From Reuters, “Arab League, Abbas reject recognising Israel as 'Jewish state,”(March 9), "The Arab League on Sunday endorsed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's rejection of Israel's demand for recognition as a Jewish state, as U.S.-backed peace talks approach a deadline next month." 

From the Associated Press, “Obama chief of staff: US cannot pretend Netanyahu didn't disavow Palestinian state,” (March 23), "President Barack Obama's chief of staff rejected Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's attempts to distance himself from his comments rejecting Palestinian statehood, telling an Israel advocacy group Monday that the U.S. can't just overlook what Netanyahu said on the eve of his re-election." 

As illustrated above, when it comes to dual standards in Middle East foreign policy, the Obama administration is second to none. Nowhere in the balance of the Reuters story was there any condemnation of Abbas' stance at that time while there is strident criticism of Benjamin Netanyahu's presently. 

Based on Obama's record, I suppose we should not be surprised at this level of hypocrisy, but it does not make it any less unpalatable. 

Edward Wood

Killingworth