people in the US. Yet someone calls Netanyahu a liar and there is a big Jewish uprising. Most people I know hate Netanyahu yet they still support Israel. The people of Israel know this and they alone have to carry the garbage of Netanyahu. Vote him out of power. He does no good for the cause.
The very existence of Israel & the Jews ! Those who talk rubbish let them listen to themselves ! Perhaps they learn something different.
Mr.Netanyahu is trying to avoid open confrontation with group of unfriendly world leaders, among them,unfortunately, US (my country),France,Britain and Germany.That's never happened before.He is manouvering, trying to save Israel territory as much as possible,which is crucial to Jewish survival.Some of his opponents in Israel,in search for power,are going too far,falsely accusing him for lying,like Sarkozy and Obama (who is not Israel friend).
If Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is a liar, then, they are many Presidential liars in the world including those that made the comment. The word 'lie' is associated with Politicians, so there is no saint or a virgin in the political circle. I guess respect must be shown to another President Prime Minister even in private conversations.
The question is not whether Bibi always tells the truth. He's a politician - what do you expect? The point is that by obvious and bare-faced lying to world leaders as well as to the public, he has alienated the most important supporters of Israel. Sarko and Obama must both have pretty strong stomachs for being lied to; if they have lost patience with Israel's representative, that bodes very badly for Israel.
So, Sarkowsy and Obama are upset that Netanyahu won't play ball? If not for Bibi, Obama would have thrown Israel under the bus long ago. Thank goodness Israel has a backbone. Obama is concerned about his re election; he wants peace in the Middle East between Israel and the Palis. Obama does not care how much Israel has to sacrifice. It's no skin off Sarkozy's or Obama's backs if Israel surrenders Jerusalem and other Israeli Holy places. Israel exited Gaza completely. Did it give Israel peace?
Bibi is no a liar. He may be full of himself, but he is not a liar. He is a throughly honest man, honest to the core, as I judge it. There is something wrong with this open microphone thing, In a nutshell, I do not believe it.
At least in the US.
Unfortunately, Netanyahu is the "face" of Israel, so if he lies = Israel lies. That's Israel's face to the world. I feel sorry for all of Israel, which is NOT represented by the present government because ALL will suffer (or worse) as a result.
What's the controversy? Bibi is one of the greatest liars of our age as well as one of the world's greatest thieves. And that Israelis continue to support him makes them liars and thieves as well.
like myself and any politician from South-Africa to Iceland
Politicians are basically all liars. What else is new? How is this even really "news?"
was Netanyahu also lying when he said "Israel is the only democracy in the ME"?
So what's new? We all knew long ago that he is a liar, and that is not the worst thing about him. We expect diplomacy to include lies. But what about the disastrous policies towards the palestinian question? He is a seagreen fanatic at core, which was said of Robespierre long ago.
I come from a diplomatic family. The same is true for good lawyers. Their reputation for honesty is there stock in trade - they need to be able to say something and have it accepted. That diplomats are liars- or lawyers is an ignorant cliché embraced by the ill-informed. Netanyahu has always been regarded in diplomatic circles as astonishingly mendacious.
Who'd think of that.......funny....
So what if Bibi does not play ball? Obama now is not an effective president. He lost Mubarak failled to play a leading role in Libya. Not improving on the local american economy. Failled to retain a presence in Iraq. Not winning the afgan on his side. And as far as Sarkozi the French are tired of his party as a whole. Lets see will Bibi be the last man standing by end of 2012?Time will tell and these comments are not helpfull or diplomatic
"lost Mubarak", "failed to play a leading role in Libya", "failed to retain a presence in Iraq". These were just what the American public wanted. You think that Obama should have propped up a dictator and helped him beat down peaceful demonstrators? You think that the American public would have appreciated a new Afghanistan in Libya? You think that they would have wanted US troops to stay in Iraq, even though Obama was elected in part due to his promise to bring the troops home?
Obama is constantly putting down people to make himself look good and Sarkosy is probably still smarting from Bibi's reaction to France agreeing to Unicef accepting the Palestinians as members. Worse still when one knows that Sarkosy is half- Jewish and Obama is really a Moslem through his father and step-father.
OH YEAH RIGHT!!! THOSE 2 ARE REAL STARS!!!! BIBI....G'D is with you in all.....what a shame on them!
I find it insulting that you believe that Obama is restraining himself because of the election. He had an opportunity to bad mouth Netanyahu and did not. He had the opportunity to go against Israel on many things but he has not. I love Israel but you have to stop living in a fantasy world thinking you can do whatever you want and get away with it, and how the current Israeli government has gone out of its way to bad mouth Obama and play games with the United States. But guess what? When Iran goes nuclear the United States will be one of the few, maybe the only, country that cares. I don't know if Netanyahu is a liar, but I do know he stabs his friends in the back. The days of the tail wagging the dog are limited.
In catholicism, saying truth is not a crime.
Netanyahu is not much different except that he loves his country and has fought for it more than most other western politicians put together.His brother was killed in action and he himself fought in wars defending his country
That is grossly unfair. It is bullying. Do the Arab states impose sanctions on the US for its interference in the Middle East politics? Does Obama "have to" punish a people who never did the US any harm? Shame, Obama, hang your once proud head in shame.
Great, but then please do not take our US money. thank you!
make no mistake - the alleged comment attributed to the French leader was calculated to defame Israel _guys don't loose your focus. european leadership and Obama will be gone in a few years israel will still shine as a great nation
according to CNN Obama replied, "You're tired of him; what about me? I have to deal with him every day," the site reported.
The frustration is their failed policy.Obama has lost credibility with both Israelis and Palestinians.Sarkozy never had any.
end
Sarkozy's telling the truth and we could laugh, except that Bibi's lies bring shame on Israel. It's long time he went.
Bibi is liar but what about Sarkozy with his Libya bombing "to save civilians" and Obama promises to save the world economy? The persons like Sarkozy and Obama are dangerous for stability in the ME.
I think the fustration here is that the United States, France and indeed Europe are all sick of the ridiculous and never ending game played out in Israel by both the Israeli Government and the Palistinian's and we're all forced to pretend to care.
I have to laugh at one politician calling another a liar. As for the frustration with Netanyahu, what they all really mean to say is that he won't compromise Israel's position so that they can support Israel without worrying about the reaction of their Muslims. When they seriously begin calling on the Palestinians to get real, they might have a reasonable argument.
So a spineless French politican tells the socialist U.S. President that he doesn't like Netanyahu. Who gives a rat's ass what Sarkozy and Obama think? They are failed temporary custodians of their respective offices. Here in Texas we'd take Bibi over Obama or Sarkozy any day. Bibi will fight for freedom. Obama destroys it and Sarkozy would never fight for anything.
Quite frankly, President Obama should just not answer when Netanyahu calls!
number one cause of anti-semitism in the world
hey, sark and obama, welcome to the ever-growing Dislike-and-Distrust Bibi Club.
I think we should cut Bibi some slack. I'm sure that in the distant past we must have had a few good qualities. Once upon a time, he was someone's bubbeleh.
No surprise that the leader of Israel is seen as a liar. The world has had to deal with Israel and its lies far too long. Hopefully the West will summon the courage to put Israel firmly in its place and stop blindly agreeing to every tantrum and demand of the spoilt little brat of the Middle East.
I think we all know who and what the real problem is
What exactly have tha arabs done to advance peace
What exactly have tha arabs done to advance peace
Please resign then you can hang out with your two buddies as you all will have a lotof time on your hands. The three stooges united!
Please resign then you can hang out with your two buddies as you all will have a lotof time on your hands. The three stooges united!
"You've disappointed us. You haven't taken a single step to advance peace." Humanitarians have been saying this for 60 years. israel has never wanted peace. Now though, the slippery slope has become much steeper. I don't honestly feel isreal can hold on much longer. You realise of course the problem isn't just this Netiyahoo; it is isreal.
So the Israelis also have no control of their government?
Whose every policy is destructive, rather than constructive?
But he is constructive. He approves construction of lots of housing in Palestinian land.
.does not try to minimize the equality,democracy and the human rights in the modern westernlike states. How an earth a politician like Israeli PM should be appreciated more than he is earned.
A liar can never have true friends. the lies come out smellying like a rotten food-a smell which direct people the opposite way you are
Israel's behavior endangers not only it's people, but also risks involving the US and other countries who support it. I only wish the US would completely stop funding Israel... let them fight their own battles.
NO more of my tax dollars to support Israel's illegal settlements and occupation. Cut the cord. Throw out US congress members who vote blindly for Israel. Israel has become our enemy...spies on us, spits in our faces, struts about the world stage. Let it sink or swim on its own.
But who are you? If you were a person of influence you would find yourself without a job.
and thats easy to proof, if funding from US was stopped Israelies will destroy their own state with their own hands. You can see that very clear in the economy. Try to imagine the Israeli economy poor for couple of years.
Leftists are losing elections across the board. Watch spain's election in two weeks. Enjoy 2011 leftists because you have had years with your leftists in power and think the world will be this way forever but your time is running out and the only thing holding you up is elections in most of these countries aren't for a a year or more.
This latest news should be a wake-up call to Israeli voters. As the world views your leaders, so they view the country. Israel has lost its credibility as a peace-seeking nation.
The behavior of both French and American leaders is very unprofessional.
Why is it unprofessional to tell the truth???
And for all of Bibi's detestable dishonesty, his multiple violations, his treacherous betrayals of his allies, the contempt in which the whole of the world views him (and now Israel), the US will STILL not stand up to him. He is Les Grossman - and he's in charge.
Netanyahu's words do not match his actions in regards to a Palestinian state. That is called lying.
see Netanyahu as an an embarrasment.
So what?! It's not as though Sakozy, Obama or Merkel has the right to ask Israel to give up their land.
its not exactly israels land. UN defines it as occupied (illegally), which is not equal to owning it
The US has all the right to make it's position clear as long as we give Israel billions of dollars every year. Israel has time and time again has demonstrated it lack of appreciation both for US support in the UN and the money we send them.
They have the right to stop supporting the occupation and leave Israel to her own abilities. Now we would not want that. But I'm quite sure that if Israel acted as she acts today without the nuclear option, most certainly many nations would have left Israel to her own abilities and focused on their own headaches.
By the end of 2008 all the leaders were leftists almost and their policies have be shown to be failures and election after election is replacing them. In a few years there will be leaders all over the world that will be more friendly to netanyahu as the leftists are thrown out of office.
Sarkozy, Merkel, and Cameron are all centre-right politicians. And Papandreu despite being a socialist was one of Israel's closest allies in Europe after the Mavi Marmara debacle. I believe you're totally missing the point of the article?
Sarkozy and Cameron are leftsists? LOL
For the most part, the leaders who are berating Netanyahu are all conservatives already (Merkel-CDU, Sarkozy-UMP, Cameron-Conservative Part). So what makes you think these newer conservatives won't follow suit? Of the major world leaders, the only one that backs Israel without question is Obama, a liberal. Best to think before you comment.
With any luck,Sarkozy and Obama won't be around much longer.
That's for sure! I don't think Israel realizes how fortunate they are to have a strong freedom loving leader like Bibi The Conress of thr United States standing ovation is a reflection of the way most people in the US fee towrd Israel and especially Bibi. Every republican I spoke with afterwardsaid they wished Bibi could be our president The desenters in Israel seem to be the same as the socialist useful idiots we have here in the states that support Obozo and his oppressive regime which is bringing America to her knees I would be happy to trade "the chosen one" for Bibi any day. Wake up Israel.
it's amazing that the world is fed up with netanyahu,who has the interests of his country without any mass killings of civilians that is so much different than syria ,and the world says beans.is there or isn't there a double standard here
Israel kills others eg palestinians, lebanese including children eg cluster bombs
I can't believe you are seriously using Syria as a comparison...that illustrates just how bad things are in Israel.
About what.......? ! .
That's what I have always heard
lol. You vote crazy, you get crazy.
or is it the whole politic of Israel ?
But increasingly other Israeli politicians are seen as imitating him - after all it has worked in Israel electorally.
Cameron is a fraud. He'll sell out anyone. Remember his sycophantic speech to the Turks.
Do you realise the vast majority of muslims in the UK vote Labour?
you're missing out on the fact that no one can stand bibi. people genuinely dislike him. even secretary gates called him 'ungrateful.' everyone loved rabin, everybody hates bibi. just a fact.
Or, like son many leaders of the past and present, he simply does not like Bibi.
The commentator that wrote this obviously doesn't have a clue about the british political scene.
"Unilateral moves at the United Nations." Um, sorry... what? That's a literal impossibility, Mr. Obama... See, the UN is, like, a group thing, see, and "Unilateral" means, like, the opposite of that, so, um... that makes no sense. Unilateral is when you DON'T respect the UN... like, oh, I don't know, say.... ISRAEL! Or, is this too obvious to point out?
Sarkozy’s an idiot and Obama is a traitor!
phew...
Just what did Merkel tell Obama about Sarkozy I wonder?
So what is new...........? Ever heard of the adage-'Bird of a feather, flock together'.
So the bottom line is that Reuters does not adhere to journalistic ethics. The question is what will Reuters do to "punish" the unethical journalist? Probably promote him/her.
You are right, but naive.The media are the message, and there is nothing you or i can do about it. In this case, I was happy to hear my conclusion endorsed by people with more clout.
Bibi has not been straight forward in his dealings with the international community, and has been a disaster for Israel, bringing more embarrassment than credit, for the country. Time the Israeli people realized the predicament they have been placed in.
isnt that hilarious