And they told him where to take it:
"Talks with Palestinians vital for Israel, defense chief says; US urges bold action to reduce tension in region" by Lolita C. Baldor Associated Press / October 4, 2011
TEL AVIV - Israel must find a way to resume negotiations with the Palestinians and has a responsibility to try to ease tensions with its neighbors in the region, Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said yesterday amid prodding from the United States to return to peace talks.
Standing next to US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, Barak pushed back a bit on the Pentagon chief’s warning that Israel is becoming increasingly isolated in the region, threatening its security. And he offered no new thoughts on the thorny issues that have stymied the peace talks, including the proposed timetable and the contested settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
Making his first trip to Israel as defense secretary, Panetta has pressed the Obama administration’s view....
On Sunday, Panetta issued his warning that Israel risks weakening its own security if it does not reach out to its neighbors, such as Turkey and Egypt, where relations are eroding.
I'm not buying that mirage, not with Turkey threatening Syria with an invasion to establish a buffer zone (how Israeli of them) and Egypt's military acting worse than they did under Mubarak.
“It’s pretty clear that at this dramatic time in the Middle East, when there have been so many changes, that it is not a good situation for Israel to become increasingly isolated,’’ he said. “And that’s what’s happening.’’
Wait until they attack Iran (or Syria and Lebanon while the US does that heavy lifting).
Barak offered only general agreement but made no commitments that Israel would be more receptive to discussions about the settlements. Israel has continued to build settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, where some 500,000 Jewish settlers now live. Israel withdrew from Gaza in 2005.
But, he said, “I fully agree that we have to look for any reasonable and proper way to ease tensions with Turkey, with Egypt, to find a way to resume negotiations in a sincere and effective manner with the Palestinians.’’
But he also criticized Abbas’s move at the UN, saying the “events of last week in New York clearly prove that there are limits to the Palestinians’ capacity to navigate the world.’’
Well, what do you expect with blockades, sieges, and Israeli checkpoints all over the place?
And while he agreed Israel needs to reach out to its neighbors, he said that it is clear there are others in the world “who would like to see Israel cornered into some kind of isolation.’’
The fact that you guys don't take responsibility for anything doesn't help matters.
Panetta met with Barak in Tel Aviv on the first leg of a Middle East trip and then traveled to the West Bank for a meeting with Abbas.
Why nothing about that in my paper?
--more--"
