US senators lash out at Obama peace efforts

Source: Al Jazeera English

Last Modified: June 10 2011 04:14 -

US senators have dealt a symbolic blow to President Barack Obama's efforts to renew peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians, opposing any Israeli withdrawal to 1967 borders.

In a resolution proposed on Thursday, more than 30 senators, including members of the president's Democratic party, said that US policy aims to "support and facilitate Israel in maintaining defensible borders".

"It is contrary to United States policy and national security to have the borders of Israel return to the armistice lines that existed on June 4, 1967," read the text introduced by Senators Orrin Hatch, a Republican from the US state of Utah, and Joe Lieberman, an Independent from Connecticut.

Last month, Obama gave rare public voice to the long-standing US policy of supporting a Palestinian state based on the borders that preceded the Six Day War in the latter part of 1967, with mutually agreed land swaps.

Read more: http://english.aljazeera.net/news/americas/2011/06/20116922311704264.html

Netanyahu Considering French Peace Plan–Based On 1967 Borders

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=439x1235152

dictate our peace treaties??

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

actually be. However I know the mothers and fathers on both sides are getting tired of watching so many die...

How many US lives and trillions of dollars have we lost fighting Middle East wars because the US government supports that Apartheid disgrace.

and how the 67 borders will not provide Israel with enough security:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2hZ6SlSqq0&feature=feedf

The Consititution gives the Senate AS A WHOLE one role in foreign policy, namely approving ambassadors (and the Secretary of State). Congress as a whole has one role, namely funding or not funding. Other than that, foreign policy is for the Executive.

A minority of Senators purporting to tell the President what U.S. foreign policy is? Give me a break.

Two observations:
1) there are only two Democrats supporting it - Ben Nelson and Ron Wyden(!)
2) The biggest surprise to me is that Dick Lugar signed on - he has a tough nomination and he might not want the tea party to have ammunition.

I would not be surprised if AIPAC did not pressure many more Senators to sign on. It should also be noted that they are trying to make Obama's stated policy something it wasn't. There is a HUGE difference between 1967 border and 1967 borders WITH SWAPS. They are just playing political games - glad most Democrats did not sign this.