What's Goin' On?

Submitted by John W. McGinley (United States), Mar 11, 2010 at 08:19

Professor Pipes:

Please address the folloiwng matter. Was Prime MInister Netanyahu really unaware of the announcement of those further construction plans in East Jerusalem or simply claiming to be? Is there tension between Natanyahu and the right wing of his coalition or was the "surprise" about the contruction announcement all orchestrated for effect. I support Israel's right to do any construction in East Jerusalem since I myself maintain that the annexation of East Jerusalem by Israel was legal, But what worries me is this sideshow.

If he Netanyahu really was surprised by the content and or timing of that announcemnt, then things are REALLY bad for the Government of Israel. If it were orchestrated in coordination with the right wing of his coalition, then he should be advised that it all looks clownish and not worthy of a strong and steady leadership.

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Daniel Pipes replies:

I don't know the inner workings but accept that Netanyahu was surprised. I reject that "it all looks clownish" on the Israeli government part. It's clownish on the Obama administration part, which took a minor bureaucratic step and turned it into a major bilateral issue.