Tag Archive for 'United States'

Sarkozy told Obama he is fed up with Israeli PM

Published on November 8, 2011

Nicolas Sarkozy Sarkozy told Obama he is fed up with Israeli PM

French President Nicolas Sarkozy told President Barack Obama last week he was fed up with dealing with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and considered him a liar. Sarkozy made the comment during a private conversation with Obama during a G20 summit in the French riviera town of Cannes last week and the remarks were overheard by a small number of journalists but not initially reported.

“I cannot bear Netanyahu, he’s a liar,” Sarkozy told Obama during a frank exchange where the US president took him to task for backing a Palestinian request for membership of the UN cultural heritage agency UNESCO.

A Reuters reporter was among the journalists present and can confirm the veracity of the comments, which were relayed by a French internet outlet today. (Source)

In News and Events
Tags: Benjamin Netanyahu, France, Government, Heads of state, israel, Nicolas Sarkozy, President, United Nations, United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization, United States.

US cuts off UNESCO funding over Palestine vote

Published on November 4, 2011

The United States government has cut off funds to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural organisation (UNESCO), following the agency’s admission of Palestine as a full member.

Washington’s decision to withold $60m in funding, which is about one-quarter of UNESCO’s annual budget, came after 107 out of 173 countries voted in favor of the Palestinian bid for statehood.

Although UNESCO’s membership marks a small victory for Palestinian officials, it could help them protect more than 20 monumental Palestinian cultural and religious sites.

The US also condemned UNESCO’s move, saying that it “undermines” the peace process between Israelis and Palestinians.

In Issues and News and Events
Tags: Israeli-Palestinian conflict, palestine, Palestinian National Authority, Palestinian nationalism, Palestinian people, UNESCO, United Nations, United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization, United States, United States government.

Palestinians to push for full UN seat only

Published on November 4, 2011

The Palestinians will not accept anything less than full UN membership and do not want an upgrade to an observer state in the world body, their foreign minister said.

Riyad al-Malki’s remarks on Thursday suggested the Palestinians would not seek such an upgrade once their bid for full state membership meets its widely expected fate; failure due to opposition from the United States and other governments.

Malki told journalists in Ramallah the Palestinians could have won observer state status long ago and were not interested in it now. They currently hold the status of observer entity.

In Issues, News and Events and Politics
Tags: foreign minister, Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Middle East, Palestinian nationalism, Palestinian people, Palestinian territories, Ramallah, Riyad al-Malki, United Nations, United States, Western Asia.

Palestine Statehood

Published on September 21, 2011

Pressure is building for a diplomatic solution between Palestinians and Israelis.

In New York, the Palestinian foreign minister voiced confidence that his delegation would muster the minimum nine votes needed to win UN Security Council support for Palestinian statehood.

Security Council resolutions need nine votes from the 15-nation body to pass, but the United States has already said it will veto the measure, which would prevent its passage.

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In Multimedia, News and Events and Politics
Tags: Ban Ki-moon, diplomatic solution, foreign minister, israel, Israel Palestine and the United Nations, Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Israeli–Palestinian conflict, Mahmoud Abbas, New York City, Palestine Liberation Organization, Palestinian Authority, Palestinian people, Palestinian territories, Riyad al-Malki, Secretary General, Security Council, UN Security Council, United Nations, United States.

Chas Freeman – Israel, Asset or Liability?

Published on March 26, 2011

chas freeman Chas Freeman Israel, Asset or Liability?

Is Israel a strategic asset or liability for the United States? Interesting question. We must thank the Nixon Center for asking it. In my view, there are many reasons for Americans to wish the Jewish state well. Under current circumstances, strategic advantage for the United States is not one of them. If we were to reverse the question, however, and to ask whether the United States is a strategic asset or liability for Israel, there would be no doubt about the answer.

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In Features, Issues and Zionism
Tags: Congress, Foreign relations of Israel, israel, Israel – United States relations, Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Middle East, Nixon Center, Politics, The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy, United States.