Obama Sets Tone for Meeting with Netanyahu

President Barack Obama and Israels Prime Minister Netanyahu met this week in Washington. The tone of the meeting between the two leaders was set by the Presidents speech on the Middle East.


President Barack Obama made a statement on Thursday calling on Israel to return to its 1967 borders as well as setting conditions for peace talks. Prime minister Netanyahu was surprisingly blunt in his response to the presidents speech. Prime Minister Netanyahu had reportedly contacted Secretary of State Hilary Clinton on Thursday asking that the 1967 reference be removed from the president's speech. Clinton reportedly said that was not going to happen.

Despite the tension created by the speech before Friday's planned meeting both sides tried to play down the situation without giving up any ground on either side. On his flight to Washington Netanyahu said "Sometimes being right also means being smart," He also said he would bring up "principal matters" regarding Israel's existence with US president during the meeting. In an interview with the BBC President Obama said "the basis for negotiations will involve looking at that 1967 border, recognizing that conditions on the ground have changed and there are going to need to be swaps to accommodate the interests of both sides."

The President is expected to talk about Americas unshakeable relationship with Israel on Sunday when he addresses America’s largest pro-Israel lobby. The tone of Sunday's speech is expected to be lighter in content.

In the Middle East, reaction to the speech and subsequent meeting on Friday has been highly critical. Most see the outcome of the meeting as another concession to Israel on the part of the United States. Response by the media in the region is overwhelmingly negative. It is seen as a death to the peace process and a green light for continued Israeli expansion.

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Editor/source writer: Brian Ringland The Overrated Truth

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