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Monday Nov 09, 2009
Rosner's Domain: Why Sharon didn't meet Bush in Washington in May of 2005Posted by SHMUEL ROSNER
Comments: 24      Follow Rosner's Domain on Twitter! / Join me on Facebook! In May of 2005, Prime Minister of Israel, Ariel Sharon, was visiting Washington. Such visits aren't rare - as we all know - but this 2005 tour was special. Sharon was in Washington, and didn't meet with the President. He came into town for a very short time, made a speech at the AIPAC conference, and went back home. No official dinner, no White House, no Rose Garden, no nothing. I remember the occasion because I was traveling with the PM. Binyamin Netanyahu's aids might not remember it - but they still treat this Sharon trip as a lost treasure. To all those saying that Netanyahu was almost humiliated, that he came very close to being the uninvited visitor, that he barely avoided the unthinkable - namely, a Washington visit with no scheduled meeting with the President - to all those they say: this isn't the first time. It happened to Sharon in 2005, and no talk of "crisis" or "humiliation" was heard. So why criticize Netanyahu? True - the embarrassment was avoided, at the last minute, when Obama agreed to meet with the PM Monday night. But some interesting revelations and interesting comments were made, when the battle over Netanyahu's forced invitation was still in full force. It was a radio interview with Sharon's top aid, Dov Weisglass. He was asked to confirm Netanyahu's claims regarding the 2005 visit - and agreed that the facts were all in order. Sharon was in washington, he didn't see Bush. But it didn't end with this - as Weisglass still think that there's big difference, huge difference, between the two incidents. Here's what he had to say: Sharon didn't meet with the President because he didn't want to meet him, and didn't ask for a meeting. He wanted to make sure - as Weisglass described it - "that the reason for coming here will be clear". It was a trip on behalf of AIPAC. Not Bush. And why was it so important to make it "clear"? Here's what Weisglass had said: "Because of AIPAC's situation at the time, its weakness and the tough times it was going through". The May 2005 conference was taking place not long after the FBI filed criminal charges against Larry Franklin. AIPAC, Weiglass had said, was in real "crisis" and a decision was made at the PM's office to "give it a pat on the back" and try to "boost" the organization's spirits.
1 | Mladen Andrijasevic , Israel, Monday Nov 09, 2009
Well, I do not think that these two visits are comparable. This is probably the last time Netanyahu would have the opportunity to meet Obama before Israel launches a preemptive strike against the Iranian nuclear sites.
2 | Mike Feldman, Canada, Monday Nov 09, 2009
Sharon was in Washington for an address not related to a meeting with the Prez. Netanyahu is in Washington for an address not related to the Prez. If there is a difference I guess its that there was no pretense of an active peace negotiation going on in 2005, and there is supposed to be now. What do Obama and Netanyahu have to say to each other tonight that's new?
3 | Sally - U.S.A., Tuesday Nov 10, 2009
If this isn't a snub, I guess that it will do until something better comes along.
4 | moshe, Tuesday Nov 10, 2009
stop making excuses for obama.he is not only anti-israel,he is anti-american and anti-FREEDOM
5 | Mark Jeffery Koch Cherry Hill, New Jersey USA, Tuesday Nov 10, 2009
I think that this White House, much to the consternation of many of the 78% of American Jews (and I was one of them) who voted for Obama, has gone out of its way to distance itself from Netanyahu and Israel. Like so many other American Jews that voted for Obama I believed he would continue the special relationship America has with Israel but the Obama administration is doing whatever it possibly can to make Israel appear to be a reluctant ally and not an ally America holds in high regard. Based on Obama's first ten months in office my Jewish friends and I wish we had not voted for him.
6 | Dan, Tuesday Nov 10, 2009
5 -I voted for Obama and planning to do it again. If I have one criticism of Obama is he is not stern and tough enough on Israel.
It is clear and obvious this Israeli government doesn't believe and not interested in peace, their game is just to portray the PA as the cause of any progress on the matter.
Obama while requesting settlement freeze of Israel still provides Israel with all the military, financial and political support. Under such conditions Israel will continue to negotiate a road block for the next 15 years as Mubarak has said.
Withdrawing all support from Israel is the only way.
7 | Mark Jeffery Koch Cherry Hill, New Jersey USA, Tuesday Nov 10, 2009
To: #6 Dan. Please do not quote Mukarak about Israel. Mubarak is a dictator who imprisons all those who disagree with him and there is no freedom of speech, assembly, or the press in Egypt. If you are going to quote him as your "valid" source of Israel being the cause of Arab Israeli conflict not being resolved then you might as well quote his "democratic" cohorts: the leaders of Libya, Syria, Iran, Saudia Arabia, etc. who equally blame Israel for everything. The road block to a true peace lies with the Arab States who refuse to end their incitement and terrorism against Israel.
8 | Daran, UK, Tuesday Nov 10, 2009
Mike, if you don't think theres a process going on then you are lot less preceptive than I thought. Two year timescale is ticking, prehaps that's what Obama and Netanyahu can talk about in their meeting.
9 | jae lynn, USA, Tuesday Nov 10, 2009
#5 dan. The US gave 11 billion to iraq, 2 to egypt 1.4 to Jordan in 2008. thats about 14 billion for 3 of the 24 arab countries. the one Jewish country got 2.4 bill in LOANS not grants. Loans are paid back. You should ask the US to stop sending the 20 billion it sends to arab countries every year. Unless you enjoy oppression of women jews minorities christians- then, in that case you should support our great democracy supporting the most oppressive regimes in the world.
You want a peace that will be a suicide. No thanks to an Israel 8-15 miles wide. No thanks. Jordan IS PALESTINE, literally.
10 | Mike Feldman, Canada, Wednesday Nov 11, 2009
MJ Koch. I was hard on your blogs a few months ago, but I'm proud of you now. I appreciate your humanitarism now mixed with realsim. You voted for "change we can believe in", and that was a good motivation. You will soon have another opportunity to vote. Please vet your candidate extensively.
11 | Sajid Ahmed Syed, Canada, Wednesday Nov 11, 2009
How is Arik Sharon doing? We need people like him.
12 | Yazi, Georgia, USA, Wednesday Nov 11, 2009
I voted for Obama, and I regret it. Forget all the right-wing US talk about "anti-freedom," "nazi," "communist," etc. I agree with some of his domestic agenda, and completely despise his agenda on Israel.
Given the choice I would've written my own name in, because I have no use for the republicans' domestic agenda (or their other-than-Israel foreign agenda for that matter). Or I would've stayed home and not voted.
Obama's been a disappointment in his actions, and the problem is we have no one that is any better.
13 | Pollster, Wednesday Nov 11, 2009
#6 Dan. bully for you, all your blog proves is that you,one moron who stupidly voted for the other moron Obama last time, will compound his stupidity next time around.
14 | Royal Humble Pie Bakery by Appointment to H.M.POTUS, Wednesday Nov 11, 2009
just goes to prove that Obama was shamed into eating humble pie and inviting Nathanyahu.
15 | Mike Feldman, Canada, Wednesday Nov 11, 2009
#8. Daran. You can restore your confidencs in my perceptiveness. The point olf my blog was to point out that there was no pretense of a process in 2005, whereas there is now. When you say there is a process you a right but its a very technical parsing of the word. We have had several failures when the principals were negotiating face to face, and now were not even successfully negotiating the process of having negotiations between the principals. I think it was the optics of Netanyahu being in Washington, and not being invited to the White House that could have had adverse interpretation. I don't think it was an important or productive meeting, and Netanyahu likely talked about Iran.
16 | arthur jersey city, Wednesday Nov 11, 2009
It is time for American Jewry to speak up, and loudly. The WH treats Israel with open distain, while kowtowing to Iran and the saudis. It is clear that Obama and his staff are anti Israel,just look at Malley,powers rice freeman khalidi, jones rahme etc. They have been trying to have a coup d'etat against Netanyahu, the attacks started before he even took office. Obamas policies are clear,an indefensible weak broken Israel. He wants to reduce Israel to a client state. Obama has violated long term understandings, guarantees etc to Israel's detriment.
17 | michael canada, Thursday Nov 12, 2009
As the government of State of Israel not only ignores but hobbles all efforts to design any meaningful instrument of peace, so should the advocates of this state's actions be ignored.
18 | Reggie, Los Angeles, USA, Thursday Nov 12, 2009
I get so tired of hearing, support Israel no matter how oppressive and destructive they are to their neighbors. In my opinion, Israel should be criticized for it's behavior. And when you do, it do not mean you are anti-Israel, it just means that you are concern about their behavior. Just because you dislike Israel's oppressive and destructive behavior does not mean you dislike the people of Israel. Defending one's self is one thing and slaughtering, oppressing and starving thousands of human beings is just out right wrong, no matter how you look at it.
19 | Mike USA, Thursday Nov 12, 2009
The Jewish people's very existence is proof of G-d. He named us after the land he gave us...Israel. Presidents come and go, governments come and go, we are eternal. He will bless those that bless us and punish those that persecute us.
20 | Mike USA, Thursday Nov 12, 2009
The Jewish people's very existence is proof of G-d. He named us after the land he gave us...Israel. Presidents come and go, governments come and go, we are eternal. He will bless those that bless us and punish those that persecute us.
21 | lydia, Friday Nov 13, 2009
20 The fact that Big Foot or Aliens 'exists' is proof God exists? However the conundrum your 'so called jews' face is that unless you can haul the Alien or the hairy a**Foot into Court you are waging a credibility battle. Unless your Covenant can stand up before the Courts, that has already declared the Bible is not a legal document, you are up the proverbial creek without a paddle. Your mils jews are fighting for its very survival amidst billions of antsy Muslims who control the Oil and the land you covet, so who are the ones who are really blessed and who are the ones being punished?
22 | Douglas Pepper Lang, Friday Nov 13, 2009
Nothing more depressing than these posts; both sides committed to old, stale arguments-how 'bout you forgot "so's you old man"? Reminds me of a TV debate, Danny from the Israeli Embassy against Hussein Abish, me in the middle. At the first break, the moderator asked why I had said nothing. "Simple", I replied, " I have nothing to contribute to a 60-year argument". I asked both what percentage of their people would accept a unified State-The United Federation of Israel & Palestine? Both replied "no more than 15-20%" That constitutes 1 million for peace, not confrontation. Shalom, Salem, Peace
23 | Deborah,Israel the land of the ONLY True GOD Adonai, Friday Nov 13, 2009
19,20, Mike USA, AMEN and God bless you and yours !!
24 | AYATOLLA ASA HOLLA, Friday Nov 13, 2009
lydia you've let the cat out of the bag. It's the Jews that are being blessed while you and me and Tom all arab-muslims are being punished every day everywhere killing each other because we're stupid. In future
be careful playing into the hands of those Jews they're far too smart for you> I'm watching you lydia so
shut the hell up instead of disgracing me and your Madrassa.
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