Israel Matzav

White House 'mystified' as Yaalon does his best Krauthammer immitation

The last time that Defense Minister Moshe "Boogie" Yaalon got up the Obama administration's ire, it was because he said that US Secretary of State John FN Kerry was an 'obsessive messianic.'

On Tuesday, Yaalon went after Obama himself, saying that Obama projects an image of 'feebleness' and that he sensed disappointment with Obama in the world community. The White House reacted with wounded pride, saying that it is 'mystified' and 'shocked' by Yaalon's behavior.

The United States is using unprecedented language to condemn Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon after he continued weeks of criticism of US President Barack Obama, and members of his foreign policy team, on Tuesday.

“We were shocked by Moshe Ya’alon’s comments, which seriously call into question his commitment to Israel’s relationship with the United States," a senior administration official told The Jerusalem Post on Tuesday night. "Moreover, this is part of a disturbing pattern in which the Defense Minister disparages the US Administration, and insults its most senior officials."

...

"Given the unprecedented commitment that this administration has made to Israel’s security, we are mystified why the Defense Minister seems intent on undermining the relationship," the official continued. 

That last line sounds like it was written by Debbie Wasserman Schultz.

Yaalon didn't say anything that hasn't been said by Charles Krauthammer or Victor Davis Hanson or Mark Steyn or by many other columnists. And as to the administration's pretense of supporting Israel, all I can say is 'the lady doth protest too much.'

There's been a lot of speculation here that Yaalon is saying things that Prime Minister Netanyahu would like to say but cannot. I'm not sure that's the case.

UPDATE 9:57 PM

Just found this.... US Secretary of State John FN Kerry has now slammed Yaalon. 

US Secretary of State John Kerry called Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu on Wednesday morning to "protest" Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon's criticism of US President Barack Obama, stopping short of calling for the minister's resignation, State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said.

"Clearly his comments were not constructive," Psaki told reporters. "It is certainly confusing to us."

Psaki added that Kerry does not believe Ya'alon's comments "reflect the view of the government of Israel."

I would say that Yaalon's comments reflect the views of most of the Likud ministers other than Netanyahu and the views of the Jewish Home party ministers. Surprise Jen!

Labels: Barack Hussein Obama, Binyamin Netanyahu, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, John Kerry, Moshe Yaalon

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 9:30 PM