Obama's Mideast Talks Fall Flat

U.S. President Barack Obama watches Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (L) and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (R) shake hands during a trilateral meeting in New York September 22, 2009. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo)

Obama's Mideast Talks Fall Short Of Expectations -- McClatchy News

NEW YORK — President Barack Obama, expressing impatience with stalled Middle East peace talks, told Israeli and Palestinian leaders Tuesday that "it is past time to talk about starting negotiations — it is time to move forward."

His meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas was the highest-level Middle East diplomacy of his presidency, but it fell short of expectations. As recently as a week, ago U.S. officials had hoped it would yield an announcement of renewed formal negotiations on an Israeli-Palestinian peace accord.

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More News On Middle East Peace Talks

Doubts loom large after Obama's Mideast summit -- Reuters
Israeli FM: Summit a victory for settlement stand -- AP
Urging Israeli-Palestinian talks, Obama backs down on settlements -- Christian Science Monitor
Obama Presses For Action During Talks with Israeli, Palestinian Leaders -- Voice of America
In Mideast Peace Bid, Obama Pivots in His Demands -- New York Times
'Deadlock' After Obama Middle East Meeting -- Times Online
Obama Pushes Timetable for Mideast Talks -- Wall Street Journal
Obama Presses Mideast Leaders To Broaden Talks -- Washington Post
President Obama enters the Mideast fray -- L.A. Times
Large gaps cloud Mideast peace efforts -- AP
Trilateral leaves Mid-East press cold -- BBC

My Comment: With the exception of the White House spin machine and their media supporters .... this meeting accomplished nothing. It wasted the prestige of the Presidency, and it has produced an impression that the U.S. is becoming impotent in the Middle East process.