Hamas War

Saturday, February 7, 2015

Bibi, Between a Rock and a Hard Place



It's no secret that the United States President Barack Hussein Obama can't abide Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu. It's also no secret that the New York Times can't find anything good to write about Netanyahu either. The NYT prefers to publish negative news about Israel,
A leading US media watchdog has compared the New York Times‘ constant publication of misleading and even false reports about Israel to the behavior of an “addict” in need of an “intervention.”...“The Times‘ misreporting on Israel is looking more and more like an addiction,” Ini told The Algemeiner. “An addiction to anti-Israel advocacy that has been preventing professional news journalism — and if there is anyone in the building that cares about the newspaper’s reputation for fairness, it is time for an intervention.” (Algemeiner)
Usually, when I'm looking on the internet for something to write about and check Reuters, I find almost nothing very up to date about Israel, but there's plenty tonight:

Israeli official suggests Boehner misled Netanyahu on Congress speech

JERUSALEM - A senior Israeli official suggested on Friday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had been misled into thinking an invitation to address the U.S. Congress on Iran next month was fully supported by the Democrats.
PoliticsWorld06 Feb 2015

Turkey pulls out of Munich conference to avoid Israeli delegation

ANKARA - Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu pulled out of a security conference in Munich at the last minute on Friday, saying he did not wish to attend a joint session with an Israeli delegation.
World06 Feb 2015

Top House Democrat hopes Netanyahu speech to Congress doesn't happen

WASHINGTON - U.S. House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi said on Thursday she hopes Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's speech to the U.S. Congress next month does not take place because Republican House Speaker John Boehner had invited him for political reasons.
Politics05 Feb 2015

U.N. Gaza war crimes inquiry to pursue work under new chair

GENEVA/JERUSALEM - A U.N. inquiry into possible war crimes in the Gaza conflict will produce its report on time next month, officials said on Tuesday, brushing aside a demand from Israel's prime minister to shelve it after the chairman resigned.
WorldUnited Nations03 Feb 2015

Netanyahu's strongman image boosts ratings, countering U.S. rift

JERUSALEM - Israeli voters' security concerns have boosted Benjamin Netanyahu's popularity in the past month, helping him to skirt criticism of a widened rift with the White House as he aims for a fourth election success.
World03 Feb 2015

Head of U.N. inquiry into Gaza conflict to quit over Israeli bias claim

AMSTERDAM - The head of a U.N. inquiry into last summer's conflict between Israel and Gaza said on Monday he would resign after Israeli allegations of bias due to consultancy work he did for the Palestine Liberation Organisation.
WorldUnited Nations02 Feb 2015

Jordan to send ambassador back to Israel as tensions ease

AMMAN - Jordan will return its ambassador to Israel, the government said on Monday, three months after withdrawing the envoy in protest at Israeli restrictions on access to Jerusalem's Al Aqsa mosque.
World02 Feb 2015

Israeli soldiers kill Palestinian in the West Bank

RAMALLAH, West Bank - Israeli soldiers shot dead a Palestinian on Saturday in the occupied West Bank, the military and a Palestinian security official said.
WorldUnited Nations31 Jan 2015

Israel issues tenders for new settler homes ahead of election

JERUSALEM - Israel published tenders on Friday for the construction of 450 new housing units in occupied Palestinian territory, a move that critics denounced as a political gesture ahead of a March general election.

And no surprise, Israel, especially our Prime Minister looks bad.

As I look at this awful situation that is developing between Obama, the United States Congress and Prime Minister, it seems like Bibi is between a rock and a hard place. No matter what he does at this point, he's going to look bad to someone.

If Netanyahu continues with the plans to speak to Congress, those in the American Government and media will just hate him more.  But honestly there's nothing he can do to make them like him, unless he pulls an Arik Sharon and destroys Jewish communities etc.

And if Bibi cancels his visit, he hurts his stature as an expert in the Iranian dangers and also would insult those who invited him and are counting on his support. He would also look weak in the eyes of Israelis who are impressed that there are powerful Americans who want to listen to him.

I firmly believe that Netanyahu should speak to Congress, and if it gets the Democrats angry, big deal. Just like France tried to keep Bibi out of the anti-terror rally, and his attendance was comforting to French Jewry, his speaking to Congress will strengthen the Americans who want strong action against Iran. A nuclear Iran is an international problem, not a sole Israeli one. And if powerful Americans consider the Israeli Prime Minister to be an expert, we should be proud!

2 comments:

Sammy Finkelman said...

It seems like maybe that while Netanyahu knew that President Obama might possibly want to prevent his speech, he did not think Congressional Democrats would oppose his speech because the Iran sanctions bill was said to have a big majority, coming from both parties.

Probably, at that time, they wouldn't have opposed it.

Batya said...

Democrat supporters are financially supporting Herzog-Livni so they're at war against Bibi. They hate him more than they fear a nuclear Iran.