Sarkozy called Israeli PM Netanyahu 'liar' French President Nicolas Sarkozy called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a "liar" in remarks to US President Barack Obama overheard by journalists. "I can't see him anymore, he's a liar," Mr Sarkozy said in French. "You may be sick of him, but me, I have to deal with him every day," Mr Obama replied. The exchange at the G20 summit was quoted by a French website, Arret sur Images, and confirmed by other media. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-15635476 Was Obama's reply an appropriate one? I think the republicans are going to have a field day with this one regardless of the circumstances surrounding the conversation.
I don't like Netanyahu either. I think the Israeli people deserve a better prime minister. But I think a private conversation such as this one should remain private (I think the journalists should not have reported it.) But interesting, thanks for posting.
A field day? Thanks for reminding me that Obama has not been a complete disappointment. The fact that his administration has not acted as Israel's obedient lapdog has been one of his brightest moments.
My Israeli friend seems to think Netanyahu is great. Of course, I don't share the same agreement, but I thought I'd share.
Just a quick reminder that if France flips to a yes on the Security Council vote, the magic nine votes required for Palestine are suddenly obtained. I think it's fairly unlikely, and France has already made a formal statement saying they will abstain, but stranger things have happened. I don't think anyone saw the yes vote on UNESCO coming---now that this has been aired out, it makes a whole lot more sense. It might be a pressure point to get France to flip.
White House Silent on Conversation With French President Insulting Israeli Prime Minister The White House is declining to comment about an audio tape from last week's G20 summit that captured President Obama and French President Nicolas Sarkozy venting about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whom Sarkozy calls a "liar." The conversation overheard by reporters -- who evidently agreed not to report it because it was captured before the two leaders thought they were on-mic -- was picked up on English and French simultaneous translation headsets. According to French website, Arret sur images, which analyzes media coverage of current affairs, Obama was heard asking Sarkozy to help persuade the Palestinians to stop their efforts to gain U.N. recognition of a Palestinian state. Sarkozy told Obama, "Netanyahu, I can't stand him. He's a liar." Obama did not object to the characterization, and responded: "You are sick of him, but I have to work with him every day." Asked about the conversation on Tuesday, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said that he wouldn't confirm that it happened, but the president's "very firm position" has been that efforts to achieve U.N. membership by the Palestinians were "premature and counterproductive" to the goal of Mideast peace. The president believes very firmly that both sides -- Israelis and Palestinians -- need to take steps that bring them together to direct negotiations and not ones that make it harder to happen, Carney added. Several French-speaking journalists, including one from The Associated Press, overheard the comments but did not initially report them because staff members of Sarkozy's office asked the journalists not to turn on the headsets until the press conference began, and the comments were deemed private under French media traditions. Sarkozy's office would not comment Tuesday on the remarks, or on France's relations with Israel. Netanyahu's spokesman also said he had no comment. But Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said Obama's remarks, if true, are "indicative of policies of this administration toward Israel." "Israel is under more pressure and more danger than they've been since the '67 war, and that kind of comment is not helpful but indicative of the kind of policies toward Israel that this administration has been part of," McCain said, adding that the French have always been disdainful of the Israelis. McCain added that he "would probably fire some aides who allowed that happen," and that the Palestinian-Israeli peace efforts under the administration can't be viewed as "anything but a total failure on the part of this administration." Since becoming president in 2007, Sarkozy has tried to strengthen French ties with Israel while also maintaining its traditional good relations with Arab allies. His latest comments may complicate French and European efforts toward Mideast peace. Sarkozy has shown little patience with Israeli hard-liners, and two years ago urged Netanyahu to fire his outspoken foreign minister, Avigdor Lieberman. In a private meeting, Sarkozy told Netanyahu that "you must get rid of that man," according to two officials. In September of this year, the French leader tried to head off the Palestinians' request for membership in the United Nations with a last-minute effort to revive peace talks. But France then surprised Washington and other observers by voting last week in favor of membership for Palestine in UNESCO, the U.N. cultural and educational agency. Carney said it's well-known that Obama and Sarkozy disagreed about the UNESCO vote. Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/201...resident-dissing-israeli-prime/#ixzz1d8mgK9ii
Funny, I have an inverse opinion. Generally happy with Obama but disappointed on his loyalty to Israel.
Loyalty? He's been so loyal to Israel. Challenging them on settlement building is in their best interests. Israel needs to let go of this biblical dream of a greater Israel and removing Palestine off the map. They are land hungry and this is not in our interests or the interests of peace. Obama is right to push back hard on this one.
Since when does the President of the USA has to be loyal to a foreign country? Some of the GOP types are more loyal to Israel than they are to the United States. This is a non-story. Two people that we pretty much know find Netanyahu annoying accidentally said so publicly. Don't know about the rest of you, I pretty much suspect this kind of talk goes on between Obama and Sarkozy behind closed doors anyway.
Obama has been far too lenient on Israel, and Bibi is a jerk who previously said that no matter what Palestinians should never be allowed to have a state next to Israel even if they were peaceful. As Sam said calling him a liar is letting him off easy. Obama's tougher stances on Israel are almost nonexistent. There have been a couple of comments backed by little to no action that's been tougher on Israel.
