Obama Frustrated, Impatient With Mideast Peace Process

By: Mark Knoller
Topics: Foreign Policy

(AP Photo/Charles Dharapak)

Just eight months into his presidency, Barack Obama makes no effort to conceal his impatience and frustration over the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.

His predecessors, each of whom spent 4 or 8 years in pursuit of a Mideast peace agreement, would tell him: welcome to the club.

"Simply put, it is past time to talk about starting negotiations -- it is time to move forward," said Mr. Obama sternly at the start of three-way talks today with Israeli Prime Minster Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

He said his message to the two leaders was clear: "Despite all the obstacles, despite all the history, despite all the mistrust, we have to find a way forward."

Above all else, Mr. Obama wants Israel and the Palestinians to re-launch direct negotiations. Today was the first time the two leaders sat face-to-face in nearly a year.

Sounding exasperated, Mr. Obama said "permanent status negotiations must begin and begin soon."

Special Envoy George Mitchell, the former Senate majority leader now serving as administration point-man on the Mideast peace process, said today's talks were at all times cordial, but also blunt. Cordially blunt?

Mr. Obama spent about 40 minutes in separate sessions with Netanyahu and Abbas -- and a similar amount of time in their tri-lateral meeting.

He lectured each of the two Mideast leaders on what they need to do to move the process forward. He said:

• Israel has spoken of restraining its settlement activity, but needs to "translate these discussions into real action."

•Palestinians "need to do more to stop incitement and to move forward with negotiations."

Mr. Obama feels some progress has been made in the Mideast peace process since he took office, "but we still have much further to go."

He said it's time for Netanyahu and Abbas "to show the flexibility and common sense and sense of compromise that's necessary to achieve our goals."

Mitchell, who sat in on today's meetings, said Mr. Obama concedes "it's difficult to disentangle ourselves from history, but we must do so."

But as if laying down the law to Netanyahu and Abbas, Mr. Obama is quoted by Mitchell as telling them: "we all must take risks for peace."

These and other Mideast leaders have heard similar words from other U.S. presidents.
Over the years, they've come tantalizingly close to a comprehensive peace agreement, but in the end, fell short of the objective.

But Mitchell, who helped negotiate the Good Friday Agreement that led to an end of sectarian violence in Northern Ireland, told reporters he "believes deeply" that conflicts begun by human beings, can be ended by human beings.

It took nearly fifty years to end the Northern Ireland conflict known as "The Troubles." The Israeli-Palestinian clash has already surpassed that.

More Coverage of Obama at the U.N.

Obama to Mideast Leaders: Time to Do More
Washington Unplugged: Don't Expect Much from U.N. Summit
Obama Sits Down With Chinese Leader
U.N. Climate Summit Leaves Large Carbon Footprint
Obama: It's "New Era" on Climate Change Policy
Photo Essay: World Leaders Talk Climate Change
Obama's U.N. Debut: A Dizzying Agenda

(CBS)

Mark Knoller is a CBS News White House correspondent. You can read more of his posts in Hotsheet here. You can also follow him on Twitter here: http://twitter.com/markknoller.

Mark Knoller
Mark Knoller is a CBS News White House correspondent.
Follow on Twitter »

36 Comments Have Your Say
Email Story Send to a Friend
Share This Tell Your Friends
Tweet This Tweet This
More Share It

Add a Comment

See all 36 Comments


by brucearnold September 27, 2009 10:21 PM EDT: On 9/11/01, the all-powerful bankers behind New World Order globalization unleashed their oil and money hungry military-industrial dogs of war to orchestrate the fall of 3 (not 2) WTC towers--the third, not struck by a plane, housing 3 floors of damning SEC records. On that day, we lost 3000 lives (with 1000s more to follow) plus 4 commercial airliners (with all on board) ... and stood by helplessly as something (not wide enough to be a 757) bored a hole in the side of the Pentagon. Yet even today, two elections and a new administration later, our Big Brother government expects us to believe that all of that masterfully-plotted and perfectly-timed destruction was accomplished by 15 Saudis and 4 of their cousins using nothing more than box cutters and big balls. If you believe that, or if you believe we have been told anything close to the Truth about 9/11, then I ask you to Google "911 truth" and "911 peak oil", and objectively evaluate what you find at websites like AE911Truth.org.; Reply to this comment


by GuyfromUSA September 23, 2009 7:11 AM EDT: What a joke. did he really think he would walze in there and make everyone play nice. There will never be peace becuase they do not want it. He id so delusional that it's scary. The next savior has so far done NOTHING. Not here not there. The economy still sucks, We're still fighting 2 wars, healthcare is a joke... 2012 can't come soon enough.; Reply to this comment


by didserve September 23, 2009 5:36 AM EDT: Immediately stop all aid to both these idiots!; Reply to this comment

by pensacola8-2009 September 23, 2009 4:58 AM EDT

The best way to have peace is to recognize Palestine into statehood and give them nuclear weapons, so they will be equals to their Israeli neighbor. Palestine wouldn't sell the weapon, since it guarantees deterence, nor would they use it, since Israeli retaliation would be guaranteed. At this time, with unequality, there is no conflict resolution, because the disadvantage of one side or disparity is too great.

Reply to this comment


by ffoulkes-2009 September 23, 2009 5:21 AM EDT: Now THAT post gets the insanity award of the year here on CBS.


by USSAmerikan September 23, 2009 12:57 AM EDT: What, the great communicator is unable to deliver on all of his campaign promises? The great messiah for the masses unable to bring people together because they now love us? Hey, Mr. President, Bush has been gone for most of a year... What is your excuse now???; Reply to this comment

by bzzpd September 22, 2009 10:18 PM EDT

Ochavez 1974

I seem to remember several hundred years ago.....when the Muslims stole the Jews homeland and expelled them from Israel. They persecuted maimed and murdered them while driving them off their lands.

Now you are having a hemmoroid because you have to give the land back to them?

Israel never had a big population in the West Bank of muslims back in 1948 to begin with. Just because the Muslim population chose to birth themselves to the point of overrunning the Jews with arab children.....does it make it Israels responsibility to supply a place for them to live.

China could do the very same thing and kick everyone out because they have overpopulated their country.

The Palestinians have only had to share land that their ancestors stole from the Jews in the first place.

Reply to this comment


by ochavez1974 September 23, 2009 4:31 AM EDT: This just explains why the Israel-Palestinian conflict can never be solved! Rather than pointing fingers at who steal who's land, is it human to let anyone die without being treated? Is it human to bomb hospitals that are filled with thousands of sick and injured people inside? Is it human to kill innocent children on the streets? Is it human to use cluster bombs or phosphorus on any nation? Did u know how many warnings had been issued by the United Nations for Israel to stop the occupation and offensive in Gaza?? Did u know how many countries' medical aid and supplies were rejected by the Israeli government from entering their borders? Apparently, u r not aware of what the International communities who leave outside the western world remembers the Gaza offensive and occupation. They remember every single bombs very well. And just for your info, in this very same website, cbsnews.com 60 seconds' video, there is a video report on how Palestinians, regardless of the Christians or Muslims, have their houses under the mercy and the siege of the Israelis at any time of the day. We have to look at a problem from Today's perspective not history. For the world to continue, let's have mercy....


by ffoulkes-2009 September 23, 2009 5:18 AM EDT: Not to mention that the Arabs tried their dangedest to eradicate all the Jews for centuries.


by Lawyers-Guns-n-Money September 22, 2009 10:07 PM EDT: by TimeToStandUp September 22, 2009 8:00 PM EDT
We have more than a moral debt to Israel, without Israel and their research and development centers producing all of our new innovations, the US has jack spit.

I love with these Obots spew the krap about Israel being a welfare state, when they wouldn't even have a pot to pixx in right now, much less a computer to type on.
=========================================

And Al Gore invented the internet. Heee haaaw!; Reply to this comment


by wtcmedic-911 September 22, 2009 10:01 PM EDT: of course he's frustrated, he's the GREAT AND POWERFUL OBAMA. Must suck when you have the news media in the u.s. snowed, over half of the people snowed, you stutter and sound like an idiot when the promters not handy and they call your brilliant. then you get leaders of other countries that wont be snowed when it comes down to it. Must suck for the great obama.; Reply to this comment


by mitdgreenb September 22, 2009 9:40 PM EDT: What a laughable performance by the POTUS! The two leaders he's talking to each have more experience with dirtier politics and impossible negotiations than he'll ever have. As whosaid1 said, "rookie."

To novamba: I agree as long as your statement applies equally to both sides. Israelis have long said, "There will be no peace until they love their children more than they hate ours."; Reply to this comment

by ochavez1974 September 22, 2009 8:48 PM EDT

At least President Obama is trying as hard as Clinton. The atrocities happening in Israel and Palestine everyday must end. Soon. Not like other leaders around the world who talk and do nothing like ex British PM, Tony Blair.

The Bush administration didn't help at all. What they did was, turn a blind eye. A blind eye to the occupation, to the offensive in Gaza, to the cluster bombs, phosphorus and every illegal weapons that was used in that offensive. What Bush did was, create chaos, to make sure that the world do not put its attention to Israel's injustice towards Palestine. Why shouldn't the Palestinians retaliate? How did President Bush retaliate when New York was attacked during 9/11?? HE destroyed IRAQ and AFGHANISTAN!! so why wasn't the same done to Israel?

Israel needs to be pulled up and straigtened for the war crimes that they have committed. The world watched how those medical and food supplies was stranded all over the borders and people just left to die, UN workers being attacked, medical personnels reprimanded if they help dying Palestinians. Why did Bush just sat and watch?? Wasn't these war crimes enough to cripple a nation? Israel chose to carry on the offensive while Mr Bush was still in office because they knew they will never be let off by the Obama administration.

The root of this problem is Israel is hungry for land. They are stealing it from the Palestinian. N they don't want to return it back. N no police in this world dare to stop them. They have licence to steal and kill. So before 'some' countries tells Iran what to do, with their rights to do what they want in their own country, they must stop these atrocities in Israel. Iran is just doing the right thing if they decide to have a nuclear power. Having Israel, a nuclear power country, as a neighbour is bad enough. Imagine if Iran had used those cluster bombs or phosphorus in a war, I m sure, they will not be spared!! and they will be destroyed!! so straighten the root of this problem (Israel) and the Muslim countries will agree to deal with Iran.

Reply to this comment


by wtcmedic-911 September 22, 2009 10:04 PM EDT: Dear jew hater ochavez1974:
palastine brought much of its pain on its self, with rockets breaking the gaza agreements and isreal is to take it? your hardly the war crimes jury. in fact they found crimes on BOTH SIDES. get your facts straight.