Obama, Sarkozy Trash Netanyahu in Private
Tuesday, November 8, 2011 at 1:15PMA French media organization says President Barack Obama and French President Nicolas Sarkozy both complained about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a private bilateral meeting that was mistakenly broadcast to a media conference room during last week’s G-20 summit in France.
Web-based news site Arret Sur Image reported that while journalists sat waiting for Obama and Sarkozy to give a joint press conference last Thursday, a technical mistake allowed them to listen in on a closed door conversation between both Presidents over their translation headset devices.
According to Arret Sur Image, Obama first complained that Sarkozy hadn’t informed him that France would vote in favor of Palestinian membership to UNESCO. Sarkozy then told the President what he thought about Netanyahu.
“I can’t stand to see him any more, he’s a liar.”
Obama apparently responded: “You’re tired of him, but I have to deal with him everyday!” Obama then reportedly asked for Sarkozy’s help convincing Palestinian leadership to slow down its bid for membership at the United Nations.
Arret Sur Image says that after translation headsets were inadvertently handed out, an announcement informed reporters in attendance that headsets had not been distributed to the press yet because they would allow them to listen in on the closed door conversation.
Dozens of journalists reportedly rushed to put on their headsets and listened in on about three minutes of private discussion between Sarkozy and Obama before French officials realized what was going on and cut the audio. Arret Sur Image says the majority of reporters who overheard the conversation agreed not to broadcast or report on it.
Netanyahu Calls For Immediate Peace Talks With Palestinian Authority
Israeli Prime MInister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday that he is ready to resume peace negotiations with Palestine immediately.
“I believe there is no time to waste, we need to move towards peace with a sense of urgency and a sense of purpose,” Netanyahu said during a speech for the Jewish Federations of North America.
Netanyahu urged the President of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, to stop insisting on preconditions for peace negotiations.
“My goal is not to have endless negotiations,” Netanyahu said. “It is high time we stop negotiating about the negotiations, let’s get on with it.”
Palestinian leaders have insisted that Israel freeze settlement in West Bank before peace talks can resume. Netanyahu criticized Abbas for rebuffing Israel’s concession to freeze the building of some settlements as a precursor to talks.
"No Israeli government has been so willing to restrain settlement activity," Netanyahu said.
Without preconditions, negotiations have not resumed and time may be running out. Last week, Abbas said that he does not plan to run for re-election in January. This has raised concern that, without an appropriate predecessor, Palestinians will not have the leadership necessary to reach a Palestinian-Israeli peace agreement.
“We need a Palestinian partner that is as willing to shoulder the risks and burdens of making peace as we are,” Netanyahu said.
Netanyahu said that his ultimate goal is to have Palestinians recognize Israel as a Jewish state.
"What does the Jewish state mean for the Palestinians?" he said. "It means that they must recognize that the fantasy of flooding Israel with refugees is gone, that they give up iridescent claims to the Negev and the Galilee, and that they declare irrevocably that the conflict is finally over," he said.
Recognizing Israel as a Jewish state is a key issue Palestinian leaders have resisted. Critics say that such a recognition would enable prejudice against Israeli Arabs.
Netanyahu said peace is possible, but that talks must begin promptly to be effective.
“I say to Mahmoud Abbas, leader of the Palestinian Authority: Let us seize the moment to reach an historic agreement. Let us begin talks immediately,” Netanyahu said.