U.S., Israel Differ On Palestinian State

Mideast Envoy Supports Two-State Solution, But Israeli Leadership Avoids Topic

(AP)  Stark differences between U.S. and Israeli policy toward peace talks with the Palestinians emerged clearly Thursday in the first meetings between President Barack Obama's Mideast envoy and top leaders of the new Israeli government.

The envoy, George Mitchell, stated clearly that Washington is aiming for creation of a Palestinian state. But Israelis avoided mention of Palestinian statehood, and the new foreign minister said past Israeli concessions have led to violence, not peace.

Mitchell met Thursday evening with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has yet to unveil his policy on peace efforts but has spoken of shifting the emphasis to stimulating the Palestinian economy instead of supporting the process accepted by the U.S. and Israel up to now - direct negotiations toward a full peace treaty between two states.

Officials in Netanyahu's office said his message to Mitchell was that Israel would not risk the creation of another Hamas-controlled entity on its border. The Islamic militants overran Gaza in 2007, and Netanyahu has warned that creation of a Palestinian state could place the violent extremists next to Israel in the West Bank.

Also, the Palestinians would have to recognize Israel as a Jewish state, a step they have refused to take so far. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because no statement had been made.

Mitchell made the administration's goals clear to reporters while standing next to Avigdor Lieberman, the Israeli foreign minister, after their meeting.

"U.S. policy favors ... a two-state solution, which would have a Palestinian state living in peace alongside the Jewish state of Israel," Mitchell said.

In a statement, Lieberman questioned the basic premise that compromises by both sides would eventually lead to a peace accord.

"The historic approach has so far not brought any result or solution," a statement from Lieberman's office said. "The minister also said that the new government will have to come up with new ideas and a new approach."

Lieberman reinforced his public position that a year of apparently fruitless peace negotiations, which began after a U.S.-sponsored conference in Annapolis, Maryland, in November 2007 under the previous government of Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, were misdirected. Livni ran against Netanyahu in Israel's February 10 election.

Olmert has said he offered the Palestinians all of Gaza, almost all of the West Bank, parts of Jerusalem, an exchange of territory and a corridor through Israel between the West Bank and Gaza, but the Palestinians turned it down.

"Past prime ministers were prepared to make wide-ranging concessions, and the result of the Olmert-Livni government was the second Lebanon war, the operation in Gaza, severance of relations with Qatar and Mauritania, Gilad Schalit still in captivity and the peace process at a dead end," Lieberman's statement said. Schalit is an Israeli soldier held by Hamas-linked militants in Gaza for nearly three years.

In response, Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said it means Israel will not conduct peace talks. "It's very obvious that this government rejects a two-state solution and the agreements (already) signed," he told The Associated Press by telephone.

Mitchell meets Friday with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, whose government controls only the West Bank.

Also Thursday, Mitchell met President Shimon Peres, who tried to ease concerns that Israel might attack Iran's nuclear facilities if international pressure fails to stop development of nuclear weapons that could threaten Israel.

"Talk of a possible Israeli attack on Iran is not true," Peres told Mitchell. "The solution to Iran is not military."

Israel sees a nuclear Iran as the most serious threat to its existence. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has repeatedly called for Israel's destruction and Tehran has tested long-range missiles that could strike Israel.

While not directly threatening to take out Iran's nuclear facilities, Israel has kept the military option open.

Peres, a Nobel peace laureate and former leader of the dovish Labor Party, has a largely ceremonial role in Israeli public life. Strategic decisions are made by Netanyahu and his government.

Promising a vigorous push for Israel-Palestinian peace, Mitchell made his first Mideast trip in January, just a week after Obama took office. A month later he accompanied U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton to the region.

In violence Thursday, Israeli aircraft hit a building in northern Gaza. The military said it was booby-trapped with explosives. Palestinians said no one was hurt.

[aj4321-2009]

I think it is comforting to the progressives who actually hate America, to pull American down.
Posted by hamiltongrad at 12:02 PM : Apr 18, 2009

------------------------------------------------
If you have not noticed, we have a progressive president in power. So FU to Taiwan - U.S. will always support One China.

[hamiltongrad]

WHy USA SuPPORTS ISRAEL..

The USA supports good people with decent intentions, and democracy. It has always been about who the good guys are, vs. the bad guys. Take for example, support for TAiwan, China. There is nothing that we "need" from TAiwan, and certainly this is not to our overall benefit. But, if attacked we would by treaty come to their defense. Same for Europe. Who cares ?
The only President to pull the rug out of good guys, was Jimmy Carter. While on XMAS break for Congress, our first female president ordered a reverse in that policy for TAIWAN ! The congress called an emergency session to over rule his order by law !! Jimmy has the same attittute toward Israel. It is kind of Darwinean and NAZi like ( survival of the fittest), but does not conform to our ideas, history or ideals.
If you support banning TORTURE, because we are the good guys, then you must support our support of ISAEAL and TAIWAN, because they are and we are the good guys.
I think it is comforting to the progressives who actually hate America, to pull American down.

[Hyptnotized_Liberals]

Stop aid to all the sand box! They are nothing to us!
Posted by didserve

Israel is one of our top allies in the war against Islamic terrorism.

I agree Muslim Arabs are nothing to us, as they want us to submit to their global caliphate. Not gonna happen over my dead body.

[didserve]

There is NOTHING in the middle east that America needs!

Stop aid to all the sand box! They are nothing to us!

[didserve]

Stop all aid to both sides!

[rocketjl]

Surely there should be a small corner of Iran that the Palestinians can use. Why force the besieged Israelis to grant safety to people who plan to kill them, especially right in the middle of their country. Please mind your own business and keep in mind that you are probably not talking for me.

[hamiltongrad]

At Oslo, Israel was promised a two state solution if the Palestin renounced violence and terrorism. OF course they did not, and promoted both.


At Anapolis, the US wanted Is to agree that the Palestin could have their state even if they did not renounce violence and terrorism.

What is next ??

It is not in America's best interest to create another Islamic Terrorist State, such as GAZA. What is Mitchell thinking ??? Hello, Sec of STATE Clinton ??? You are the only one with any real idea of REALITY there.

[earth562]

Joe Lieberman is the senator from israel. He represents israeli interests in washington, d.c., and not the interests of american citizens. The constitution has a term for his conduct and it isn't "the people's representative".
Posted by p_syrus at 5:41 PM : Apr 16, 2009

How do you manage to type away when you can't even comprehend whats written in a n article ?

I guess all those named "Jones" must be like "Jim Jones " ?

Thanks for proving the term "usefull idiot" to us

[earth562]

lieberman is a traitor, he's the senator from Israel, not the U.S....down with israel, they're worst than hitler, they're killer's who base they're life on a invisible god..U.S. taxpayer's pay all they're bills, military salaries, etc,etc, the jews aren't brilliant, they can't even feed they're own people..like the rest of the trashy middle east countries....
Posted by tommyboy194 at 7:06 AM : Apr 17, 2009


Ok Tommy,

Now go back to mommy and ask her if you can leave the basement and play in traffic.

Make sure you get those nice orange pills after breakfast

[quapawsix]

watching events unfold in the never ending crusades is like watching Kingdom of Heaven.

[juwboy]

p_syrus:

What is the relevance of your reference to Joe Lieberman?

His name does not appear in the CBS report.

[Hyptnotized_Liberals]

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U.S., Israel Differ On Palestinian State

-Since there's never been a such nationality as a "Palestinian" to begin with, this only makes sense.

Anyone who is capable of doing 5th grade level googling can look up the history of that land, and they can easily look up the fact that the term "Palestinian" is merely a propaganda tool that's been pushed through the media for the past 40 years and other outlets as a method of concealing the jihad against Israel by Muslim Arabs.

Yasser Arafat was one of the first culprits of this propaganda.

Former PLO terrorist Walid Shoebat, exposes this astronomical lie of the term "Palestinian"

www.shoebat.com

[p_syrus]

Joe Lieberman is the senator from israel. He represents israeli interests in washington, d.c., and not the interests of american citizens. The constitution has a term for his conduct and it isn't "the people's representative".

[TheMasses01]

U.S., Israel Differ On Palestinian State
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Barry does not represent the US vision on this matter.

[whitemale08]

Isn't it obvious that the Zionists do not care what the U.S. thinks?

They only care about the 'green light' we give them to carry out genocide when they want.