Obama Wants New Israeli Peace Policy by July

Protesters Rally at US Consulate Against "Anti-Semitic" Obama

Scores of Israelis rallied in front of the American Consulate in Jerusalem today, voicing their disapproval at President Barack Obama, whom they labeled “the most anti-Semitic American president.” Their outrage stems from Obama’s calls for Israel to stop expanding settlements in the West Bank, and an apparent ultimatum presented to the Netanyahu government earlier in the week.

According to reports, Obama met briefly with Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak yesterday, and told him that he expects the Israeli government to provide an “updated position” regarding the West Bank settlements and its overall stance on the two-state solution to the conflict by July.

The Israeli government has repeatedly rejected the administration’s calls to halt settlement expansion, calling the demand “unfair” and insisting that they would continue the expansion as they did under President Bush, with whom they had “understandings.”

It has also previously suggested that it won’t support a two-state solution to the conflict with the Palestinians, and has mocked the Obama plan as “childish and stupid.” Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman has insisted that the US will accept whatever position Israel takes on the matter.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.