Obama snubbed Netanyahu for dinner with Michelle and the girls, Israelis claim

[Scurrilous]

Benjamin Netanyahu was left to stew in a White House meeting room for over an hour after President Barack Obama abruptly walked out of tense talks to have supper with his family, it emerged on Thursday.

<snip>

"The snub marked a fresh low in US-Israeli relations and appeared designed to show Mr Netanyahu how low his stock had fallen in Washington after he refused to back down in a row over Jewish construction in east Jerusalem.

The Israeli prime minister arrived at the White House on Tuesday evening brimming with confidence that the worst of the crisis in his country's relationship with the United States was over.

Over the previous two days, he had been feted by senior Republicans and greeted warmly by members of Congress. He had also received a standing ovation from the American Israel Public Affairs Affairs Committee, one of the most influential lobby groups in the United States.

But Mr Obama was less inclined to be so conciliatory. He immediately presented Mr Netanyahu with a list of 13 demands designed both to the end the feud with his administration and to build Palestinian confidence ahead of the resumption of peace talks. Key among those demands was a previously-made call to halt all new settlement construction in east Jerusalem.

When the Israeli prime minister stalled, Mr Obama rose from his seat declaring: "I'm going to the residential wing to have dinner with Michelle and the girls."

As he left, Mr Netanyahu was told to consider the error of his ways. "I'm still around," Mr Obama is quoted by Israel's Yediot Ahronot newspaper as having said. "Let me know if there is anything new."

For over an hour, Mr Netanyahu and his aides closeted themselves in the Roosevelt Room on the first floor of the White House to map out a response to the president's demands.

Although the two men then met again, at 8.20 pm, for a brief second meeting, it appeared that they failed to break the impasse. White House officials were quoted as saying that disagreements remained. Shimon Peres, the Israeli president, added: "Apparently they did not reach an understanding with the United States."

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[liberalmuse]

1. I hope this isn't true, because...

it would be so incredibly childish on Netanyahu's part. I'm glad Obama isn't bending over for Israel like every other President we've had. Anyway, it looks as though Netanyahu's people are trying to sow disfavor towards President Obama amongst their populace.

[WeekendWarrior]

2. Gotta say, Obama has balls of steel. nt.

[Purveyor]

3. IF TRUE, wise choice and good for you Mr. President. eom

[ProgressiveMuslim]

4. I sure wouldn't want to break bread with that ass-wipe! nt

[SPedigrees]

5. "Go to your room without dinner and think about what you've done!" nt

[henank]

6. Can I ask you to clarify?

You say that Obama snubbed Netanyahu, yet Netanyahu is childish? And why does Obama have balls of steel? For being rude to Netanyahu? What is so brave about hitting the most unpopular politician in the world while he's down?

Key among those demands was a previously-made call to halt all new settlement construction in east Jerusalem.

Obama knows - and has known all along - that this call was never going to be answered in the affirmative. Netanyahu, and every government before him including leftist Labour-led ones, have all stated very firmly that building will continue in Jerusalem. So Obama may come across as having "balls of steel" but he also knew that his request will be denied.

So who's being childish? Netanyahu, for not giving the President what he wants, even though he has his own constituency to answer to, (in case it has escaped your attention, the Israeli PM is answerable to the Israeli electorate, not to the White House) or Obama, who makes an unanswerable request and then stalks out to have dinner with his family.

It may be good PR, even good politics perhaps, but it won't get him results, and it has only raised Netanyahu's status in Israel, which may not have been his intention.

[azurnoir]

10. Raised Netanyahus status in Israel?

I am sure it has with certain Israeli's

[Poll_Blind]

7. If the PA knows what's good for them, they're getting their house in order because...

...very soon Obama is going to be giving them their turn in the barrel. And it isn't going to be pretty, either. If Abbas is smart, he's not going to pull a Netanyahu, especially since Obama is giving Israel such shit over Abbas's main precondition- a freeze in Jerusalem settlements.

I can't imagine Abbas is going to do that though. Netanyahu has painted himself in a corner to (again) potentially look like a giant moronic peacock if the PA falls in line with Obama's demands (which I'm sure will be equally painful for their side, politically).

There has to be at least one person in Netanyahu's government who sees this coming and how much more devastating it would be for the Netanyahu government if Netanyahu hasn't fallen in line by the time Obama Strike II: The PA Attack is over with.

Netanyahu cannot afford the image of Obama and Abbas sitting at a table with one empty chair. Most presidents put off the middle east issues like this till late in their term or (better yet) late in their second term. The fact that Obama is charging into this so soon should give them The Fear that if either of these two governments continue to posture and not compromise and get to that table, it's going to make them look like hipocrites, deserving of whatever sanctions they receive.

PB

[Tarc]

8. Good. Nenanyahu is a right-wing thug

who should not have been let into the country, much less the White House.

[breakaleg]

9. This story has been making me smile all day long. I'm trying not to get my hopes up that

anything will come of it. Once bitten and all that.

[oberliner]

11. Updated: Obama Didn't Walk Out on Netanyahu to Go Eat With His Family

Despite reports that Obama left his meeting with Netanyahu to eat dinner with his family, and others that claim Obama left the meeting to put his daughters to bed, the White House points out to us that such scenarios are impossible, since Michelle, Sasha, and Malia Obama were in New York City that night.

http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2010/03/details_confirm_that_obama-net.html?imw=Y&f=most-emailed-24h5

[Pirate Smile]

13. No surprise. Looks like the typical neocon & RW Israeli BS they keep leaking to try and make Obama

look bad. They are such assholes. Pretty pathetic considering the girls weren't even in town.

[Yeahyeah]

12. Who would want to have dinner with Netanyahu?He always looks like his head's about to explode.

Who wants someone's head exploding all over their dinner?