U.S. frustrated with Netanyahu over stalled proximity talks

what? russia used forged UK passports to spy in the US? scandalous! what will cameron say? what will milliband say? recall the ambassadors! quick! bring it to the UN security council for an emergency session! what will lavrov say? putin? medvedev? obama? The UK must be outraged! where is the BBC to profile this story in depth? where????? come on! lets see how outraged you are.... Does anyone else see the hypocracy here? HAHAHAHAHAH..... obamas outreach to russia? fail. to iran? fail. turkey?fail. china? fail. nice foreign policy. must be all those left leaning inexperienced ivy league academic and think tank guys...they know nothing of the real world and it shows.

Lets see, America is frustrated regarding Iran's nuclear ambitions and calls for sanctions on Iran. How about calling for sanctions on Israel, since America is now frustrated with Netanyahu. Instead of using America's power to do something good for a change, Obama acts like a weak miserable leader, much like past American presidents have. Obama, you need to step up and FORCE Israel to to progress to direct talks as quickly as possible, otherwise it may be too late and both Israel and America will suffer at the end.

And Netanyahu want DIRECT TALKS why? So he can foot-drag and delay final status negotiations even more without the Americans being in the room? Because really, there is no difference between direct and indirect talks...except the presence of the Americans. Apparently Israel hates this because it hampers their ability to delay, foot-drag, and create more illegal facts on the ground.

Netanyahu wants "culture of peace" in a future Palestinian state! Hey, how about focusing on a "culture of peace" in Israel.

WHAT IS EVERYONES PROBLEM? GOD OF ISRAEL AND THE WORLD, GAVE THE JEWS: JERUSALEM AND ALL THE LAND THE BIBLE SAYS IS THEIRS! NO ONE ELSE HAS THE RIGHT TO SPLIT IT UP OR DIVIDE IT! THESE ARE GODS CHOSEN PEOPLE ABOVE ALL ELSE! AND THE PRESIDENT OF THE USA SHOULD STAY OUT OF IT. ALONG WITH THE REST OF THE WORLD. NO ONE OR NOTHING THIS WORLD HAS WILL EVER DEFEAT GOD OF HIS PEOPLE!!!!

Obama may not want Israel's death to be painless, but he does want it to be fast.

.... Did the workers finish yet the new entrance for Jews?

Discussing borders before there is even a semblance of peace and security is way premature. Borders, population exchanges, etc., may come about when the parties feel secure enough to do so, and when it is no longer perceived as a threat. In particular, the degree of withdrawals will depend directly on the kinds of institutions which have been set up which can enforce true peace. So Netanyahu has this exactly right--first establish the institutions of peace, then the borders will flow from that.

I live in US and believe me we are not frustrated with Obama. Americans are Americans not Israelis. We look out for ourselves and you are just a pawn in the middle east. Maybe we should stop financing your terrorist ways and maybe you wont be so tough

No one should put the blame on this government because the majority of the israelis wanted it. It wanted a government that led by settlers who want all Palestine without any peace loving individual. It is unfortunate that so many lives have to be lost before many Israelis realize that it is impossible to defeat the natives.

No one should put the blame on this government because the majority of the israelis wanted it. It wanted a government that led by settlers who want all Palestine without any peace loving individual. It is unfortunate that so many lives have to be lost before many Israelis realize that it is impossible to defeat the natives.

The funniest thing about this charade is the tenacity in which the Israeli apologists support Netanyahu....as if they really believe Israel wants peace. Peace is more threatening to Israel than low level conflict...

to the approximate borders and some of the other items of progress between President Abbas and PM Olmert, then that's a very good start to direct talks. We're awaiting this type of thing and the majority on both sides would welcome such an advancement within the Middle East territorial dispute of over six decades.

Tell Obama to take a Zoloft

Is America unhappy with Israels behavior? If so, then stop whining and stop support of Israel. Whining will not move Israel, complaints and investigations will not change Israels behavior. Will stopping support change Israels behavior? I believe that even the valid and realistic threat of stopping support will change Israels behavior. I don't know why Israel remains a burden to the American taxpayer over the decades. Israel is a major weapons dealer who boasts of their strong economy. Can't they pay for their weapons?

"Israel believes that the core issues to the conflict can only be resolved in the framework of direct negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians. Having said that, we have agreed that in the framework of the proximity talks there can be preliminary discussions on the core issues." - Anonymous Israseli official (Boston Globe, 2 May 2010) This is the basic Israeli position, so Mitchell should not be surprised. Of course, Israel prevents the start of DIRECT talks by the continued construction in East Jerusalem and even the West Bank. If Obama wants talks to move ahead, he should apply some REAL ressure on Netanyahu when they meet on Monday.

.....(at least perceived) Israeli guilt for the unsolved Israeli-Palestinian conflict for decades, when it comes to world public opinion !! Not very smart, Mr. average Israeli voter, not very smart at all.....

sending in an Arab from America is not negotiations

Well keep on asking him and maybe in the end you will understand that he has no answer for that question. On the other hand you can drop the question and continue with his charade. It is really up to the US, because this time around they understand that the Israelis are stalling in order to have the US leave it up to the Israelis to "negotiate" with the Palestinians":"Israel is conducting the proximity talks very thoroughly, on a variety of issues, in order to move as quickly as possible to direct talks."

Let us first and foremost clear the air as to who is truly frustrated with whom. The US population is indeed frustrated, but their frustration in directed at the OBAMA administration with Obama as leader, rather than any format of frustration towards Israel who the majority of Americans are smart enough to know that for decades Israel has been and remains the last bastion of defence before the US implodes from within by the enemy that was locally hatched. How quickly the new American Administration forgets who the true enemy is. The US administration is doing everything in its power to forget 9/11 as if it never happened. I said the US administration - not those Americans who truly are Americans.

But did anyone really believe that Bibi was actually interested in Peace and in reaching a settlement to the conflict? This guy was obviously just fending off American pressure for as long as he could. For him, the status quo is just find, as long as he can be in power. It's amazing that the Americans still accept his arrogant procrastination.

If Netanyahu agreed to Roadmap his Gov. would fail but US/EU pressure forces him to keep talking but not about core issues. Most the core issues have been decided in the past under the Roadmap and other agreements but pulling the trigger on peace is just to hard for him right now maybe never.

What would happen if Abbas drops out of the talks - and goes instead to the UN for permission to declare a Palestinian State?

I don't think Bibi wants to keep talks going.

The US is "angered," "frustrated," "disappointed," etc. etc. What a broken record already.... Why do they bother issuing such statements?

raw up a roadmap for Al Queida with viable borders and offer to broker deal. Have Goldstone investigate civilian casualties from drones in Pakistan etc.

The Israeli-Palestinian proximity talks beginning now will almost certainly end in failure. the Palestinians will likely continue futilely insisting on the so-called "right of return" of ancestors of Arabs who left Israel after Israel's 1948 war of independence. Never, however, do the Arabs acknowledge the plight of, let alone responsibility for, an equal number of Jews who were driven from Arab nationWhy does nobody care about the Jewish refugees from arab lands? Abbas insists on the right of return and exclusive Arab control over the Temple Mount in Jerusalem--both inevitably deal-breakers. And between his own Fateh hawks and Hamas, Abbas is constrained even further. To his credit, Netanyahu prefers direct negotiations. It is Abbas who appears to fear face-to-face meetings that might, when they fail, compromise his standing in the eyes of his extremists, and who has linked even his agreement to a mere four months of proximity talks to Arab League approval. Here we have not one but three steps backward for the Israeli-Palestinian peace process: indirect rather than direct talks, an Arab veto and a short time limit

Delay and prevarication by the PM. If this is what peace truly looks like to the average Israeli then perpetual hostility will be your fate.

By the way I hope Israel does not even consider sharing Jerusalem, after all God gave the land of Israel to the Jews/Hebrews. It is your land and you should actually reclaim all of the Promised Land.

Just would like to say that there are a lot of Americans that do not agree with the current administrations treatment of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. we are terribly sorry that he was treated so badly at the White House, especially in light of the way the arab leader was treated-with a dinner, etc. Hang in there Mr. Netanyahu, I am sure God will continue to guide you. After all Israel is His chosen people. When reading comments from other Americans it sure looks like the majority of Americans are STILL pro-Israel. maybe, soon, we can return to being a country that does and acts on what the majority wants done.

.... only because of the goddamned Hamas shooting their idiotic rockets all the time, ruining the life in half of Israel....

Netanyahu and his right wing govrenment is not ready to move anywere, it is a time to impose peace.

From my take on this article it seemed like only Netanyahu is looking for a sustainable peace. This article was very vague about "core issues." Are Americans expecting Israel to put half of Jerusalem, a settlement freeze, and a lift on blockade for peace talks to begin? And whats crazy about trying to bring these to people closer together first with economics instead of assuming these people will get along once a treaty is in place. I think Obama should have a different vision then what other presidents did. This is not like Egypt where a top-down is more likely to work. I believe Obama should try to hit more demanding issues through a bottom-top approach first. The Fatma, Israel, and Hamas need to agree on ways to pay and provide electricity to gaza. This will help Gaza not waste so much water by not having its water and sewage treatment plants not have the electricity to prevent salinating and polluting more water. Further economic ties and ending hate that is being taught to young Palestinians will make way for more serous treaties that will be held. It will also bring confidence to Israeli's that these are not more empty talks that will end with more rockets or an intifada. Seems like putting Jerusalem on the table first or any of the more hotly disputed "core issues" is asking for failure. Who then are the ones not serous for peace?

The ludicrous joke called proximity talks have risen to new heights of incredulousness. The Likud party has recently embraced the Danon proposal, meaning accelerated settlement expansion come September. In East Jerusalem 22 Palestinian homes are to be razed to make room for a tourist center. The American response through its mediator Mitchell is to take Netanyahu to task because of stalled proximity talks. Too much emphasis on peripheral issues and a scolding because of a lack of seriousness on core issues. A response that is profound, very profound. And a response that is disgusting, very disgusting.

to give up all its bargaining position and just give in to PA. Obama made big mistake in having proximity talks after Olmert and Abbas negotiated directly for 2+ years AND while Israel built in Jerusalem etc and Abbas still never agreed to anything. Obama bows to kings, kisses dictators and kicks US allies ! People in USA are getting very tired of grand talking do nothing Obama fast

The Israelis and the Palestinians are impossible to deal with. It's like trying to deal with your kids. 60 years of doing the same thing, Wye, Camp David, Oslo, Wye II, Camp David II, "proximity talks". It's insane! It's time to lean on the parties to submit the Middle East dilemma to Binding Arbitration. Each party picks an arbitrator; the two arbitrators pick a 3rd arbitrator; the three arbitrators hear the cases of the respective parties and render a decision. The UN chips in some money to justly compensate those who lost property when the UN created Israel as a refuge and homeland for Jews who had been persecuted, murdered, enslaved and made homeless by the Germans. The UN gets the money from member states and benefactors. (Maybe the Germans chip in a little extra.) That's my peace plan. It's as good as anything out there!

of course not, he is busy expanding the borders. He will give a clear answer when every inch is settled.

The cat is out of the bag when given the option to put up or shut up when it comes to talking peace bibi has decided to tap dance and not talk about the real issues just the stuff which is easy to talk about and not the stuff which are required for any real peace... the conclusion... they will continue to lip service peace but they do not want peace... it is not politically correct to say they don't want peace but by saying they want peace and even going into talks with the PA(which they really want to fail) they can say they are trying even when they don't have any intention of making peace... the peace is in the pudding bibi.. other Israeli government have wanted and tried for peace but where meet with incompetence and the corruption of the PA leadership and now by all accounts the tables have turned where the incompetence is more on the Israeli side

Let the USA make peace with Al Quida. Let it end its drone attacks (targeted killings). Then it can tell Israel how to make peace with Jewkillers.

The PMO claims seriousness. If so, there would be a proposed map of the borders so Israelis would know what the direction of Netanyahu's coalition's thinking. But having a proposed map of the borders would bring down the coalition. Can't have that.

with the plans and policies of Jerusalem currently proposed and announced, why would the Palestinians bother to sit down with the Israeli government for negotiations, as nothing is left to negotiate about.

I remember the new buildings in the Jewish neighborhood of Jerusalem were the obstacles to the peace process. Since Netaniyahu declared freeze (which actually ends pretty soon) all kinds of other "obstacles" appear and all of them come from the Israeli side. Palestinians don't create any obstacles, they just don't want to start talks. Who will be found responsible for the failure at he end? As always: Jews and bicyclists.

He is forced by Shalits parents to negociate with Hamas, he was forced to change course in Gaza and pretend that the is allowing the relax the blockade and now he should be told by Pres. Obama what is expected from him to do. Otherwise he is not capable to make a move one way or the other. He is scared to loose his priem ministership as he will never see it gain in his lifetime. I see a lot of problems ahead.

So he stalls and tries to talk about the nature of the Palestinian parliament. If Netanyahu says borders or Jerusalem, his coalition walks. All Bibi cares about is staying in power. He doesn't believe in ending the conflict.

To cozy up to the Saudis? When the Saudis build synagogues in Mecca they are ready for peace, until then expect the status quo for the next century.

Full stop.

Do not blame Israel for the Arab governments' desire to make constant war.