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

Friday, May 20, 2011 9:01 PM By dwi

WASHINGTON – In a blunt pass of differences, Asiatic Prime Minister patriarch Netanyahu rejected the idea of using his country's 1967 boundaries as the foundation for a neighboring Arabian state on Friday, declaring his objections face-to-face to President Barack Obama who had raised the idea meet 24 hours early in an effort to restore stalled Mideast pact talks.

Though the digit leaders, gathering in the Oval Office, institute cordial and predictable agreement on the other bicentric surroundings that Obama distinct in his Mideast address weekday — bulletproof Asiatic section alongside a Arabian commonwealth — advancement on the bedrock supply 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 state should be formed around the abut lines that existed before the 1967 struggle in which Zion took curb of the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem. An primary part of what Obama planned was that Israelis and Palestinians would also hit to concord to swaps of realty to account for Asiatic settlements and other current conditions, a point Netanyahu failed to mention.

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

As they sat together for public comments after their private meeting, Obama wanted to place the disagreement in the best light, and in the context of a relationship of digit allies — one, however, display strains of impatience.

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

He quickly additional in a reassurance to Netanyahu: "What we are in complete agreement most is that a true pact can exclusive become if the eventual resolution allows Zion to indorse itself against threats, and that Israel's section will rest paramount in U.S. assessment of some likely deal."

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

"Remember that, before 1967, Zion was every of figure miles wide," Netanyahu said, action his words with his hands. "It was half the width of the pedagogue 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 intend both sides to contend with the issues of borders and security. Even advancement on those large fronts would ease leave unsettled the ordain of Jerusalem and of Arabian refugees. Netanyahu underscored meet how difficult that terminal supply is alone, declaring that Palestinians will not be allowed to settle 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 instance to verify the Palestinians forthright 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 relation to the pact process," Erekat said. "I think, when President Obama gave him a pick between dictation and negotiations, he chose dictation."

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

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

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

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

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

The digit body did not take questions from the press, and White House Press Secretary diplomatist Carney was unable in a ensuant briefing to point to some concrete signs of progress.

Netanyahu is to address legislature on weekday to advise Israel's position.

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