"Deep crisis" in wake of Netanyahu-Obama summit

If Benjamin Netanyahu thought that a meeting with Barack Hussein Obama was just the thing to clear the air and smooth ruffled relations between the two nations, he was sadly and badly mistaken.

The signs were there. The White House demanded no media, no outside photographers, not even a ceremonial handshake nor the vaguest of pleasantries. All of the sweet words of a "rock solid.... unwavering.... forever" alliance uttered by Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden in the preceding days were out the windows.

Instead, he walked into an ambush. Channel Two correspondent Udi Segal described it as "brutal," even "violent". Even Americans he spoke with, Segal reported, were shocked by the shabby treatment according to the head of state of a supposedly friendly country. Ynet also reports that "White House reporters emphasized the fact that the prime minister of a country considered one of the US' closest allies did not receive the honorable reception that is customary during the visit of foreign leaders."

From the outset, it seems, Obama was on the attack, out to get his Israeli counterpart, interrogating him, demanding that Netanyahu define exactly where he stands or, more importantly, how much more he was willing to give.

It appears that Netanyahu's responses did not satisfy Obama. Not at all. Ynetnews reports that Netanyahu refused to release Palestinian prisoners, and insisted on continued building in Jerualem. Apparently "reports about construction permits for the Shepherd Hotel in east Jerusalem's Shiekh Jarrah neighborhood only added fuel to the existing fire – and caught Netanyahu in the midst of trying to explain to Obama that Ramat Shlomo was not in the Old City, but part of Jewish neighborhoods that will remain under Israel's jurisdiction in any case."

Haaretz described the outcome as "serious disagreement." After ninety minutes of tete-a-tete with the Israeli prime minister, the American President decided to go to bed. Or maybe watch some basketball.

Netanyahu, chastened if not browbeaten was allowed to lick his wounds in the White House's Roosevelt Room, together with his defense minister Ehud Barak and his closes aides. After more than an hour of intra-Israeli discussions, Obama was asked to come down again to meet with Netanyahu and his inner circle. That meeting, too, ended in disagreement, with not even the basis for an agreement relating to the text of a joint statement.

Netanyahu and Barak left the White House, leaving behind close aides to meet with Obama's aides to try to salvage something from the meeting. Only at 2AM did those consultations end, also apparently without a positive outcome.

Netanyahu canceled a series of interviews and briefings with the American media, scheduled for Wednesday morning, in order to focus on the serious disagreements with the Obama administration.

According to ynetnews, "for the past two days the Prime Minister's Office has been unable to provide details about the visit's itinerary, as they have not been briefed about it by the Americans. In diplomatic terms, this is an unusual situation." Ynetnews reports that "The feeling in the White House is that Netanyahu did not deliver on his promises, and that the meeting between the two leaders concluded with a deafening silence and a tense atmosphere."

In the wake of the disagreements, and continued lower-level consultations Wednesday morning, Netanyahu canceled his media appearances and stayed, with Barak, in the secure confines of the Israeli embassy -- secure also in the confidence that their conversations were not being monitored, a feeling lacking in the White House. Sources in Netanyahu's entourage said that Wednesday would be devoted solely to talks with senior American officials, led by Netanyahu aides Molcho and Dermer.

"The objective is to reach understandings with the American administration before we take off for Israel," said a source in the Netanyahu camp, quoted by Haaretz. Nevertheless, it is unclear when Netanyahu will go home, Haaretz reports.

On the other hand, if Netanyahu real expects to reach understanding with Obama, he may need to plan on a longer stay, till the eve of Passover, if not longer, before the American President will deign to "let him go."



[link to israelinsider.ning.com]