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Obama warns Hamas as peace talks open
Attaboy, Bambi, that oughta do it ...WASHINGTON US President Barack Obama Wednesday warned Hamas its senseless slaughter would not thwart his Middle East peace drive but a row over Israeli settlements clouded the opening of the long-odds talks. Obama condemned the Islamist group for gunning down four Israelis on the West Bank, billing the attack as a bid to scupper direct Israeli-Palestinian talks here before they even start on Thursday. The tragedy we saw yesterday, by terrorists who are purposely trying to undermine these talks, is an example of what we are up against, Obama said, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at his side. On the eve of the first direct Israel-Palestinian talks for 20 months, Obama gathered regional power brokers for one-to-one sessions and a joint dinner at the White House, putting his personal credibility on the line. In a flurry of high-stakes diplomacy, Obama was also holding separate talks with Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas, Jordans King Abdullah II and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. All five leaders were then due to stand together at a potentially awkward White House appearance to make individual statements, before retiring for a dinner also featuring Quartet diplomatic representative Tony Blair. Obamas remarks were a clear attempt to offer diplomatic cover to Netanyahu following the Hamas attack, and to stop the killings from disrupting painstakingly-laid US plans for direct Palestinian-Israeli talks. Branding the attack on two couples, including a pregnant woman, as sensless slaughter, he warned about extremists and rejectionists who, rather than seeking peace, are going to be seeking destruction. Which is why they're called 'extremists' ... But I want everybody to be very clear: the United States is going to be unwavering in its support of Israels security, and we are going to push back against these kinds of terrorist activities. Yet another 'I want everybody to be clear'. He uses that just about every speech. TOTUS needs a new library ... The message should go out to Hamas and everybody else who is taking credit for these heinous crimes that this is not going to stop us from not only ensuring a secure Israel, but also securing a longer-lasting peace in which people throughout the region can take a different course. Posted by: Steve White 2010-09-02 |
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