MORE Breaking News: Netanyahu Finally Called Secretary Clinton *UPDATED*

Well, we really do not get a lot of detail out of this. In a earlier post today, there was a tweet from Andrea Mitchell saying that Joe Biden had called Netanyahu and told him to call Hillary. Oh this is so complex I could get a migraine.

Let me get this straight. The settlement announcement occurred while VP Biden was in Israel. The State Department regarded it as an insult. SOS Clinton called Netanyahu a week ago tomorrow and taled to him for almost 45 minutes and from that moment on we have been waiting for a "formal response" which, as the week rolled on we were more or less led to expect would come in the form of a phone call. So now this. Clearly he does not have her on speed dial.

Prime Minister Netanyahu's Call to Secretary Clinton

Philip J. Crowley
Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Public Affairs

Washington, DC

March 18, 2010

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Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu called Secretary Clinton to follow up on their conversation last Friday. They discussed the specific actions that might be taken to improve the atmosphere for progress toward peace. We are going to review the Prime Minister’s response and continue our discussions with both sides to keep proximity talks moving forward. Senator Mitchell will visit the region later this weekend to meet with President Abbas and Prime Minister Netanyahu.

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**UPDATE**
OK, then! On the heels of this a report from the BBC provides some details released by Netanyahu's office. To be sure this is framed so as to put Bibi in the best possible light and Crowley's Bureau of Public Affairs has confirmed nothing. Here is some of the BBC article including what Bibi purportedly put forth.

Netanyahu offers Clinton 'trust-building measures'

In a telephone call last Friday, Mrs Clinton asked Israel's prime minister to agree to a number of US demands, reportedly including a halt to construction in East Jerusalem and a commitment to substantive negotiations with the Palestinians.

Mr Netanyahu did not respond until Thursday evening, when he is said to have "clarified" Israel's position on Jerusalem and conveyed a detailed list of steps he was willing to take in order to revive the peace process.

Mr Netanyahu's office said the steps represented "a real effort by Israel to aid the US administration in renewing negotiations though trust-building measures with the Palestinian Authority".

Read the article here>>>

I still think he only called because all the men were trembling about the foot-tapping, "I'm waiting!" on Hillary's part. Andrea Mitchell said Biden called Bibi yesterday and said "Call her!" Yikes! I do not know how much substance she got from him, but I hope that this time we stick to our guns on the freeze. Bibi is slippery, but Hillary can be pretty firm.

Two things I want from Bibi: stop buiding in East Jerusalem, more importantly, and secondly, stop swaggering like you just screwed Hillary Clinton. You don't have a snowball's chance in Hell!