Daily Archives: May 20, 2011

FT podcast: World Weekly

May 20, 2011 10:22 pm by Financial Times

In this week’s show, we look at the candidates to be head of the IMF; After president Obama’s speech calling for Israel to move out of territory it has occupied since 1967, where now for US-Israel relations? And our correspondent in Bangkok discusses the forthcoming elections in Thailand.  Read more

Posted in Israel, Obama, World affairs |

Gideon Rachman Israel and America, beyond the rows

May 20, 2011 10:49 am by Gideon Rachman

President Obama’s “big speech” on the Middle East yesterday kicks off a week in which Washington will spend a lot of time focussed on Israel. AIPAC, the main pro-Israel loobying group is having its annual conference this weekend. Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister is in town for that, and for a speech to Congress. Netanyahu and Obama, who get on very badly, have already had a minor spat over Obama’s call yesterday for Israel to withdraw to its 1967 borders. And although he couldn’t say so publicly, I suspect the Israeli leader will also be exasperated by what the Israelis regard as a typically naive American embrace of the “Arab spring” in Obama’s speech. Read more

Posted in Israel, Middle East |