Region | Palestinian Territories
Netanyahu may resist pressure
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is signalling he may resist US President Barack Obama's pressure to support Palestinian statehood as the two leaders would have been trying to tackle an array of Mideast issues on which they disagree.
- By Roula Khalaf and Andrew England-, Financial Times
- Published: 22:56 May 18, 2009
Washington: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is signalling he may resist US President Barack Obama's pressure to support Palestinian statehood as the two leaders on Monday would have been trying to tackle an array of Mideast issues on which they disagree.
A senior aide to Netanyahu, national security adviser Uzi Arad, suggested the Israeli leader might not yield to pressure from Obama for a two-state solution to the Middle East conflict. He also seemed to hint that Israel might consider military action against Iran when he said there was a "sense of urgency" in Israel over the Iranian nuclear threat.
Such rhetoric suggests diplomatic high stakes as the two men hold their first White House meeting against a backdrop of disagreement over several key issues: US overtures to once-shunned Iran and Syria and pressure on Israel to support a Palestinian state.
The Obama administration is trying to promote dialogue with Iran and Syria, Israel's arch foes. Israel fears such efforts could lead to greater tolerance for Iran's nuclear ambitions. Meanwhile, talks are under way among several Arab states on rewards for Israel if Netanyahu committed himself to a total freeze on the expansion of Jewish colonies as part of a comprehensive Middle East peace plan.
According to people familiar with the talks, several Arab states are discussing a plan that could include stepped up contacts with the Jewish state, telecommunications links and airline access if the US could secure genuine Israeli adherence to the settlements freeze on occupied Palestinian land.
The sources stress, however, that Arab concessions would only come after the US spelled out how to achieve a two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, with benchmarks for action on both sides.
The Arab moves are, moreover, predicated on a drastic change in Israeli policy. The current government has said repeatedly that it will not curb what it calls the "natural growth" of West Bank colonies - a loophole that has allowed the colonists to continue expanding rapidly in recent years.
The Arab talks come as Obama was to hold his first summit yesterday with Netanyahu, whose rightwing government has yet to commit itself to the two-state solution.
Senior US officials, in turn, have made clear that the administration will take a tougher line on Israel over issues such as the peace process, which has raised concerns in Israel about a looming rift with the country's most crucial ally.
- With inputs from AP
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