Obama Meets With Netanyahu, Calls Relationship With Israel "Unbreakable"

President Barack Obama met in the Oval Office with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Tuesday and attempted to counter the notion that relations between the two countries are strained.

“The bond between the U.S. and Israeli is unbreakable,” Obama told reporters. 

The last face-to-face meeting between the heads of state was in late March, shortly after the White House issued a strong statement criticizing the extension of settlements in the East Bank. Photographers were not allowed to attend and the talks were reportedly icy.

Obama and Netanyahu were scheduled to meet at the White House in early June. However, the controversy surrounding the Israeli military’s confrontation with a humanitarian flotilla attempting to break the Gaza blockade delayed the plans. 

The two leaders discussed pressing policy issues, including resuming direct peace negotiations with the Palestinians, a possibility that Obama hoped could be achieved before a partial settlement moratorium expires in September, and deterring a nuclear armed Iran.

Obama also reaffirmed America’s commitment to Israel’s safety.

“Israel has unique security requirements,” Obama said. “The U.S. will never ask Israel to take risks that would undermine its security.”

Israel Will Conduct "Credible Investigation;" BP To Pay Gov't $69 Mil, Says Gibbs

By Miles Wolf Tamboli - Talk Radio News Service

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs delivered remarks Thursday afternoon on Israeli-Palestinian relations, the Deepwater Horizon Disaster, and immigration reform.

Gibbs was questioned on the heated and controversial conflict between Israeli soldiers and Palestinian supporters on the Gaza flotilla Monday. He addressed the death of the pro-Palestinian American citizen who was killed in the attack.

"We have called for... a full and credible investigation so that we have all the facts about what happened; that is tremendously important."

However, Gibbs later conceded that, "It's an Israeli investigation ... that could include international participation," leaving some questioning the accountability of the report.

When asked about the government's response to the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill in the Gulf, Gibbs assured reporters that the Federal government will, "hold BP responsible throughout this process."

"The Federal government will, at some point today, send...a bill for 69 million dollars of expenses incurred up to this point to BP," Gibbs said.

Gibbs expressed the President's position that states' individual handling of immigration law has been the result of a lack of action on the part of the Federal government to reform its own laws, but stated that he doesn't think the nation can, "deal with comprehensive immigration reform and the circumstances around the border without dealing with Arizona."

The Press Secretary touted Senator John McCain (R-AZ) as being "instrumental" in bringing immigration reform into the spotlight and stated that he doubts the U.S. can develop comprehensive immigration reform legislation without McCain "doing what he did" in 2005, 2006, and 2007.

Gaza Flotilla Had Ties To Terrorist Organizations, Claims British Officer

By Sarah Mamula - Talk Radio News Service

Colonel Richard Kemp, a former commander of British forces in Afghanistan, said the individuals aboard the Gaza-bound flotilla raided by the Israeli military earlier this week were "hard core activists intent on violence."

Speaking on a conference call hosted by the Israel Project Tuesday, Kemp argued that the IHH, the Turkish humanitarian group on board, is linked to Union of Hope, an Iranian and Hamas sponsored group that supports radicalism.

"The IHH is connected to Hamas and the Union of Hope," Kemp said. "Hamas itself is sponsored, funded, equipped, directed by Iran and has strong connections to Hezbollah which is also is organized, directed and funded by Iran. Accepting the fact that both Hamas and Hezbollah are terrorist organizations there appears to be no doubt that the people involved in this operation were connected to terrorists."

Kemp said that although the Israeli military could have explored other options, such as blocking the flotilla with Israeli war ships or disabling the humanitarian vessels, the effects of these alternatives could have resulted in more casualties.

In addition, Kemp emphasized that the nine deaths resulting from the raid were not due to a wrong approach by Israel.

"None of those deaths would have occurred had the people on that ship not attacked the Israeli soldiers," Kemp said. "The Israeli's intercepted a number of other ships with no similar violence."

Added the British officer, "It's wrong to put the blame of those deaths at the door of the Israelis. It is right to put the blame for those deaths at the door of the people who carried out the attacks on the Israeli soldiers."

Administration Official: Israel Will Be Well Represented At Nuclear Summit, Despite PM’s Absence

Israel will be well represented at next week’s nuclear security summit, despite the absence of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a senior Obama administration official told reporters Friday.

“They are sending their deputy prime minister [Dan Meridor] to head their delegation,” said Ben Rhodes, the Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategic Communications, during a conference call. “He is the person within the Israeli government with the responsibility for the issues that will be discussed at the summit.”

Added Rhodes, “Israel will be represented by a very effective delegation.”

The Israeli prime minister announced that he would not attend the summit yesterday amid concerns that delegates from Turkey and Egypt would put pressure on Israel for allegedly maintaining a nuclear arsenal and not signing the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.

Netanyahu’s absence does not bode well for the U.S., whose relationship with Israel has been strained since the Israeli government announced that they will build housing settlements in East Jerusalem, a contested territory within the country. The controversial announcement took place while Vice President Joe Biden was in Israel on a diplomatic trip. It was viewed in some circles as an embarrassment for the Obama administration.

Netanyahu reportedly received an icy reception from the White House when he visited Washington soon after.

Next week’s summit will host delegations from 47 nations. It comes shortly after the U.S. signed an arms reduction treaty with Russia and released guidelines to tone-down the strategic influence of nuclear weapons.

GOP Head Vows That Health Care Fight Is Not Over

By Chingyu Wang-Talk Radio News Service

House Republican Conference chair Mike Pence (R-Ind.) told reporters Tuesday that House Republicans will continue to fight against the health care legislation that was passed on Sunday and signed into law two days later.

“We are disappointed with the outcome of the vote on Sunday night; we are determined to continue to take our case against this government takeover of healthcare to the American people,” said Pence.

“This fight is not over,” Pence added.

House Republican Conference Vice Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wa.), who joined Pence, stressed that the legislation will place an economic burden on Americans.

“This bill is going to add more taxes, more requirements on our small businesses. Premiums are continuing to escalate; and CBO estimates that under the bill that just passed, premiums will increase between 10% -13%,” said Rodgers.

Stepping away from health care, Pence addressed the administration's relationship with Israel, notably the settlement issue.

“The time has come for this administration to stop bullying Israel. The whole suggestion that the construction of settlements in undisputed areas of Jerusalem is somehow an affront to the United States, or an affront to the peace process, is absurd,” said Pence.