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Israel-Palestine-Jordan
Obama: Israel must engage in self-reflection
2009-07-15
U.S. President Barack Obama met with 15 American Jewish leaders at the White House for the first time on Monday. The president and the Jewish officials huddled for talks aimed at clearing the air following allegations that his administration was taking a tough line with Israel over settlement activity.

At the meeting, Obama told the leaders that he wants to help Israel overcome its demographic problem by reaching an agreement on a two-state solution, but that in order to do so, Israel would need "to engage in serious self-reflection."
I'm waiting on him to tell the Paleos the same thing. I'd like to hear him remind the ineffectual Mahmoud Abbas and the murderous Hamas thugs that peace requires them to love their children more than they love death. Wonder how that would go over.
On the Iranian nuclear issue, Obama told the leaders that "the door to dialogue is open. If the Iranians do not walk through it, however, we will have to see how we proceed. But it would be a mistake to talk now about what we're going to do and how we're going to do it."

One of the participants at the meeting asked the president to take a lower profile regarding the public differences between his administration and the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the United States' demand that Israel freeze all settlement construction activity in the West Bank. "This situation is not helpful," he told the president, who rejected the request, saying that during the eight years of the Bush administration, such disagreements were never made public but that such an approach was not helpful in advancing the peace process.

Obama added that there is a narrow window of opportunity for advancing the peace process and that he plans to speak openly and honestly with Israel - "a true friend of the U.S." - just as he did with the Arab nations in his speech at Cairo University in June.
We can look for an address to the Jewish world from Jerusalem in the near future then?
Much more Q & A follows ...
Posted by:Steve White

#18  "Reflect on this at THE TREE OF WOE!"


Thulsa Doom to Conan before latter is crucified.
Posted by: borgboy   2009-07-15 15:12  

#17  Just a reminder - last year 78% of American Jews voted for Obama.

Many in the U.S. Jewish community are quite liberal in views and thus voted for BO. Why are they liberal? I don't know. Bush did more for Israel than the Donks. Many in Israel got it and liked Bush.
Posted by: JohnQC   2009-07-15 12:40  

#16  Israel: Obama should engage reflexively in sexual congress.
Posted by: mojo   2009-07-15 10:42  

#15  Remember one thing. He was a community organizer. C-o-m-m-u-n-i-t-y. Not country. His mentality is still of a community organizer. His politics is still Chicago style.
Posted by: Art   2009-07-15 10:28  

#14  It's amazing how many "narrow windows" there are, every administration has one. It's that "legacy" crap again. For one who professes to "listen to all sides", Obama certainly loves to lecture. He's the Professor In Chief - and therein lies his problem.
Posted by: Spot   2009-07-15 08:23  

#13  I'll second Verlaine's comment.
Posted by: phil_b   2009-07-15 08:11  

#12  I'm beginning to think the Jews in this country would have voted for Hitler if he was well bred and smooth and a dhimocrat.

Fools. As big as fools and their new president.
Posted by: DarthVader   2009-07-15 07:46  

#11  Making Carter look less worse every day.
Posted by: Nimble Spemble   2009-07-15 07:05  

#10  When do the self-criticism and struggle sessions start?
Posted by: Butch Omamp7794   2009-07-15 07:01  

#9  I think newc above actually captures the essence, even if he (she?) squanders some eloquence on the toxic embarrassment that occupies the WH.

This jackass couldn't hold up his end of a 5 minute discussion of the history, merits, or strategic implications of the Isr-Pal conflict (or, for that matter, a discussion on anything else of consequence, including the US Constitution, on which his utterances leave one slack-jawed in amazement and disgust at his illiteracy).

Yep, you affirmative action dipshit, there's a "narrow window" for a lasting peace. Because ... because ... uh ... uh .... there's some unique aspects to, uh .... the current situation ... uh ... ya know, insane implacable racist hostility from the idiotic Arab world, and ... uh ... whatever.

Here's hoping Bibi steps up and takes huge risks and puts the pathetic US on the spot by attacking Iran's nuke program (hint: kill key people, don't just bomb sh*t). Imagine the disarray and meltdown among the Beltway third-tier mediocrities in the WH.
Posted by: Verlaine   2009-07-15 02:58  

#8  You foolish piece of shit.
Posted by: newc   2009-07-15 01:56  

#7  You had better get off of my ass, Obama. I mean it.
Posted by: newc   2009-07-15 01:56  

#6  I meant from his own had, to clarify that I am not advocating assassination.
Posted by: OldSpook   2009-07-15 01:23  

#5  Ya know there are times I wish Obama woudl do what he keeps telling others to do - in effect, eat a bullet.
Posted by: OldSpook   2009-07-15 01:22  

#4  to many of my Jewish friends, Bush, McCain weren't the sophisticates they thought Obama was.
Posted by: Girlthursday   2009-07-15 01:12  

#3  Never could figure that out. I'm guessing that percentage won't be as high in 2012, but I didn't think it would be over 40% in 2008 ...
Posted by: Steve White   2009-07-15 00:48  

#2  Just a reminder - last year 78% of American Jews voted for Obama.
Posted by: vendaval   2009-07-15 00:41  

#1  Now, where did I leave that navel?
Posted by: Ulinesh Hapsburg5687   2009-07-15 00:17  

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