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U.S. declines to confirm reported tense Netanyahu call

WASHINGTON | Fri May 20, 2011 4:00pm EDT

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Secretary of State Hillary Clinton spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday, the U.S. State Department said but declined to confirm a report that it was an angry exchange.

The New York Times reported that the telephone conversation was "furious" and that the prime minister "reacted angrily to (U.S. President Barack Obama's) plan to endorse Israel's pre-1967 borders for a future Palestinian state."

The position essentially embraced the Palestinian view that the state they hope to build in the West Bank and Gaza Strip should largely be drawn along the lines that existed before the June 1967 war in which Israel occupied both territories.

"I can confirm, as we do, that she did speak to prime minister Netanyahu before his trip. Obviously we don't get into the substance, but clearly they discussed the president's speech," State Department spokesman Mark Toner told reporters on Friday.

"(I'd) just say it was a frank and cordial exchange reflecting their close relationship," Toner added. "I don't want to get into what (the) press accounts may have been. ... They discussed the speech and his (then) upcoming visit."

A senior Israeli official confirmed that the call took place, said he thought the conversation was helpful and that some revisions were made to Obama's speech but declined to provide details or to confirm it was an angry exchange.

The White House denied that any changes were made to those portions of the speech that dealt with the possible borders under an Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement.

(Reporting by Arshad Mohammed; Editing by Will Dunham)
World
Politics
Israel
Barack Obama
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Comments (8)
morristhewise wrote:
UN peacemakers who are forcing Israel to return to its Pre-67 borders have only a short term solution. Eventually Israeli`s will have to face charging Muslim armies who are shouting: GOD IS GREAT. But after that bloody battle is over, God will be cursed, and Atheists will bring peace to a secular Middle-East.

May 20, 2011 2:28pm EDT  --  Report as abuse
PJW5552 wrote:
What compromises is Netanyahu making? He is building more and more in the West Bank, taking more Palestinian land. He has expanded building in the Golan Heights as well. He has refused to turn over the tax payments Israel collects for the Palestinians. He has gone around the world telling governments not to support the Palestinian efforts to be recognized as an independent nation with a voice in the UN. Israel just shot a group of unarmed civilians who breached the wall between Lebanon and Israel earlier in the week. He has threatened Turkey to not allow the ship flotilla to leave its harbors next month. He has repeatedly violated the air and sea space of Lebanon. Oh, yeah he claims he wants peace with Palestinians, but only if they give him whatever he wants. How’s that working out? Netanyahu, first in war and well first to encourage conflict. Someone needs to explain to Netanyahu that his actions do not build trust, encourage cooperation or facilitate peace, but even if they did he wouldn’t listen, so why bother.

May 20, 2011 3:09pm EDT  --  Report as abuse
hagglemeister wrote:
Who gives a damn if Netanyahu is furious? The vainglorious leader of an aggressor state that couldn’t survive without the world’s handouts. He presumes entirely too much. Israel has been nothing but trouble for the US since the day it was created. Let’s cut off its aid and see what a tough guy he is then.

May 20, 2011 5:49pm EDT  --  Report as abuse
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