Rahm to Cantor: Biden Never Said Israel’s Actions Were Endangering US Troops
EmailWhite House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel told House Minority Whip Eric Cantor, R-Virginia, Monday night that it's not true that Vice President Biden told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Israel's hardline position on building settlements in disputed territories is endangering the lives of US troop, as has been reported in the media, a White House official tells ABC News.
Writing in Yedioth Ahronoth, as posted by Politico’s Laura Rozen, Israeli journalist Shimon Shiffer reported that, behind closed doors Biden told Netanyahu, “this is starting to get dangerous for us. What you’re doing here undermines the security of our troops who are fighting in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan. That endangers us and it endangers regional peace.”
As reported by Politico this morning,Cantor had called Emanuel to tell him that the Obama administration needs to “ratchet down the rhetoric” regarding Israel, a source in Cantor’s office says, arguing “that Israel is a strategic ally, and it’s very damaging for the White House and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to say that the US-Israel relationship has been ‘injured.”
The Minority Whip, the only Jewish Republican in Congress, told Emanuel, whose father is from Israel, that “Biden’s comments were unhelpful at best," after which Emanuel said the comments, as reported, were not true.
Referencing his complaints from last week that Cantor feels insufficiently consulted by the White House, a White House aide commented that Cantor might hear from the White House more if he could be trusted not to leak foreign policy conversations to reporters.
Last week, after Biden’s arrival was met with an announcement of 1,600 new housing units – a diplomatic slap in the face – the Obama administration asserted that such actions were damaging, and Israel-US relations have hit a tense point not seen in decades, the Israeli Ambassador to the US has been reported as saying, though he has denied having made the comment.*
Foreign Policy reports that CENTCOM commander Gen. David Petraeus is very concerned about the “growing perception among Arab leaders that the U.S. was incapable of standing up to Israel, that CENTCOM's mostly Arab constituency was losing faith in American promises, that Israeli intransigence on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was jeopardizing U.S. standing in the region, and that” the envoy for Israel-Palestinian peace, George Mitchell is “(as a senior Pentagon officer later bluntly described it) ‘too old, too slow … and too late.’”
On Sunday on THIS WEEK, I asked White House senior adviser David Axelrod if Israel’s position on the settlements issue put the lives of US troops at risk. Axelrod didn’t directly answer the question, saying, “ it is absolutely imperative, not just for the security of Israel and the Palestinian people — who were, remember, at war just a year ago — but it is important for our own security that we move forward and resolve this very difficult issue.”
Today Reps. Mark Kirk, R-Ill., and Christopher P. Carney, D-Penn., sent a letter to President Obama calling the U.S.-Israel relationship “an extraordinary relationship unlike any other in American history” and urging the administration to “refrain from further public criticism of Israel and to focus on more pressing issues affecting this vital relationship, such as signing and enforcing the Iran Refined Petroleum Sanctions Act when it comes to your desk.”
- jpt
UPATE: Tuesday afternoon, Israeli Ambassador to the United States Michael Oren said: "I was flagrantly misquoted about remarks I made in a confidential briefing this past Saturday. Recent events do not — I repeat — do not represent the lowest point in the relations between Israel and the United States. Though we differ on certain issues, our discussions are being conducted in an atmosphere of cooperation as befitting long-standing relations between allies. I am confident that we will overcome these differences shortly."
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General Petraeus, in this morning’s testimony to Congress, said that the Israeli/Palestinian conflict was a major generator of Anti-American feelings across the Gulf and a major component of American security.
Without a report on General Petraeus’ testimony, this post is incomplete.
Posted by: Mary | March 16, 2010, 3:15 pm 3:15 pm
The Obama Administration is very bold when attacking Israel–but like a cream puff in dealing with Iran.
Obama bows to our enenies and berates our allies.
Maybe that will make him more popular in the middle east.
Posted by: kandy | March 16, 2010, 4:00 pm 4:00 pm
So Obama gives Iran a pass and decides to condem Israel.. typical racist white house when it comes to Jews
Obama VS America
Posted by: another crisis-another photo op | March 16, 2010, 4:06 pm 4:06 pm
It’s funny this story came up. I recently read an article on newsmax from back in 2008 where Biden told senior leaders in Israel to “get used to” a nuclear Iran. Check it out if you have the time. Amazing this man is second in line…
Posted by: Shoe | March 16, 2010, 4:18 pm 4:18 pm
So Obama gives Iran a pass and decides to condem Israel.. typical racist white house when it comes to Jews
__________________________________
Nonsense. Iran has not been given a pass. Israel was dumb to make the announcement during major attempts to restart peace talks and during the Vice-President’s visit.
Why does the Republican right have to spread malicious lies? Why to try to get elected – hoping there might be enough dopes to believe them.
Posted by: tierra | March 16, 2010, 4:23 pm 4:23 pm
The White House doesn’t seek consultation with Eric Cantor because he’s an idiot. Cantor fails to understand that if you repeatedly badmouth the administration you cannot expect that the administration is going to seek your advice. One cannot seek collegial actions if one isn’t willing to do them as well. What is Cantor thinking- like most in his party, nothing at all.
Posted by: slmdarien | March 16, 2010, 5:48 pm 5:48 pm
Can’t Biden speak for himself? Why is Rahm doing Biden’s whispering?
Posted by: LK | March 16, 2010, 5:53 pm 5:53 pm
“So Obama gives Iran a pass and decides to condem Israel.. typical racist white house when it comes to Jews”
Speaking of those of the Jewish persuasion, it seems Eric Cantor is the ONLY Jewish GOPer in Congress in either chamber.
Posted by: Ryan C | March 16, 2010, 7:05 pm 7:05 pm
It’s classic ‘he said, he said’ bull.
Posted by: DontGet818onMeNow | March 16, 2010, 7:54 pm 7:54 pm
Maybe Rahm is to Biden..as Gibbs is to POTUS.
Posted by: DontGet818onMeNow | March 16, 2010, 8:09 pm 8:09 pm
Well, the real insult will be when Israel leaks that Biden did say exactly what was reported.
Posted by: pauldia | March 16, 2010, 9:15 pm 9:15 pm
“Israel” did indeed intend to make the announcement during Biden’s visit. The Interior Ministry there is controlled by the armed settler fanatics. They are trying to incite as much trouble as they possibly can, to further their goal of complete ethnic clensing.
Posted by: Flash Override | March 16, 2010, 10:14 pm 10:14 pm
In my home, we stand with Israel and we actually say it outloud everyday now to remind us that we are living under a regime that DOES NOT. Obama sickens me…he knows nothing of the suffering of jews and the strenght of the people of Israel…He is a lapdog to Middle East terrorist… Never again, eh? ha!
Posted by: mjishernameo | March 16, 2010, 11:25 pm 11:25 pm
Any links for the Petraeus report? Because my understanding is that it’s hearsay. Maybe Jake can follow up on that one.
Posted by: Yehudit | March 16, 2010, 11:28 pm 11:28 pm
He is a lapdog to Middle East terrorist… Never again, eh? ha!
Posted by: mjishernameo
which ‘terrorist’?
Posted by: XXX | March 17, 2010, 12:48 am 12:48 am
Read the Kirk-Carney letter in full, especially:
“A zoning dispute over 143 acres of Jewish land in Israel’s capital
city….”
So that’s the Republican spin on it?
btw – do the Republicans do anything but leak?
Posted by: Tom J | March 17, 2010, 1:43 am 1:43 am
Petraeus is right. Israel’s insolent intransigience is making the U.S vulnerable to righteous outrage in the world. We need to cut the $$$$$ to Israel NOW.
Posted by: Solomon | March 17, 2010, 2:22 am 2:22 am
Too many jews. They have a conflict of interest at best and are israeli firsters at worst.
Save the anti semitism comments. I care less about offending jews than I do my country.
Posted by: Sandy | March 17, 2010, 2:35 am 2:35 am
I have a truly wonderful and ingenious idea!
Lets build a new Israel on top of Chicago and the Chicagoland area. Next to the lake, it looks just like Israel.
Let’s evict most of the existing Chicagoans and cram 1 million rich ones into the Peoria slums, a couple million more we’ll put into refugee camps in the cornfields nearby and keep them there until at least beyond 2070 AD. Then we’ll steal everything they own.
The rest of the Chicagoans we’ll cram into the into the slums in South New Israel (old Chicago)
Now, if any one gets p|ssed off that their land, homes, jobs and way of life is stolen for unending decades or if of the Chicagoans get enraged that their parents are living in refugee camps for 50 years and become “evil terrorists” we’ll just rain hellfire missiles down on their camps or slums constantly, bulldoze their slums, send in Abrams tanks for a turkey shoot of women and children, hopeful not more than 3000 dead and 10,000 severely injured per incident should do just fine to keep the Chicagoans contained.
We’ll call the frisky Chicagoans who don’t accept their new plight and fight for their people “evil terrorists” and we’ll call anyone who sends money to help them terrorists too!
It’s ok…it’s God’s will.
Posted by: Jonathan | March 17, 2010, 3:51 am 3:51 am
The Obama Administration is very bold when attacking Israel–but like a cream puff in dealing with Iran.
—————————————
Inane. Obama did nothing to stop the latest Israeli massacre of innocent Palestinians, including hundreds of children who were simply attending their schools when the Israel bombed them to high heaven WHILE THEY WERE FILLED WITH CHILDREN.
He did nothing to stop their near total destruction of Palestinian infrastructure in the Gaza strip, including 15 its 27 hospitals, 43 of its 110 primary health care facilities, nearly all its farms, tens of thousands of homes, etc. And what is he doing now to alleviate suffering those without sufficient food or water, the 50,000 or so homeless, and so on and so on until it’s too painful to fully grasp? Has he put a stop to Israel’s blockade of materials necessary for reconstruction, fuel, medical supplies, even food for the Palestinians who survived our ‘special’ ally’s immoral ‘war’? He’s not at all tough on Israel. The international community takes a much clearer view of Israel than does America. And, yes, the Jews suffered terribly at the hand of the Nazis, and they deserved the help of the world in the aftermath. But now, too many of those in power seek to destroy another people, and we stand by and watch. And you can go on all you want about Palestinian terrorists seeking the destruction of Israel (which I don’t condone), but look at the death tolls – approximately 100 Palestinians killed for every 1 Israeli. To think that Israel didn’t use extremely excessive force, to say the least( after THEY broke the cease fire agreement) is simply delusional.
Posted by: Suzanne Robinson | March 17, 2010, 5:39 am 5:39 am
Obama must not back down after ISRAEL slaps AMERICA in the face
March 17, 2010, 6:07AM
Whether Netanyahu was merely stupid or, more likely, arrogantly malicious in order to assert his claimed superiority over America – is not the point. President Obama cannot afford to blink again and allow Israeli extremists to dictate US foreign policy.
There is now the dangerous possibility of a third intifada, provoked by the Netanyahu cohorts, that could spark a nuclear war in the Middle East.
Time for Netanyahu to leave the stage, and for Obama to assert his authority over this tiny nation that thinks it can rule the world.
Posted by: c.dale | March 17, 2010, 7:08 am 7:08 am
mjishernameo and Sandy, you both are making the same mistake. Do not equate jews with Israel. Israel does not represent jews, and jews are not to blame for Israel’s policies.
Posted by: Flash Override | March 17, 2010, 7:18 am 7:18 am
It’s hard to imagine Joe having a gaffe.
Posted by: DontGet818onMeNow | March 17, 2010, 7:41 am 7:41 am
Israel hardening stand against palestinians is not threatening US troops but threatening OBAMA’S ego…
Face it Obama’s heart is not set on helping Israel….His heart is set on opposing Israel in everymove it makes… Israel is only protecting itself by buiding more settlements and protective barrier. the US likewise has border walls between Mexico and Us but the big difference is Israels method is effective in stopping terrorist, ours is not.
Obama is One-Big-Absolute-Mistake-in America…
Sayonara……
Posted by: graymatter | March 17, 2010, 7:56 am 7:56 am
Why does the admin freak out and strongly criticize Israel about housing in undisputed areas of Jerusalem but remain silent when Palestinians during the same Biden visit dedicated an area to honored a terrorist (who coordinated a bombing in Israel that killed women and children)?!
Are we so used to muslim terrorism that our own VP doesn’t register such strong wording for that as well?
Would you want a neighbor that glorifies people who kill your other neighbors getting closer to you?! This is the more disturbing part of peace negotiations to most americans and I would think most Israelis (whose opinions matter more since it’s their neighbors who are getting bombed).
Posted by: GO | March 17, 2010, 11:08 am 11:08 am
mjishernameo and Sandy, you both are making the same mistake. Do not equate jews with Israel. Israel does not represent jews, and jews are not to blame for Israel’s policies.
———–
Are you a Jew?
I don’t “blame” anyone for Israel’s policies..the settlement in question is not even an area of dispute..before biden showed up and starts trouble…
This administration is motivated by underpinnings that are not transparent..there is an agenda here and it’s clear to me that it does not involve peace. Obama has dithered away any political grace he was given (not earned, mind you) and he can no longer be excused for his rabid behavior to our allies…And yes, Israel is our ALLIE.
Posted by: mjishernameo | March 17, 2010, 12:02 pm 12:02 pm
there is an agenda here and it’s clear to me that it does not involve peace
Posted by: mjishernameo
ok…. so what’s the ‘secret agenda’
Posted by: PO'd | March 18, 2010, 12:37 am 12:37 am
I think all these Muslim Country all are big terror for world….thats it…..
Posted by: Ilan Ben Menachem | March 18, 2010, 4:35 am 4:35 am
Just because Obama may not serve Yeshua, the God of the U.S. and Israel, does not mean that God will not use Obama to serve the U.S. and Israel.
If Yeshua leads Obama into a war with Iran then it will be a Muslim attacking Muslims – for a kingdom divided against itself cannot stand. Mark 3:24
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