It’s no secret that Obama doesn’t like Bibi Netanyahu, and the feeling seems to be mutual.
It’s been a virtual warfare of insults since Bibi took Obama to school on the 1967 borders:
and then got a more rousing welcome in Congress than Obama ever has, because it was bipartisan.
Obama supporters accused Bibi of siding with Romney, although there’s nothing they can point to to prove it.
As “payback,” Obama tried to interfere in Israel’s election by chiding Israelis that they (i.e., Bibi) don’t know what’s in their best interests, and making sure such comments made their way to the press on the eve of the election.
I can’t say whether this spat hurt Netanyahu, since there is so much else that goes on in Israeli politics, but Netanyahu’s Likud party did drop in the last couple of weeks of the campaign, and barely survived according to the most recent reports.
From The Times of Israel:
How will Israel’s 33rd government look? Let the post-election mathematics begin.
For starters, it should be noted that Benjamin Netanyahu and Avigdor Liberman’s Likud-Yisrael Beytenu list is clearly best positioned to head a stable government. It is therefore almost certain that President Shimon Peres will ask the incumbent prime minister to try to build a coalition first.
While a meager 31 seats for Likud-Yisrael Beytenu does not give Netanyahu the strength he was hoping for, he has little to fear from his new Knesset colleagues and rivals. Even if Yesh Atid (with 19 seats) teamed up with Labor (15 seats), Hatnua (6 seats), Meretz (6 seats) and Kadima (possibly 2 seats), the center-left bloc would still fall a dozen mandates short of even a slim majority. And it is very unlikely that such a bloc would be joined by either an Arab or an ultra-Orthodox party. For that matter, the center-left parties would most likely be unwilling to pay the political price the Shas and United Torah Judaism parties would demand.
So, however weakened, and however spectacular Yesh Atid’s rise, Netanyahu is in the driver’s seat.
DONATE
Donations tax deductible
to the full extent allowed by law.
Comments
Shouldn’t Obama and his advisors admit that Bibi was reelected with a mandate and that he should find ways to unilaterally enact his strategy, because, after all, the Israeli opposition (multiple parties in this case) and their system of governance are simply not befitting his brilliance?
(pure sarcasm)
As I’ve often said with a sigh…
it would be great to have an American president who loved this nation like Bibi loves Israel.
I am glad Bibi won, since it is in Israel’s best interest Bibi won. I was also in Israel’s best interest if Romney won, but we are past that now.
Bibi did what everyone should do, tell omama to stfu cause he doesn’t know sh*t from shinola
Benjamin Netanyahu is a gentleman of integrity. Enough said.
Why wouldn’t Bibi have supported Romney? All obama does is send weapons to sworn enemies of israel who support and supply terrorists firing rockets into israel. It’s a matter of war and survival for Israel, and Obama is clearly the enemy of Irael.
Jeopardy! on world history and politics with contestants Bibi and Barack.
First question:
Alex Trebek: He will be forever remembered foremost by the quote, “Peace in our time.”
[Buzzer]
Alex: Mr. President.
Obama: Who am I?
Israelis have punished Netanyahu for calling up the nation to war preparedness & then backing down.
This seriously weakens him .
It is the best of outcomes for Obama however.
I don’t think Obama’s interference hurt Bibi. On the contrary, I think it backfired. Israelis hugely resent anyone interfering in their business as if they were recalcitrant schoolchildren.Obama’s words strengthened Bibi if anything, making him out to be the strong man against the overweening foreigner.
Bibi’s popularity fell because he merged with Yisrael Beitenu. It was a bad political move, had no advantage for Likud members – in fact it hurt them by pushing their candidates further down the list to make room for YB candidates – and it smacked of panic, and the public sensed it.