Obama gives Netanyahu crawlspace access to Oval Office

[Israel Insider]

Obama prepares for Netanyahu visit to White House

After weeks of hesitation and foot-dragging the White House finally and grudgingly announced that there would be a meeting between Barack Hussein Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. But the meeting was pointedly described as "brief" and scheduled after normal working hours, at 7pm (2am Israel time), denying the Israeli leader of coverage back home.

Indeed, the White House determined that there would be no press coverage, and the only media allowed would be the in-house stills photographer. The reason given was that renovations were underway at the White House, and that Netanyahu would be compelled to enter via a crawlspace -- "the width of a Hamas arms smuggling tunnel", an Obama aide chuckled -- "if he can fit."

Furthermore, Netanyahu was only going to be allowed to stand in the corner of the Oval Office -- no mean feat in a room that has no corners. And speaking of feat, the Israeli leader was informed that he would have to remove his shoes and sox before entering while Obama would, as is his habit when addressing Netanyahu, keep his shoes up on his desk with soles facing the Israeli -- a profound insult in the Muslim world -- before leaving for other more pressing engagements, which the White House statement described as "date night on Michelle."

The White House did announce the festive menu for the post-Obama meeting. Netanyahu would be sharing biscuits with Bo, the First Dog. "We are pleased to note that 'Bibi' and 'Bo' would have a chance to get to know each other, and discuss issues of pressing concern among allies, a laconic press statement said, such as the need for "natural growth" in housing for four-legged animals and Jewish settlers, the press release said.

The statement added that the two would tour together the Presidential Doghouse, and then the woodshed, where Netanyahu was expected to pay a visit on his way out, where Presidential Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel was expected, on behalf of the Administration, to administer his own forceful and direct message to the Prime Minister. Reports that an enema was also on the agenda were unconfirmed, although the White House elliptically expressed the hope that the festive agenda for the summit of the two allies would clear away any of the "matters" that have built up in recent weeks.

It was announced that Axelrod would be a part of Netanyahu's "woodshed therapy" although it was unclear whether the reference was to Obama adviser David or a long, hard, intrusive wooden object. Others speculated that Obama would return with the long blue light saber that he had brandished (see photo above) outside the White House around the time of Netanyahu's previous visit. Israeli officials said it didn't really matter to them: "the important thing -- the bottom line -- is that the meeting is taking place," a Netanyahu aide said.

[Michael Shoemaker]

I'm glad the two leaders got to meet. It's interesting, that Obama's intended venue was altered by a Palestinian terror attack at a US military base on US soil.

[Robert Bernier]

The Obama administration.
Fatah, which controls the PA, can hold a conference reasserting its refusal to accept Israel’s existence as a Jewish state while glorifying terrorists and rejecting an end of claims in any future peace agreement with Israel and yet the Obama Administration acts as though the key to the problem is to stop Jews moving into eastern Jerusalem and the West Bank. This is how shadow-boxing and process takes on a life of its own. More at :
http://israelagainstterror.blogspot.com/2009/10/obamas-plans-to-leverage-goldstone.html