WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama has rejected another Israeli request for advanced combat platforms.
Diplomatic sources said Obama refused a request by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for Israeli access to a proposed stealth variant of the F-15E fighter-jet.
Netanyahu, during what was termed a tough and unpleasant session, failed to win Obama's agreement to approve the export of U.S. offensive systems, including combat jets and helicopters produced by Boeing.
"Netanyahu asked that the United States expedite the export of military equipment and allow Boeing to export the stealth F-15 as part of the Foreign Military Sales program," a diplomatic source, briefed on the July 6 meeting at the White House, said. "Obama did not reply."
The sources termed the 90-minute one-on-one session between Obama and Netanyahu as "tough", with the two men far apart on such issues as a Palestinian state in the West Bank as well as Iran. They said Obama warned Israel against any military strike on Iran and stressed that Washington would resolve Iran's nuclear threat through a mixture of sanctions and diplomacy.
The sources said Obama also urged Netanyahu to accept Palestinian Authority conditions for the resumption of direct negotiations. One of the demands submitted by PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas was for Israel to agree to a full withdrawal from the West Bank before talks begin.
"There is very heavy pressure on Netanyahu to make unilateral concessions to the Palestinians," the source said.
For his part, Netanyahu maintained that the alliance between Israel and the United States continued to be "stable and strong." Speaking to the Cabinet on July 11, the prime minister said his meeting with Obama included discussions on Iran, Palestinians and efforts to force Israel to sign the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. The Israeli premier did not report any agreement with the president.
"I gained the impression that the president is also attentive to the state of Israel's special security needs," Netanyahu said. "On these issues, we are working in concert."
Really?
4 comments:
"They don't like like me causemy middle name is Hussein" or whatever other bullsh*t you want to believe!
Speaking as someone from a state where Boeing produces these... the last thing our economy needs is for Israel to start spending its money on Russian made jets and helicopters instead of American made ones.
they just agreed to have us sell them to a mutual 3rd party and "Middle Man them to Israel..
that stuff goes on all the time..
they need something to carry the bunker busters to Iran.. it's not likely we wont provide it.
Do you have a link for that, BR?
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