"Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says his government will make no concessions about construction in East Jerusalem.
Mr. Netanyahu made the comment to his Cabinet Sunday as the U.S. envoy on Middle East peace arrived in Israel to try to start indirect talks between Israel and the Palestinians.
The Palestinians are demanding Israel stop settlement construction in East Jerusalem, on land captured during the 1967 Arab-Israeli war. The issue has disrupted the peace process and turned into a public dispute between Israeli and U.S. officials.
Mitchell is to meet with Mr. Netanyahu Sunday before the Israeli prime minister leaves for Washington to address a major pro-Israel lobbying group and meet with congressional leaders. " VOA
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Why is George Mitchell humiliating himself in this way? I always found him to be stuffy but courteous,something like a New England pharmacist with ill fitting dentures, but nonetheless, a man of substance and dignity. He is quite old now. Not even special mission aircraft from USAF can make the stress of travel easy for him.
Natanyahu is mocking him, mocking Clinton, mocking Obama, mocking the United States. Bibi is coming to Washington to lead a pep rally of Americans who belong to an organization (AIPAC) that openly sided with Israel against the US in the recent mini-flap. Then he will stroke and be stroked by major donors and the servile media. Then he will go to Congress where his agents of influence, some of them ideological, some merely grasping for support for re-election, will sit at his feet adoringly. Why should Natanyahu pay any attention to our government? He thinks, with some justice, that he runs America.
George, go back to Lewiston or wherever it was and lick your wounds. pl
What was the famous New York Daily News headline in 1975? "Ford to city: Drop dead!"
The headline cost him New York (the city was bankrupt and wanted federal money. Ford said no way) and thus the presidency against Carter.
Mr. Netanyahu isn't as much at risk, though the "peace process" pantomine is getting wearing.
Posted by: Dan M | 21 March 2010 at 12:42 PM
Dan, I would call the parallel Netanyahu to America "Enjoy $4 gas this summer". That's sure to help the world economy.
Posted by: Fred | 21 March 2010 at 02:44 PM
It will be interesting to note how many members will laude and attend AIPC meeting and how many will put the interest of USA citizens foremost when the Consumer Protection Act will be presented.
Without doubt, this dichotomy will indicate the loyalty of Congress members [and Administration] to the USA vs, Likud Israel.
As the Geneva Convention is part of USA Constitution [via advise and consent of the Senate] backing the Likud/Israel/Aipac cabal is unconstitutional prima facie Gaza War, THE WALL, Housing in Jerusalem,, etc.
Best non of the above members [and thier sycophants, the MSM] talk about RULE OF LAW and USA!
Posted by: N. M. Salamon | 21 March 2010 at 02:59 PM
Born in 1933, so his age should be 77. Not so bad for these days. But there is chronological age & then there is biological age.
It was said somewhere that during the current negotiations he had become too old, too slow, & too late.
It seems that among the American Lebanese & Syrians that Mitchell is a common Anglicized surname. Mitchell's biological father "kilroy" (Irish) had been orphaned and adopted by a Lebanese-American family & married a Lebanese-American.
Even though he was senate majority leader, turned down a supreme court nomination, and was chairman of the board of Disney, if it was well publicized, he would not be the most well known Arab-American.
Even though few know it, the honor would go to Disney's largest shareholder, one Seven Paul Jobs, who had a biological Syrian Mulsim father, to wit: Abdulfattah Jandali.
Whom am I kidding, the most well known is Klinger of MASH. (the idea of MASH originated with Dr. Michael E. DeBakey, a Lebanese-American)
Posted by: WILL | 21 March 2010 at 05:18 PM
Well if Ford pardoned Nixon after the election rather than before he would have been elected President. No this kabuki dance [or is it NOH?] is playing out in very strange fashion. Events in middle East seem to be tragically converging on another crisis. Bibi's ego and hubris is enormous--perhaps because that is what he learned from his years living in the US. The illusion of control by all concerned is what concerns me? Hey the "Guns of August" evidenced where control may lead. And fear of lack of control led to WWII in the opinion of some. Well now let's just project 10 years down the road or go back to 1948! Is Israel better off for its choices since 1948 or on the edge of a precipice with its obstinacy likely to bear very bitter fruit in the US. If there is a blink in the US support for Israel others may well take permanent advantage of that blink. But Israel continuing to poke the US in the eyes seems to be promoting blinking if not blindness now.
Posted by: William R. Cumming | 21 March 2010 at 07:47 PM
good picture. there's a running theme here - the subconscious is strong. the caption sums it all.
Posted by: s nadh | 21 March 2010 at 08:29 PM
Hah, you act as if this is new, or limited exclusively to Isreal.
Right now there is about to be ANOTHER push to grant amnesty to the millions of illegal Mexican citizens living here. Mexico needs her BILLIONS in remittances, after all.
The State Department just had three employees killed, and now we're being told that the fact that ALL THREE were consulate employees had nothing to do with it? Hah, tell me another one.
Yet America is so desperate to kowtow to the petty third world country south of us, thanks to the lure of hispanic voters, while ignoring the effects on her own citizens.
At least we have the chance to even the odds for BPA Rosas every night we encounter dopers. How does State deal their very own Liberty incident?
Posted by: Tyler | 21 March 2010 at 08:45 PM
Will,
Are you too young to remember the entertainer Danny Thomas of the Danny Thomas Show? He was of Lebanese descent. (I wonder if he is related to Helen?) He was a few years before Klinger and every bit as funny. And thanks for the reminder about Klinger.
Posted by: Jackie | 21 March 2010 at 09:31 PM
Former Obama Aide New Head of AIPAC
Posted by: b | 22 March 2010 at 02:58 AM
Reading Ha'aretz over morning coffee:
"The Israeli government passed at least 21 bills aimed at discriminating against the country's Arab citizens making the current Knesset as being the most racist Israeli parliament since the country's founding, according to a report released Sunday by civil rights groups.
The Coalition Against Racism and the Mossawa Center, which works to promote equality, claimed that the proposed legislation seeks to de-legitimize Israel's Arab citizens by decreasing their civil rights. The report's data show that in 2008 there were 11 bills defined as racist presented to the Knesset while in 2009 there were 12 such bills..."
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1157857.html
Who needs the Washington Post or NYT for Israel "news"?
Posted by: Clifford Kiracofe | 22 March 2010 at 07:21 AM
The disrespect of US policy by Israel regarding the building situation makes it hard, if not impossible for the US to deal with other countries in the region. i.e. the Us can be "rolled".
Suggested reading:
http://csis.org/files/publication/0310_MENC_0.pdf
Posted by: R Whitman | 22 March 2010 at 08:48 AM