U.S. piles pressure on Netanyahu
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As Israelis marked the 62nd anniversary of the nation's independence on Tuesday, the country's Defense Minister Ehud Barak warned them that in all probability much of the land currently held by the Jewish state will have to be ceded to the Palestinians.
Barak made the comment on Monday, the Israeli Fallen Soldiers and Victims of Terrorism Remembrance Day. It was the headline maker from an interview he granted to the country's Army Radio to mark the most introspective of days on the Israeli calendar.
During his interview, the former army chief and prime minister also warned that relations with the United States could worsen despite the comments from U.S. leaders that the two nations enjoy especially close ties.
Analysts suggest that Barak is passing on a message from Washington to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
American praise and warnings
Barak's words were broadcast after U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton issued a message to Israel to mark the Independence Day. "You know, in 1948, it took President Truman only 11 minutes to recognize your new nation. And ever since, the United States has stood with you in solidarity," Clinton said in a video message.
"Pursuing peace and recognized borders for Israel is one of our top priorities. We believe it is possible -- indeed necessary -- to achieve a comprehensive peace in the Middle East that provides Israelis, Palestinians and all the people of the region security, prosperity and the opportunity to live up to their full God-given potential," the secretary of state added.
Gershon Baskin, the founder of the Israel-Palestine Center for Research and Information, said "This is the message that Barak is passing from Washington to Netanyahu."
"The American administration is using every avenue that it can to get the message to Netanyahu," said Baskin, who believes that senior Washington officials are in constant touch with Barak in order to bring change in Israeli policy.
Since Barak Obama became the U.S. president and Netanyahu Israel's prime minister, relations between the two countries have been strained.
While diplomats on both sides publicly speak in fuzzy, glowing terms about the "unbreakable bond" behind closed doors and in off- record chats with journalists, it is clear the two do not see eye to eye at all right now.
Barak strongly hinted at that in his interview, in which he spoke of the "increasing alienation" between the two.
Much of the U.S.-Israeli disagreement focuses on Netanyahu's decision to dig in his heels over Israel's right to build in East Jerusalem, and the American insistence that all Jewish construction work halt in the Arab-dominated eastern half of the city.
