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Is Obama Abandoning Diplomatic Support for Israel?
(Washington Post) Jennifer Rubin - Until the current president took office, it was accepted U.S. policy - consistent with multiple UN resolutions, expressions of U.S. policy and international agreements - that a unilateral declaration of Palestinian statehood was unacceptable and that Israel was entitled to defensible borders. The Economist reported last month: "If [British Prime Minister David] Cameron offers Israel mixed messages, he does so with the blessing of America's president, normally reliable diplomatic sources claim....Before the UN vote [condemning Israeli settlements] of Feb. 18, Barack Obama reportedly encouraged Mr. Cameron and others to take a tough line on Israel. In phone calls to his European allies, Mr. Obama is said to have expressed frustration at Mr. Netanyahu's approach to settlements, but to have explained he had 'too many domestic fires to extinguish' to risk a bust-up over Israel....In private, European officials have told Israel that their pressure is choreographed with America."