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Is Nobel Peace Laureate Obama Planning a Middle East Peacemaking Summit?

Feb. 10, 2013 7:21am
Is Nobel Peace Laureate Obama Planning a Middle East Peacemaking Summit

President Barack Obama and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu meet on March 5, 2012. (Getty Images).

Just two weeks ago, President Barack Obama joked about winning a Nobel Peace Prize before he’d actually delivered any significant achievement in that realm. Now, it appears Obama may be planning to hold a Middle East peacemaking summit next month.

Outgoing Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon says that during his visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories in the spring, President Obama plans to convene a “mini-summit” with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and possibly another prominent participant.

“I believe they are already working on a summit meeting between Obama, Netanyahu, and Abbas, and perhaps King Abdullah II of Jordan, who the Americans have an interest in strengthening,” Ayalon said at a panel discussion in which he participated on Saturday.

He said the Obama visit “serves an American interest — to reposition the president as the point-man on the Middle East peace process.”

“This visit also means to pave the way for U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry as the one who will continue to mediate the negotiations between the parties. If the president’s visit fails to yield any results, a lot of eyebrows will be raised,” he added.

Immediately after being confirmed as Secretary of State, Kerry phoned both Netanyahu and Abbas to discuss a resumption of peace talks. This prompted veteran peace negotiator Aaron David Miller to caution Kerry about moving too quickly when stepping into the Mideast minefield in an article called “Chill Out, John Kerry” in The New Republic.

Dore Gold, president of the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, told the New York Times that any peace talks would have to reflect the new threats Israel faces:

You’ve got an Arab Spring, you’ve got Middle Eastern governments mostly focused on their internal stability. […]

You can’t just go up to the attic and blow the dust off a trunk and take out proposals that were put forward 15 years ago when the Middle East looked completely different.

President Joe Biden said at Secretary of State Kerry’s swearing in ceremony that “with John at the helm,” the U.S. hopes to complete an Israeli-Palestinian agreement during Obama’s second term.

All this is naturally raising expectations, even as the White House tries to lower them by saying no new peace plan will be announced in Israel.

The New York Times provides new detail on Obama’s trip, which it reports will include two days in Jerusalem where he will visit the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial, the Mount Herzl cemetery (where Israel’s leaders are buried including slain Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin) and will give a speech either in the Knesset or at a university. He is also expected to visit Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Salam Fayyad in the West Bank for several hours.

Ayalon said: “Should the president’s visit not yield results, it would generate a lot of concerns and criticism.”

But the gap between the two sides is huge. Ayalon said, “The minimum that the Palestinians are asking for does not coincide with what Israel is willing to give.”  He said:

Abbas wants to be the one to get the Palestinians international recognition (as a state) without relinquishing the right of return and Jerusalem.

On the other hand, he has to answer to the Americans, who are backing his rule… if Netanyahu can get Abbas to say – in Arabic, not English to Hebrew – that he recognizes Israel as the Jewish homeland it would have historical significance for generations to come.

Just last week, Palestinian officials indicated that negotiations can only resume if Obama is ready to get tough with Israel.

Ayalon’s criticism wasn’t reserved only for the Palestinians. He also had some criticism for his own government. This is surprising considering his membership in the right-wing party Israel Beiteinu.

Ayalon said he would like Israel to “recognize a sovereign and independent Palestine.” He said:

Israel will grant sovereignty and independence to the Palestinians, and in exchange they will recognize Israel as the national homeland of the Jewish people and allow security arrangements. The prime minister must say: ‘I am ready to recognize them but they need to recognize me, and from there we will advance to future arrangements.’

He also accused his former boss, the previous Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman of lacking diplomacy.

“It didn’t help that his public statements were undiplomatic — such as that all of Europe was anti-Semitic, and that we ought to force the ouster of Abu Mazen (Mahmoud Abbas) and the collapse of the Palestinian Authority. That didn’t help the way the world looked at him,” Ayalon said.

Ayalon said that while effective diplomats “speak softly and carry a big stick. We speak loudly, and carry a baby carrot.”

Ayalon was unceremoniously dumped from Lieberman’s Yisrael Beitenu party (later merged with Netanyahu’s Likud) which took him out of the running for Knesset.

Israeli media report Ayalon is expected to testify against Lieberman in a fraud case.

Featured image courtesy Getty Images.

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Comments (92)

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  • chershaw8
    Posted on February 11, 2013 at 6:58am

    Six..Six..Six?

    Report this comment

    chershaw8  
  • MrObamablows
    Posted on February 11, 2013 at 6:01am

    How could you stand being in the same room with this Idiot! You could not pay me to watch this moron on TV! As for The State of address don’t watch!

    Report this comment

    MrObamablows  
  • media-bias-steals-elections
    Posted on February 11, 2013 at 4:58am

    I’ve got a proposal, no other country other than Israel has been threatened to be wiped off the map, I suggest America stands by them, and reminds all Islamic nations, the party is over, our grand fathers taught you how to fish, the bait is gone, its time to do your own fishing, not one more dime, is going to an Islamic nation from the United States, because to do so, would support the religion of Islam, which basically violates the civil rights of all Americans, by violating the 1st Amendment?

    You don’t need to worry about Hillary Clinton, we have a new generation of Americans coming, and they are not going to be media zombies?

    Report this comment

    media-bias-steals-elections  
  • AnAmerican111
    Posted on February 10, 2013 at 11:08pm

    Nobel Peace Prize…OBAMA!…That’s hilarious!
    The moron can’t even keep the peace in America with his pathetic policies!

    Report this comment

    AnAmerican111  
  • denkat56
    Posted on February 10, 2013 at 7:19pm

    Don’t forget your free government phone . Oh yeah do stop by Israel and include Netenyahu in the talks will you. And remember if your going to make an ass of your self, please take the microphone off. Your already the laughing stock of the world.

    Report this comment

    denkat56  
  • Soul Leister
    Posted on February 10, 2013 at 4:59pm

    Bush, no peace prize, 52 drone strikes in last four years in office.

    Obama, Nobel Peace Prize, 314 drone strikes in first four years in office.

    …what is wrong with this picture???

    Report this comment

    Soul Leister  
    • Soul Leister
      Posted on February 10, 2013 at 5:02pm

      Bush… not americans targeted or killed by drone strikes.

      Obama… americans actually targeted and killed by drone strikes (without due process).

      … what is wrong with this picture???

      Report this comment

      Soul Leister  
    • Soul Leister
      Posted on February 10, 2013 at 5:05pm

      …feel free to check:

      Newtown killer… 20 kids killed… used a gun.

      Obama… 176 kids killed… used some drones.

      …what is wrong with this picture???

      Report this comment

      Soul Leister  
  • Soul Leister
    Posted on February 10, 2013 at 4:46pm

    Will the “assassin-in-chief” be giving back his Nobel Peace Prize anytime soon, seeing as he has killed more kids (using drones) than the mental case killed in Newtown (with his dead mother’s gun)?

    Report this comment

    Soul Leister  
  • SheepDogconfrontthewolf
    Posted on February 10, 2013 at 4:43pm

    remember israel declares peace before the antichrist comes and then there’s peace for three years and all hell brakes loose

    Report this comment

    SheepDogconfrontthewolf  
  • ENDGAME101
    Posted on February 10, 2013 at 4:31pm

    The stinking Marxist in the White House is a threat to our national security.

    Report this comment

    ENDGAME101  
  • dodgedart1966
    Posted on February 10, 2013 at 3:21pm

    But, he will only consider it a success if Israel caves.

    Report this comment

    dodgedart1966  
  • zetuff
    Posted on February 10, 2013 at 3:13pm

    Why not just use skype? He is going to lie to Netanyaha .. and tell him what he wants to hear… Obama will order the USA to stand down when Isreal gets attacked ..just like Bengazi~

    Report this comment

    zetuff  
  • RinkyDink34
    Posted on February 10, 2013 at 2:44pm

    Mr. Netanyahu just a little reminder,
    Be sure not to turn your back on Comrade Moozlum Obama aka Marcus Junius Brutus/Ides of March.

    Report this comment

    RinkyDink34  
  • Arshloch
    Posted on February 10, 2013 at 2:09pm

    There is a spelling problem. obummer is a Piece Laureate, not a Peace Laureate. He wants a piece of everything, all would be better, and has no idea what peace is. In that he is on the same page as the presenters.

    Report this comment

    Arshloch  
  • Fitzzz
    Posted on February 10, 2013 at 1:49pm

    Obama is off to Isreal to rub Netanyahu’s nose in it
    He’s out to get revenge, and out to help Muslim brotherhood
    When he comes back , and Israel is attacked, he will say, he tried, but Israel would not listen
    so Israel and Netanyahu are to blame

    And of course the media will agree

    Report this comment

    Fitzzz  
  • noslave
    Posted on February 10, 2013 at 1:02pm

    all it would take is the muslims whack obama and blame it on the israilies?????stupid americans obama lovers will buy it hook ,line and sinker,without question??

    Report this comment

    noslave  
  • lel2007
    Posted on February 10, 2013 at 12:55pm

    obama’s “peace plan” is for Israel to give the larger portion of Jerusalem to the Bedouins as a capital for their new state.

    Report this comment

    lel2007  
  • barber2
    Posted on February 10, 2013 at 12:51pm

    Barack Obama is the poster boy for The Peter Principle.

    Report this comment

    barber2  
  • ABRAXUS
    Posted on February 10, 2013 at 12:41pm

    the traitor will kiss ************ but and throw isreal under the bus agin.

    Report this comment

    ABRAXUS  
  • Luzmaria1
    Posted on February 10, 2013 at 12:03pm

    We need to strictly keep our eyes on the ball. Watch his hands and listen very carefully to the proproganda coming from the corrupt media. Use critical thinking skills.

    Report this comment

    Luzmaria1  
  • Tom70
    Posted on February 10, 2013 at 11:49am

    This fool faux Muslim President doesn’t have the slightest idea how to conduct a peace mission even in Chicago let alone Israel. In my opinion both he and the late Ms Clintong (sec of state) are opposed to anything that doesn’t give the Palestinian’s more rights and Israel’s loss of land. I also don’t think that ether will be happy until their friends in the Palestinian camp get back all the work in the land done by the Israelis so they can turn it into another goat herd desert that it was in 1948.
    I am old enough to remember the forming of the Israeli state and also remember Ms Clintong being very kissy face with the, cobra head, of the Palestinians Yasser Arafat. Also who knows what this president has in mind for our country but it seems pretty clear from what he has already done he is not on the side of Israel.

    Report this comment

    Tom70  
  • Roundup_Logan
    Posted on February 10, 2013 at 11:27am

    IMO Benjamin cares deeply about Israel and is pastionate about it. To me he’s a man of character and honor. Obama, on the other hand, is the polar opposite when it comes to America. Israel should never give in. The Palestinians were rejected by their own people, that’s why they’re stuck where they are. They weren’t anything but a bunch of Arab squaters to begin with. The Brits are the ones that gave the name “Palenstine” to the area just to piss off the Jews. There is no real Palenstine, no Palenstine people. They’re rejected Arabs who were locked out of their countries and have no were else to go. Time for the Israelise to man up and tell Obama to go pound sand.

    Report this comment

    Roundup_Logan  
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