An Impatient Obama Conveys Frustration to Netanyahu and Abbas
EmailNEW YORK CITY — President Obama held what he called "frank and productive" meetings this afternoon with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas where, according to a senior White House official, the president “was pretty tough” on both leaders, conveying “a sense of his impatience and seriousness and his analysis that they need to get going.”
Stating that the United States is committed to a “just, lasting and comprehensive peace in the Middle East” that results in a two-state solution “in which both the Israeli people and the Palestinian people can live in peace and security and realize their aspirations for a better life for their children,” President Obama, speaking at a photo opportunity with both leaders, said “it is past time to talk about starting negotiations. It is time to move forward.”
The White House official, who spoke under condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the talks, said the president conveyed that a Mideast peace process “can’t just be a perpetual kabuki” if president Obama is “going to continue to invest his political capital.”
The president said today that Palestinians have strengthened their efforts on security but “need to do more to stop incitement and to move forward with negotiations.” As for the Israeli government, which took office in April, the president said Palestinians now have greater freedom of movement because of the dozens of roadblocks and inspection points that have been dismantled. But while Israelis have “discussed important steps to restrain settlement activity,” Mr. Obama said today that “they need to translate these discussions into real action on this and other issues.”
The senior White House official said that the Israelis “said they’re ready to go” with talks, “though in the run-up to today they were a little balky.”
President Obama conveyed to the Palestinians that while they may be disappointed with Israel’s offer of a limited freeze on settlements, the offer is “enough to get talks going,” the official said. The president also told Abbas that he and his government ”need to demonstrate to the Israeli public that they’re ready to be a willing and reliable partner” in the peace process.
“My message to these two leaders is clear,” the president said at the photo op at the Waldorf-Astoria just blocks from the United Nations. “Despite all the obstacles, despite all the history, despite all the mistrust, we have to find a way forward. We have to summon the will to break the deadlock that has trapped generations of Israelis and Palestinians in an endless cycle of conflict and suffering. We cannot continue the same pattern of taking tentative steps forward and then stepping back.”
Special Envoy to the Middle East George Mitchell, reading from notes he took in the meeting President Obama had with both Netanyahu and Abbas, later said that the president told them, "It’s difficult to disentangle ourselves from history but we must do so. The only reason to hold public office is to get things done. We all must take risks for peace. Peace between Israel and the Palestinians is critical to Israel's security and it’s necessary for Palestinians to realize their aspirations."
There was some pushback from both Abbas and Netanyahu. Behind the scenes, Palestinians have been pushing for Israel to commit to explicit points to be resolved in any peace talks, the official said, such as specific borders, the future status of East Jerusalem, and the ability of Palestinians who fled their homes in Israel in 1948 to return. Israeli leaders are resisting any such specifics.
“The president told the Palestinians that he doesn’t think their situation is going to improve by delaying,” the official said. “They have a lot to gain by getting the process going.”
President Obama told the leaders that “success depends on all sides acting with a sense of urgency,” with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Mitchell now responsible for continuing the efforts. Mitchell will meet with Israeli and Palestinian negotiators next week; Secretary Clinton will report to the president on the status of these negotiations in mid- October.
Both Abbas and Netanyahu “heard the president pretty clearly,” the official said. “This is only going to get more difficult as time goes on.”
– jpt
Mitt Romney's Full Speech at CPAC 2012 
Romney Makes His Case to Conservatives at CPAC
I sure hope those two leaders can finally learn to get along and work towards peace.
Posted by: Lydia | September 22, 2009, 2:11 pm 2:11 pm
I guess Mr Obama only has nice talks with the rebels. The threats that he has verbalized to Netanyahu are not productive. I think Obama needs to step aside and let the big boys handle this one.
Posted by: Eileen | September 22, 2009, 2:18 pm 2:18 pm
When does Obama take Z-Big’s advice and start taking out the Israeli Air Force?
Posted by: Appeasement Czar | September 22, 2009, 2:20 pm 2:20 pm
Ditto Eileen for Honduras as well.
Posted by: betsy | September 22, 2009, 2:29 pm 2:29 pm
I liked WaPo’s take (headline) on it: “Obama Chides Mideast Leaders Over Peace.”
… as if the parent is chiding the wayward children. And no one (at WaPo) would even think to second-guess the headline. Journalism (as we knew it) is dead in most of the mainstream media. Fantasy and cheerleading lives.
Posted by: dave | September 22, 2009, 2:30 pm 2:30 pm
Obama doing his best to sound like a toughguy while the rest of the world is beginning to understand the Emperor has no clothes. The scandals are actually better covered now in some of the foreign press.
There will never be peace in the mideast. Read the Koran and you will understand this.
Nice photo op though.
Posted by: A.Silva | September 22, 2009, 2:43 pm 2:43 pm
-I liked WaPo’s take (headline) on it: “Obama Chides Mideast Leaders Over Peace.”
… as if the parent is chiding the wayward children.-
More like… Obama is acting like a petulant child demanding he gets what he wants or he will hold his breath.
Where are the grown-ups that the Dems said were in charge now?
Posted by: E Go | September 22, 2009, 2:52 pm 2:52 pm
Obama is right with the program. It’s time for both sides to set history and animosity aside and get this job done. The only reason to hold public office is to get things done to improve the lives of your people. Netanyahu and Abbas now have a highly engaged and willing U.S. president. They need to take solid steps toward resolving this. Windows of opportunity do not stay open indefinitely.
Posted by: hopesprings52 | September 22, 2009, 3:11 pm 3:11 pm
Both Abbas and Netanyahu “heard the president pretty clearly,” the official said. “This is only going to get more difficult as time goes on.”
================
Yep, it’s gonna get more difficult. When a president lacks diplomacy skills, all he does is flunk internationally and nationally. He hasn’t figured out that he has a huge ‘F’ on his forehead. He thinks the fawning crowds on Letterman’s represent a majority of the world instead of a tiny fraction. Perhaps he will wake up in 2010? One can only hope.
Posted by: SjB | September 22, 2009, 3:16 pm 3:16 pm
To: ASilva,
You are so right. Did you read the recent news article that most of the increase in the readers of news agencies overseas comes from the U.S.?
I almost fell over laughing. I hope our home news agencies wake up. We want to read real news, not fluff that whitewashes a Team Obama agenda — especially on the Iran citizen rebellions and we want to support Honduras. It’s not rocket science to know that Team Obama flunks Democracy 101.
Posted by: SjB | September 22, 2009, 3:22 pm 3:22 pm
What an arrogant twerp. Gee mr. prez — we’re so sorry mideast peace can’t be achieved on your timetable.
Go away. Just go away. You’ll do less damage then.
Posted by: beth | September 22, 2009, 3:50 pm 3:50 pm
is this a joke? an “impatient” Obama. if it weren’t so sad, it would be funny. God Bless America!
Posted by: robin | September 22, 2009, 5:40 pm 5:40 pm
“Obama is right with the program. It’s time for both sides to set history and animosity aside and get this job done. The only reason to hold public office is to get things done to improve the lives of your people.”
__________________________________
This President seems to have the most realistic approach. President Bush negotiated and then turned the other way while settlements were built – it’s good to see more integrity in the process.
For the sake of the children, I enourage people to figure it out.
Posted by: tierra | September 22, 2009, 8:17 pm 8:17 pm
This Amateur Hour Oracle doesn’t have the cred to lecture ANYONE! Such arrogance!
Posted by: Sunnyr | September 22, 2009, 11:48 pm 11:48 pm
It is time for all of us to unite as American Citizens and take back our country. Wake up people!!!! Take a good hard look around. Our rights are dwindling away faster and faster. This is supposed to be a democracy governed by the justice systems put in place by thomas jefferson, etal. What president travels around to appear on late night TV and then irks world leaders at a summit because he wants to get the meeting moving. Who the hell is he anyway? A wannabe movie star/dictator. What religion is Mr. Obama anyway? Was he a member of the Skulls in college? Herb Allison – ran Fannie Mae into the ground and he was rewarded by being named overseer of the bailout.Chopra as technology czar? we need unbiased medical professionals that are free to use their god given brains and gifts given them by God for the medical benefit of anyone who is in need.Nancy Ann DeParle – you cannot get more biased than that one. Look at the state of medicare/medicaid. It was created to help those that needed it. The government has no right and should not ever be given the right to tell us what or how we treat our medical conditions/treatment/preventive care. By the way – who has the cure for cancer locked up in their safe? the drug companies? hospitals or is it the insurance companies?? you all let people die so you can make the almighty buck. You charge out the ### for healthcare that should be our right no matter what. Paul Volker?? Come on. Who put the most $$ in Mr. Obama’s campaign? no one is safe now. He has made a deal with the devil and the only way to stop it is as a united front. His day will come when he is face to face with his maker, selling us all out for his hour in the spotlight. Ross Perot!! Mr. Forbes!! Dude that was on Law & Order… Please someone stand up and take charge! Cuban – you could do a damn sight better job than those people sitting up there right now. A bunch of dinosaurs sitting up in DC making decisions for us, we the people, decisions that don’t affect them, rules they don’t abide by, for us, in a world they don’t live in. they are too removed from the real world. 2 term limit people!!!! 2 term limit and out you go back to every day real world. Oh – Rick Perry has been in office way too long as well. It now costs $1.40 to get on the tollway to go 4 exits. This is the original part of the tollway that has been here for 35+ years. Our insurance rates thru the ceiling. he tried to push a mandatory drug thru that has been recalled but lucky for them when the fire tore thru the gov mansion, they weren’t home and all the artwork had been moved to storage. Coincidental?? Probably not. Things have got to change people or we will be stalig 13.
Posted by: lizzie | September 23, 2009, 11:50 am 11:50 am
Way to say it Lizzie, I agree.
Posted by: klf_lancaster | September 24, 2009, 1:48 am 1:48 am
lizzie- You say it is time to take back our country. You also say, (and I can’t believe this one)- no one is safe now. He has made a deal with the devil…” Do you have any idea how sick that sounds?? It says much more about you than the President. I really feel sorry for people with the convictions you describe because the far right media has so brainwashed folks with their every day, pounding out of lies and exagerations, that they have created a huge population of people who are simply parroting what they say – practically word for word. They have created fear where there should be none and a sub-culture of people who can no longer separate truth from exageration. I’m sorry but what you say is simply sad. Oh, and, I feel like we do have our country back after eight years of corruption; a huge deficit after spending down a huge surplus; a war that was put on a credit card; and lies to sell that war.
Posted by: Blarneyjoy | September 24, 2009, 9:32 pm 9:32 pm