During his visit to Israel last week, Dick Cheney told Prime Minister Olmert Israel would never be pressured to give up the right to defend itself from attacks. Today, Condoleezza Rice said Israel would have to yield on travel restrictions, making it easier for terrorists to come into Israel for attacks.From a BBC report, here is Dick Cheney last week:
Today, Condoleezza Rice is singing a different tune. From Reuters:"America's commitment to Israel's security is enduring and unshakable, as is our commitment to Israel's right to defend itself -always - against terrorism, rocket attacks and other threats from forces dedicated to Israel's destruction," Mr Cheney said.
"The United States will never pressure Israel to take steps to threaten its security."
Can you say Mixed Messages? (Hat tip: Yid with Lid.) The photo above (credit: REUTERS/Moshe Milner/GPO/Handout) shows Condoleezza Rice meeting with Prime Minister Olmert on Saturday.U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, beginning three days of talks with Israeli and Palestinian leaders who are seeking to reach a peace deal, said on Saturday she would push to ease West Bank restrictions.
Marred by violence, Israeli travel restrictions and disputes over expanding Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank, the peace talks have shown little sign of progress four months after they were launched with the aim of reaching a deal before U.S. President George W. Bush leaves office in January.
Rice said the focus would be on discussing practical ways to improve the lives of Palestinians on the West Bank. She had not brought specific U.S. proposals on how to bridge Israel- Palestinian differences on the broader peace effort.
"The improvement of life on the ground is the piece that I think really has to be pushed forward pretty hard," Rice told reporters as she flew to Israel, where she began her talks with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.
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Cheney says Israel will never be pressured to give up security
