Netanyahu's freedom of action
Dr. Aaron Lerner argues that the Obama administration's attacks on Prime Minister Netanyahu have freed the Prime Minister from attempting to placate Obama. According to Lerner, Netanyahu can now act in Israel's best interests without worrying about what America might think. At the start of the Ramat Shlomo incident Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu had to carefully and painstakingly weigh his moves as he attempted to placate Washington without causing a crisis in his own party and the ruling coalition.As I've mentioned a couple of times, the real lesson Bibi learned in 1999 was to keep his coalition together and not, as is commonly believed abroad, not to 'screw up' Israel's relationship with the United States.
This all changed when, over the course of the weekend, it became clear that the Obama team had decided to exploit the Ramat Shlomo incident to try and oust Netanyahu by forcing him to take actions that they themselves expected would ultimately break up his ruling coalition.
This simplified matters considerably.
Fine tuning was no longer relevant.
And thus, a clearly relieved Netanyahu was able to take a very clear stand today that construction would continue, as it has ever since 1967, in all of Jerusalem. And he reiterated that the settlement housing construction freeze would indeed end as promised after ten months.
But the real question is what will happen if the Labor party threatens to withdraw from the coalition when the 'settlement freeze' ends unless Bibi extends it or makes 'progress' with the 'Palestinians.' At that point, I hope that Bibi has the courage to keep going with a Right wing only coalition. But I'm not sure he does.
Aaron takes this in a different direction. Read the whole thing.
posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 7:29 PM
2 Comments:
I'm shocked-shocked, to find that the godling bares his canines at our best ally in the Middle East...Gotta let those wascally Joooz know who rules!
Seriously, this is no surprise. Pressuring Israel into self-destruction is par for the course for a man, who as POTUS, has bowed to, hugged, backed, or welcomed to the White House some of the world's worst despots. All the while scr****g, American troops and her best allies. And not to mention the World Apology, and Muslim A**-Kissing Tour the first year as president!
Ever since his brilliant Sep 24, 2009 UN speech, I've believed that Netanyahu was the unrecognized leader of the free world. I sure hope he doesn't blink in front of the godling's tin light...and caves.
Hear me, G-d!
Jerusalem is not an issue on which any Israeli Prime Minister could back down. And Obama's rage against Netanyahu has only made furthering the search for peace an impossible endeavor. Is 1600 homes for Jews in northern Jerusalem an issue on which to pressure Israel to submit? Israel already apologized on the timing and a wise US Administration would have let the matter rest there. But Obumbler could not resist the opportunity to beat up on Israel for a deed that is not considered a cause for a crisis in any other country.
Only a bone-headed anti-Israel ideologue would see the construction of 1600 homes for Jews in Ramat Shlomo as the end of the world.
And Israeli Jews have been given yet another reason not to trust Obama.
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