BU Now » Binyamin Netanyahu

U.S. urges Mideast peace talks

Dick Taffe — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 19:49:19 +0000

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has asked the Israeli prime minister and Palestinian president to resume peace talks which have been on hold for two years. She said direct negotiations will begin in Washington on Sept. 2. Journalism Professor Bob Zelnick, former ABC News foreign correspondent and author of “Israeli Unilateralism: Beyond Gaza,” says in a Politico commentary that after a recent extended fact-finding visit he found the Palestinians ready to deal.

“While maintaining no stated goal of ‘liberating’ Gaza, the new Palestinian leadership believes that a deal with Israel which establishes an independent Palestinian state will be hard for Hamas to oppose. Do I believe that a deal will be reached within the one-year time-limit the parties have set for themselves? Yes.”

Contact Bob Zelnick, 617-353-5007, bzelnick@bu.edu

Obama, Netanyahu meet again

Dick Taffe — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 17:39:26 +0000

With recriminations over Israel’s blockade of Gaza still erupting, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu met with President Obama at the White House for a show of solidarity meant for political audiences in both countries. International relations Professor Augustus Richard Norton, a Middle-East specialist and author of “Hezbollah: A Short History,” says Netanyahu has been playing the same game with Obama as he did decades ago with President Clinton – provoke the U.S., then negotiate over petty concessions while demanding U.S. approval.

“No doubt, President Obama understands the Israeli leader’s game, so we should be watching for evidence of firmness behind the pro forma smiles. Will Obama choose the harder right, or the easier path of political expediency?”

Contact Augustus Richard Norton, 617-353-7808, arn@bu.edu

Top Israeli aid badmouth’s peace talks

Dick Taffe — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 21:46:31 +0000

Uzi Arad (r.), Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s national security adviser, says the outlook is bleak for U.S.-mediated Middle East peace talks. International relations and anthropology Professor Augustus Richard Norton, author of “Hezbollah: A Short History,” says the former Mossad agent’s comments offer a window into the strategic calculations of the Israeli government, calculations which continue to confound U.S. policy goals.

“Uzi Arad’s presence in the Israeli government illustrates an underlying contempt for U.S. interests.”

Contact Augustus Richard Norton, 617-353-7808, arn@bu.edu

Obama cool to Netanyahu

Dick Taffe — Wed, 24 Mar 2010 15:21:19 +0000

Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu got a cool reception from the Obama White House, as a dispute over new housing settlements in East Jerusalem continues to roil U.S.-Israeli relations. International Relations Professor Augustus Richard Norton, a Middle-East authority, says in his blog that Netanyahu operates within an ideology that basically rejects a two-state solution with the Palestinians and more Israelis are getting uncomfortable with that attitude.

“Notwithstanding Netanyahu’s embrace by some congresspeople, one of the promising developments since the Biden slap has been evidence of growing unease in Israel about Netanyahu’s leadership. A wise U.S. President will not do anything to reduce the doubts.”

Contact Augustus Richard Norton, 617-353-7808, arn@bu.edu