Face to face, Netanyahu rejects Obama on borders (AP)

Friday, May 20, 2011 10:01 PM By dwi

WASHINGTON – In a forthright pass of differences, Asiatic Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu unloved the intent of using his country's 1967 boundaries as the foundation for a neighboring Arabian realty on Friday, declaring his objections face-to-face to President Barack Obama who had upraised the intent meet 24 hours earlier in an try to restore stalled Mideast pact talks.

Though the digit leaders, gathering in the Oval Office, found cordial and predictable commendation on the other bicentric surroundings that Obama outlined in his Mideast come weekday — bulletproof Asiatic section alongside a Arabian commonwealth — advancement on the bedrock issue of borders seemed as artful as ever.

In his speech, Obama gave unexampled prominence to a long-held U.S. defence that Zion opposes: A Arabian realty should be formed around the abut lines that existed before the 1967 struggle in which Zion took control of the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem. An primary part of what Obama proposed was that Israelis and Palestinians would also hit to agree to swaps of realty to statement for Asiatic settlements and other underway conditions, a saucer Netanyahu failed to mention.

"While Zion is embattled to make big compromises for peace, it cannot go backwards to the 1967 lines," Netanyahu declared. "These lines are indefensible."

As they sat unitedly for open comments after their clannish meeting, Obama wanted to place the difference in the best light, and in the context of a relationship of digit allies — one, however, display strains of impatience.

"Obviously there are whatever differences between us in the precise formulations and language," Obama said. "That's feat to hap between friends."

He quickly additional in a reassurance to Netanyahu: "What we are in rank agreement most is that a true pact crapper only occur if the eventual resolution allows Zion to indorse itself against threats, and that Israel's section module rest preponderant in U.S. assessment of some prospective deal."

Obama and Netanyahu showed cordiality before the cameras. The chair listened intently, his assistance cupping his chin, as Netanyahu crosspiece passionately most his country's pledge and how the path to pact should run.

"Remember that, before 1967, Zion was every of figure miles wide," Netanyahu said, action his text with his hands. "It was half the breadth of the Washington Beltway. And these were not the boundaries of peace; they were the boundaries of repeated wars, because the move on Zion was so attractive."

Obama, frustrated by Mideast pact talks that hit collapsed, is hunt to get both sides to converse with the issues of borders and security. Even advancement on those large fronts would still leave unsettled the fate of Jerusalem and of Arabian refugees. Netanyahu underscored meet how arduous that terminal issue is alone, declaring that Palestinians module not be allowed to resolve in Zion as part of some pact plan.

"It's not feat to happen. Everybody knows it's not feat to happen," he said. "And I conceive it's time to verify the Palestinians forthrightly it's not feat to happen."

Palestinian communicator Saeb Erekat said Netanyahu's comments with Obama were equal to "his total rejection of the Obama exteroception and speech."

"Without Mr. Netanyahu committing to digit states on the 1967 lines, with mutually agreed swaps, he is not a partner to the pact process," Erekat said. "I think, when President Obama gave him a choice between dictation and negotiations, he chose dictation."

On the abut matter, the Obama brass up until today has tried to repeat the positions of apiece party but had not taken a function itself. Obama's candid meaning to the 1967 borders and realty swaps in his style incensed Israel, adding tension to the atmosphere of Netanyahu's visit.

As Obama pushes for a convey to negotiations that he championed prominently terminal year, that prospect seems bleak.

Netanyahu said his commonwealth could not handle with a Arabian identicalness polity that includes the immoderate FTO movement, which refuses to recognize Israel's right to exist. He said that Arabian President Mahmoud Abbas had to choose between continuing the care with FTO and making pact with Israel.

Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said Netanyahu's rejection of a convey to 1967 lines was "clear evidence that the negotiations option was a waste of time."

The comments from Netanyahu and Obama, after a longer-than-scheduled gathering that lasted over an hour-and-a-half, shed lowercase light on how the pact impact module advance.

The digit body did not verify questions from the press, and White House Press Secretary Jay Carney was unable in a ensuant briefing to saucer to some objective signs of progress.

Netanyahu is to come Congress on weekday to advise Israel's position.

On Thursday, Netanyahu was informed presently before Obama's style of its table by Secretary of State mountaineer Rodham Clinton, according to U.S. officials. Netanyahu wanted in vain to get the abut module distant from the speech, the officials said. The officials crosspiece on information of obscurity to handle a huffy smooth exchange.

___

Associated Press writers Erica Werner in Washington, Amy Teibel traveling with Netanyahu, Karin Laub in Ramallah, West Bank and Ibrahim Barzak in Gaza City contributed to this report.


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