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Neither left nor right, but rather real fear of the Obama administration

Reader comment on item: Is Netanyahu Turning Left?

Submitted by Allen Z. Hertz (China), Jul 9, 2013 at 00:46

Netanyahu's positions re negotiations with the Palestinians are best to be understood from the optic of Netanyahu's justified fear of the Obama administration, which he understands to be at heart deeply hostile to Israel and daily searching for a way to do really significant harm to Israel. Across the board, President Obama's political directions are normally masked by outright lies and deceptive dissimulation, mostly designed to mislead the American people which generally has no sympathy with those things that Obama cherishes and seeks to realize.

For example, more than a decade of public-opinion polling reveals that around 65% of Americans warmly support Israel, which President Obama wants to significantly weaken. Netanyahu knows that Israel gets some cover from USA public opinion and therefore he plays his hand carefully to postpone the day when there will finally have to be an outright confrontation between the Obama administration and Israel.

And why not temporize? Tomorrow, the Obama administration may be exposed and gravely weakened by some new crisis domestic or foreign. Perhaps it will be the scandal of an Iranian nuclear test? Or maybe the White House will sink into full-blown Watergate mode due to "IRS" or some other domestic crisis? In the meantime, Netanyahu needs to keep on bobbing and weaving and also to play some games with Mahmoud Abbas, just as Abbas is in a similar sense also playing some of the same sort of games with both Netanyahu and the Obama administration.

Submitting....

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Reader comments (29) on this item

Title Commenter Date Thread
Lieberman for PM. [11 words]Reynald de ChatillonMay 24, 2018 03:08243080
Rationale for Netanyahu's behavior [70 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
Arthur CohnJul 27, 2013 21:49208563
1Israel existantial overtrumps any Personal or Human [81 words]Michael Hanni MorcosJul 26, 2013 14:39208517
1Israel-Jordan-Saudi Arabia alliance? [124 words]RichardJul 15, 2013 02:01208269
2Looking close at an Israeli-Jordan-Saudi Arabian alliance [310 words]TomJul 15, 2013 21:45208269
Nathan of God [263 words]john w. mcginleyJul 12, 2013 09:39208223
2There must be a limit to cynicism [60 words]saraJul 10, 2013 21:34208065
BibiKerry [156 words]Al SheeberJul 10, 2013 11:04208060
Palestinian Intransigence Saves Israel [485 words]Olive TreeJul 10, 2013 03:12208055
1Two Jews three ideas. Two Israelis ten Ideas. [33 words]EthanPJul 11, 2013 11:41208055
Hardly [81 words]Olive TreeJul 11, 2013 22:36208055
What would happen? [132 words]Gunther H. SciffJul 9, 2013 17:34208042
Is Netanyahu Turning Left? [116 words]BALARABE ABBAJul 9, 2013 10:35208024
He hasn't changed. [77 words]EthanPJul 9, 2013 09:46208018
The Arabs will never ever accept Israel [207 words]Ken BesigJul 9, 2013 07:37208012
Netanyahu is NOT GOOD for Israel [231 words]
w/response from Daniel Pipes
NuritGJul 9, 2013 01:47208002
Is Netanyahu turning left [138 words]Lily FlacksJul 9, 2013 01:38208001
Why will you trust Netanyahu? [82 words]NuritGJul 9, 2013 01:08207998
Is Netanyahu Turning Left? [190 words]JudithJul 9, 2013 00:59207997
1Neither left nor right, but rather real fear of the Obama administration [243 words]Allen Z. HertzJul 9, 2013 00:46207995
Netanyahu long ago forgot everything else but let turns... [116 words]SHmuelJul 8, 2013 23:34207991
2Kerry is running for Prez [25 words]Mark WerfelJul 8, 2013 23:01207988
1Kerry is looking for glory [57 words]artcohnJul 8, 2013 22:55207987
Netanyahu's turn to the Left? Or turn to his real constituency? [261 words]Martin H. KatchenJul 8, 2013 21:58207983
3Lessons from history [95 words]David W. LincolnJul 6, 2013 13:22207705
1Folly of Compromise with Israel's neighbors. [68 words]alexaJul 9, 2013 07:55207705
Countering with truth [50 words]David W. LincolnJul 11, 2013 12:05207705
2Thank You, Mahmoud Abbas [64 words]DaveJul 5, 2013 21:45207679
Hero [115 words]JOSEF ZUARESJul 9, 2013 12:42207679

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