Thursday June 18, 2009

I've Been Thinking:

Yesterday Avigdor Liberman, Israel's foreign minister, met with his US counterpart, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
Their meeting typifies the new relationship between the United States and Israel.

Major tension emerged on the issue of settlements.
Clinton said that the Obama administration wants a total stop to settlements. Liberman said that it was an unrealistic demand. He said that people live and die in the settlements and that they cannot just freeze their lives.
Lieberman explained that Israel had come to a very clear understanding on this issue with the Bush administration.
Clinton said there is a possibility of working things out with Special Envoy George Mitchell.

There was agreement and there was disagreement on Iran.
The United States and Israel agreed that Iran is a threat. They disagree about approaching Iran and luring the Iranians into the civilized nations of the world.

Relations between Israel and the US are far from smooth.
Despite the tensions, hints are being dropped that there may be wiggle room and the possibility of compromise in the issue of settlements.
If that does happen, it will not happen anytime soon.

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