Word: netanyahu
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: all
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
...first the summit was to be held in Cairo. But Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak refused to be host unless Netanyahu agreed in advance to some substantive concessions, which he did not. Since speed was essential, Clinton accepted Secretary of State Warren Christopher's suggestion that the U.S. President convene the summit in Washington. The invitations went out. But Arafat delayed his response as long as he could, hoping for some sign of concessions from Netanyahu...
Arafat spent much of Monday, Sept. 30, in the grand salon of Mubarak's summer residence near Alexandria. He said he felt he could go to Washington only if Mubarak joined him there. But Mubarak did not believe Netanyahu would agree to any concessions, and he declined an invitation to the summit. Mubarak, aides indicated, was no longer willing to take domestic political risks for a peace process stalled by Israel. But the Egyptian President insisted that Arafat go anyway. "Mubarak spent three hours convincing him he should," says an Egyptian official. "Mubarak told him, 'You have a cause...
...Netanyahu for his part had readily agreed to the summit--but not to concessions. He made it clear to reporters on his plane on the way over that he assumed Clinton would press hard for concessions. Presumably those would start with closing the archaeological tunnel that had touched off the violence and follow with a firm date for redeploying Israeli troops in the West Bank city of Hebron, a step already six months overdue. He was more than ready to resist...
Once Arafat and Netanyahu were in Washington, the Americans began consulting with them on areas where they might be prepared to make progress, soundings that normally would have been done in advance. Late Monday night at the White House, Clinton sat down with Jordan's King Hussein. They talked about Arafat and Netanyahu and how to move forward on any of the issues. And what did they think about Israel's Prime Minister? Says a senior U.S. official: "Netanyahu is a complex personality. He makes a very favorable first impression. You see from some of the things being said...
...Tuesday Clinton met privately with Netanyahu for 45 minutes and for 30 with Arafat. Then everyone got together in the Oval Office for 45 minutes, a session that American officials described as "quite tense" but also "pivotal." King Hussein expressed disappointment that Netanyahu had not lived up to commitments he had inherited. Netanyahu responded in a very personal way, saying, "We are all fathers of young children. We have hopes for them and for ourselves." And directly to Arafat: "Mr. Chairman, you are a friend and a partner. We have to succeed with...