Israel Matzav

Some MK's stay away from American Independence celebration

On the morning after the big shindig in Herzliya, Likud MK Danny Danon (pictured) is satisfied that he made some ministers and MK's think about staying away.

While according to Danon some MKs did stay away from the event, attendees included Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Ehud Barak, Minister-without-Portfolio Bennie Begin, Education Minister Gidon Sa'ar and Strategic Affairs Minister Moshe Ya'alon.

Environment Minister Gilad Erdan, who has been a frequent critic of the United States in speeches in the Knesset plenum, decided not to attend, but his spokeswoman said he had not attended last year either. At least one other Likud minister reportedly assured Danon that he too would not be in attendance - and, in fact, the minister was nowhere to be seen at the event.

An associate of Netanyahu said he did not feel there was any problem attending the event because "despite whatever pressure from the US there might be, America is still Israel's closest friend."

Not now, but hopefully on January 20, 2013 the US will be our closest friend again.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 7:56 AM