WASHINGTON — President Obama yesterday was blasted at home for siding with Palestinian demands that Israel retreat to its pre-1967 border as part of a two-state peace deal.
Politicians of both parties immediately went on the attack over the call to have Israel return to the old borders, including turning over control of East Jerusalem.
GOP presidential contender Mitt Romney said Obama “has thrown Israel under the bus.”
“He has disrespected Israel and undermined its ability to negotiate peace,” the former Massachusetts governor said.
New York Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver (D-Manhattan) said, “Constantly putting out the idea of preconditions for Israel to me is not the way to be an honest broker.”
Although several past administrations have envisioned a final settlement based on those borders, some Mideast experts worried that the statement tipped the scales in advance of any talks.
“The substance of those will be deemed as essentially more pro-Palestinian than previous presidents’ positions at a time when Hamas has entered the Palestinian government,” said Michael Singh, director of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy.
“I’m baffled, frankly, as to why this moment would be chosen to unveil new US policy positions on core issues,” he continued.
But Jeremy Ben-Ami, president of the moderate pro-Israel group J Street, said the group “wholeheartedly endorses” Obama’s approach, including the 1967 border.