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Last update - 18:26 11/11/2009
Washington disappointed: Netanyahu didn't present concrete steps
By Natasha Mozgovaya, Haaretz Correspondent and Haaretz Service
Tags: Barack Obama 

The White House expressed disappointment in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's recent visit to Washington, with officials saying that they had hoped that the prime minister would present a concrete plan to scale back Israeli construction in West Bank settlements, the Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday.

Speaking at the General Assembly of the Jewish Federations of North America in Washington on Monday, Netanyahu urged the Palestinians to resume peace talks with Israel, but failed to offer any new commitment regarding the settlements, which the Palestinians have demanded be halted as a precondition for talks, nor did he present any new terms for the talks.

"We had an idea that he might bring something out to push the process forward," one U.S. official told the Wall Street Journal. "But he's kept it in his pocket."
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In his address, Netanyahu also appeared to resist U.S. pressure to promote the two-state solution. He said he was committed to two states living side by side, but stressed that the central issues - the right of Palestinian refugees to return to the homes from which they were expelled and certain territorial claims - would not be on the table. "They must abandon the fantasy of flooding Israel with refugees, give up irredentist claims to the Negev and Galilee, and declare unequivocally that the conflict is finally over," Netanyahu said in his address.

U.S. officials said the White House had held off until Netanyahu was on a plane to Washington before confirming a meeting between the prime minister and U.S. President Barack Obama in efforts to pressure the Israeli leader to take a more conciliatory line.

Following the meeting Monday night, the White House issued only a brief statement saying the president and Mr. Netanyahu discussed a number of issues in the U.S.-Israel bilateral relationship, as well as how to move forward on Middle East peace.

The mystery that shrouded the meeting sparked a wave of speculations. American commentators argued that the White House's refusal to even supply a photo opportunity of the two leaders indicated the American president's dissatisfaction with Netanyahu's policies.


So far, no photos have been released from the meeting. The only photos available are those of Netanyahu entering the White House, and leaving it. The government photographer, the only one allowed into the meeting, was prohibited from making the photos public.

The late hour of the meeting, which was scheduled at the very last minute while Netanyahu was already on a plane to Washington, and the fact that the prime minister was transported in a simple van, and not the official government vehicle that usually takes world leaders to meetings with the president, also indicated that something was amiss.

The bureaus of both Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak, who was present during the second part of the meeting, canceled the briefings that they had planned to give to the press following the meeting. They also canceled planned radio interviews. According to Israeli sources, the cancellations stemmed from U.S. displeasure with headlines in the Israeli media suggesting that Netanyahu bended Obama's will. Netanyahu's media advisers wanted to appease the Americans, and therefore cancelled the briefings, sources said.

Senior officials in the Obama administration also accused Netanyahu of suggesting that he had the power to pressure Obama with various lobbies within the U.S. political arena. The White House views this sentiment as a "re-run" of Netanyahu's behavior during Bill Clinton's administration. This issue apparently came up in the meeting between Netanyahu and Obama.

"The administration was upset because Netanyahu's camp forced the meeting on them, and that it was scheduled in accordance with Netanyahu's schedule, and not theirs," said one of the Jewish leaders at the GA conference.

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      1.   I Am Disappointed With Obama 10:18  |  Laguna Geno 11/11/09
      2.   As we have ben saying---Israel is "NOT" interested in peace 10:19  |  Labhras 11/11/09
      3.   Netanyahu didn`t present concrete steps 10:19  |  Mark 11/11/09
      4.   no peace 10:21  |  Hirz 11/11/09
      5.   Is Obama a man or a mouse? 10:21  |  Michael 11/11/09
      6.   Bravo ! I began doubting if Netanyahu could stand up to Bambi 10:22  |  Absolute Sweden 11/11/09
      7.   Netanyahu didn`t present concrete steps Part 2 10:25  |  Mark 11/11/09
      8.   Hey Yoel Marcus, Aluf Benn, Akiva Eldar, Ari Shavit + Co..... 10:31  |  Swiss (Dino) 11/11/09
      9.   Ignoring their own folly and making it still worse 10:34  |  Shalom Freedman 11/11/09
      10.   Bibi cannot present "concrete plan" because there is no such... 10:35  |  Esther 11/11/09
      11.   It is obvious 10:53  |  Chris Linthwaite 11/11/09
      12.   Bibi whispers nocturnal niceties into Obama`s ear... 10:56  |  Esther 11/11/09
      13.   Obama doesn`t see it 10:56  |  Paul 11/11/09
      14.   Humiliation of Netanyahu 10:58  |  Roger 11/11/09
      15.   No Deal, No Money 11:01  |  David 11/11/09
      16.   Stop being stubborb 11:14  |  Ben 11/11/09
      17.   Congratulations, Mr. Abass... 11:14  |  Erik 11/11/09
      18.   When Obama visits Israel we should drive him in a rubbish truck 11:21  |  Gil 11/11/09
      19.   gil #18 11:42  |  fred 11/11/09
      20.   #18 Gil says.... 11:48  |  Johnboy 11/11/09
      21.   Who cares about OBAMA... He`ll lose the 2012 elections to a repub 11:50  |  amir 11/11/09
      22.   Now Bibi`s excuse is the "refugee swamping"... 11:55  |  Esther 11/11/09
      23.   Chris Linthwaite, you insult our people 11:55  |  Israeli citizen 11/11/09
      24.   Netanyahu is right 11:58  |  Ali Baba 11/11/09
      25.   something got to give 12:00  |  tiki Belgium 11/11/09
      26.   Is Obama a complete fool? 12:02  |  Sam 11/11/09
      27.   Bibi Well done 12:04  |  An Australian 11/11/09
      28.   "They must, they must" but Bibi must freeze the settlmnts first 12:05  |  S 11/11/09
      29.   20, Johnboy, well said! 12:07  |  Dutch 11/11/09
      30.   The truth is hard to accept! 12:08  |  US CITIZEN 11/11/09
      31.   Priorities 12:12  |  Mark 11/11/09
      32.   come on. get real. 12:13  |  lenny 11/11/09
      33.   Strange set up here..... 12:19  |  Welshman 11/11/09
      34.   He who laughs last 12:24  |  Iain 11/11/09
      35.   # 20Johnboy says...to Gil... 12:30  |  S 11/11/09
      36.   Hi S #28... not to worry, Bibi will yet get more Pres photo-ops 12:31  |  Esther 11/11/09
      37.   Obama`s petulance 12:36  |  Peter Williams 11/11/09
      38.   To all the Israeli bashers 12:36  |  Saul 11/11/09
      39.   Of course Netanyahu dissapoints Washington 12:40  |  Israel Supporter 11/11/09
      40.   Obama magic 12:49  |  Erez 11/11/09
      41.   Biting the hand the fees 12:51  |  An Embarrased Israel 11/11/09
      42.   Bibi fails to impress Bambi 13:02  |  susants 11/11/09
      43.   Laguna Geno 13:06  |  Walter 11/11/09
      44.   Obama should know... 13:10  |  IL Patriot 11/11/09
      45.   Bibi`s boo boo 13:12  |  American 11/11/09
      46.   #35 Point taken, S 13:17  |  Johnboy 11/11/09
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      48.   Rubbish truck ? 13:30  |  Joe 11/11/09
      49.   Ali Baba # 24 13:33  |  Ali Mama 11/11/09
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      51.   Preconditions that are diktats and those that are prerequisites 13:43  |  sh 11/11/09
      52.   # 40 Petra 13:46  |  American 11/11/09
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      54.   Defending Bibi.?? 13:51  |  a wandering Jew 11/11/09
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      148.   Irgun, it was Bibi who celebrated 9/11... 20:16  |  BBSNews 11/11/09
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      150.   Why lie when anyone can check your facts Irgun 20:17  |  Mark Lincoln 11/11/09
      151.   why not a settlement freeze 20:19  |  bronxite10 11/11/09
      152.   Yaakov Sullivan in NYC: get real 20:21  |  Eric L 11/11/09
      153.   Lynn - it is funny 20:21  |  Mark Lincoln 11/11/09
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      155.   BigSur-Substantiate Your Allegations 20:28  |  Yaakov Sullivan 11/11/09
      156.   2nd try about how the poor Hamas and Nasrullah`s Lebanon 20:36  |  Big Sur 11/11/09
      157.   #18 Gil 01:22  |  Hugh 12/11/09
      158.   Bibi doesn`t get it 02:46  |  stella westwell 12/11/09
      159.   Just a Thought 02:57  |  Hugh 12/11/09
      160.   Yaakov Sullivan #76 03:14  |  stella westwell 12/11/09
      161.   Ray in N.C. 03:21  |  stella westwell 12/11/09
      162.   Marc in Reseda 03:26  |  stella westwell 12/11/09
      163.   Lynn #125 A better offer 03:30  |  stella westwell 12/11/09
      164.   With the help of AIPAC, Natanyahu can frustrate Obama 03:36  |  Big 12/11/09
      165.   irgun from Zion ...arab rejectionism? 06:31  |  John Spear 12/11/09
      166.   "the power to pressure obama with various lobbies"...lol 08:19  |  eric 12/11/09
      167.   Yaakov Sullivan (#155) Really 08:56  |  Gil 12/11/09
      168.   Israel gives land Pal`s return terror 09:14  |  Disgusted 12/11/09
      169.   White House Meeting 09:35  |  Commentator 12/11/09
      170.   Disgusted 10:16  |  John Spear disgusted 12/11/09
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      172.   #168 Eric - Palestinian`s don`t have to declare 13:17  |  *BEN JABO 12/11/09
      173.   # 183 Gil - One law for all - or none ? 20:46  |  David 12/11/09
      174.   yaakov the liar 21:24  |  jon 12/11/09
      175.   #106 Irgun and #181 John. Fools also lie about history 21:49  |  Ron 12/11/09
      176.   laguna the tuna 21:50  |  MB 12/11/09
      177.   David (#189) I dare you 21:54  |  Gil 12/11/09
      178.   Most are disappointed in Obama. He is 12:17  |  Josiah J. Ben David 14/11/09
      179.   Obama should be treated the same if he vistits 07:28  |  Josiah J. Ben David 15/11/09
      180.   Netanyahu is a good man. 01:40  |  Sonny 17/11/09
      181.   #176 MB - Sarnia, Canada 18:35  |  *BEN JABO 18/11/09
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