Harry Reid rebukes Barack Obama's Israel speech

[oberliner]

The most powerful Democrat in Congress, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), on Monday night publicly rejected President Barack Obama’s decision to use a recent speech to lay out aspects of a potential peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians.

“The place where negotiating will happen must be at the negotiating table – and nowhere else,” Reid declared in a speech to an annual gathering in Washington of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). “Those negotiations … will not happen – and their terms will not be set – through speeches, or in the streets, or in the media.”

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0511/55560.html#ixzz1NFHsWt4S

[emilyg]

1. k/r

[Crunchy Frog]

2. You can always count on Dems to undermine other Dems.

Is Reid saying he doesn't think it's the US's place to try to help negotiate peace in the region? I was under the impression that, at least playing lip service to it, has always been a part of American foreign policy, under all presidents.

[classysassy]

3. Unity

something in short supply in the US senate.Old Harry kissing the ass of the people that keep the conflict brewing in the middle east.Sir have you no sense of justice?.Why is that old jerk still the leader of the dems,there are far better men and women in the senate to choose from.

[Hardrada]

4. We need a dem from a blue state.

[asphalt.jungle]

5. i don't think it has anything to do with red or blue

AIPAC has done a good job of donating to both parties so that they basically control Washington. Pelosi couldn't introduce enough "we love Israel" proclamations. if obama says anything that the israel far right doesn't like a "progressive hero TM" from blue nyc like anthony weiner will run to some right wing american magazine complaining about the president not loving israel enough. schumer and lieberman are from blue states.

[Pirate Smile]

6. It's pitiful. Everyone knows that if the President tried, in any way, to exert some financial

pressure on Israel , both Houses of Congress would, by massive bipartisan majorities, override any Presidential veto. They have essentially tied the Presidents hands - making it perfectly clear that even "liberal" Democrats in Congress would side with any crazy RW Likud Israeli Government over a Democratic President. Some of these fools are out there repeating Bibi's lies about the '67 borders. It is unbelievable...and disgusting.


Edit to add - It reminds me of what the NRA has done - making even the most obvious and rational US Government actions completely forbidden to even being discussed. It makes US policy end up being extremely counterproductive, to the point of damaging the US in extreme ways.

[Bluebear]

7. Nevada is blue.

[butterfly77]

21. What we need.

is to change the color of the senate and house,especially the senate which is a sea of white faces..

[no_hypocrisy]

8. My (D) rep, Bill Pascrell spoke for a Jewish group the day after Obama and defended him

and his positions. Went further and told them he didn't tell constituents what they wanted to hear, but rather, the truth. He said that Obama had courage to set up definite perimeters from where Israel could start negotiations and this has been the consistent policy of former administrations.

[flpoljunkie]

9. Today's Haaretz Editorial: U.S. Jews must support Obama's Mideast vision

U.S. Jews must support Obama's Mideast vision

Between loyalty to Obama's way and loyalty to Netanyahu's way, American Jews must choose loyalty to the future of the State of Israel.

Haaretz Editorial

American Jews have been dragged over the past few days into the controversy between their government and Israel's government, and that is neither to their benefit nor to the benefit of the State of Israel. On Sunday, U.S. President Barack Obama addressed the annual American Israel Public Affairs Committee convention and candidly laid out his ideas for a permanent agreement between Israel and the Palestinians.

Unlike the many American politicians who turn Jewish organizational conferences into election rallies, Obama did not make do with rousing declarations about America's commitment to Israel's security and to the unity of Jerusalem. Though he is already thinking about his upcoming presidential election campaign, Obama looked the Jewish community in the eye and told the truth.

On the eve of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's address to that same convention, Obama presented the June 4, 1967 borders, with mutually agreed adjustments, as a key to the two-state solution. The president also adopted the position of his predecessor, George W. Bush, that Jewish population centers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem must be taken into account.

Obama stressed that only a peace agreement with the Palestinians based on the 1967 lines can ensure that Israel will continue to be a Jewish and democratic state and prevent unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state by the UN General Assembly. Yesterday, the European Union's foreign policy chief, Catherine Ashton, backed Obama, as did the other members of the Quartet.

The refusal by Netanyahu and his political allies to recognize the 1967 borders as a starting point leads permanent-status negotiations into a dead end. From there, the road is short to violent confrontation with the Palestinians, diplomatic isolation and perhaps even economic sanctions.

The large Jewish peace camp in the United States must support the president and reject political activists who have turned Israel's fate into a ball on America's domestic political court. The time has come for the Jews of New York and Illinois to stand beside their worried brethren in Jerusalem and Sderot who have welcomed Obama's message and are hoping for it to become reality. Between loyalty to Obama's way and loyalty to Netanyahu's way, they must choose loyalty to the future of the State of Israel.

http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/opinion/u-s-jews-must-support-obama-s-mideast-vision-1.363665

[oberliner]

12. Harry Reid is not a U.S. Jew

His stance might be related to his own religious faith (which is not Judaism).

[tekisui]

18. Right. Mormons believe they are essentially modern-day Jews.

They are each chosen people and for similar reasons.

[Thrill]

10. Typical Democrats

Main reason shit never gets done on the issue

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

11. As a D.C. resident, I can always count on Politico to cherry-pick shit that is anti-Obama.

Polls are showing that most Israeli's actually support Obama's policy, and most Republicans did when it was espoused by George "Dumbya" Bush. Now, all of the sudden it's not cool to espouse this policy because the president is someone they don't like or of a different party. Of course the Obama haters here on DU have fallen right in line. It's pathetic! Harry Reid needs to shut up and worry more about preserving his majority in the Senate.

[JTFrog]

19. +1

[truebrit71]

13. Harry Reid is about as useful as a eunuch's balls....

...why the fuck can't we get someone with at least a modicum of intelligence in that position??

[Pirate Smile]

14. Disgraceful

[Proud Liberal Dem]

15. *Ugh*

with friends like Harry...............:puke: Of course, he pretty much set the stage the minute Obama was inaugurated by unequivocally stating that "I don't work for the President." (paraphrasing if not actually quoting)

I hope that he (and other Senate Dems) don't also feel like they have to latch onto Orrin Hatch's resolution to prove their "fealty" to what might as well be our 51st State. :eyes:

[oberliner]

16. "Our 51st State?"

I share your frustration with Reid's reaction to Obama's speech, but come on, "51st State" is a bit much.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

22. O.k. Maybe it was a bit much

"Protectorate" then? It just seems like nobody is able and/or willing to have a rational conversation about our support of Israel.

[DevonRex]

17. Harry is showing his true colors again.

[butterfly77]

20. Harry Reid...

is a weak little biotch!!!

[Adam Notsmith]

23. What a suckup.

Better than Sharron Angle, but still...

[BernieSandersIsGod]

24. Call me crazy, but that headline is very misleading. The Politico headline that is. Rebuke? NT