Israel Matzav

Who strengthens Israel's relations with the US - and who doesn't?

What role did the following Israeli leaders play in strengthening US-Israel relations since the 2008 election”?

The answer might surprise all those whining about the eroding relations between the American and the Israeli administrations. Prime Minister Netanyahu doesn’t get high marks, but his are still much higher than opposition leader Tzipi Livni’s. Ministers Barak and Dan Meridor, two members of the Netanyahu government, are those seen as the most positive contributors to “strengthening the ties.” Clearly, the panel of experts responding to Israel Factor questions takes the pragmatic view here: Opposition leaders do not contribute much to “ties”, because their role is for the most part limited to complaining and, well, opposing. On the other hand, it might be interesting to note that Shaul Mofaz, also a member of Kadima (and the opposition) is seen by the panel as playing more positive role in strengthening the ties.

The most negative player – and this will come as huge surprise to all people following the news – is Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman. Vast majority of the panelists gave him the meager marks of 1,2 or 3. Maybe somewhat more unexpected is the similar marks given to Minister Moshe Yaalon – formerly an IDF Chief of Staff, and a man with many ties in Washington. Yaalon spend a year in DC as a member of the established The Washington Institute, and finding him in the role of US-Israel relation-crasher might surprise some.

Labels: Avigdor Lieberman, Binyamin Netanyahu, Ehud Barak, Moshe Yaalon

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 10:34 PM