House G.O.P. Tightens Its Bond With Netanyahu

[Jefferson23]

By JENNIFER STEINHAUER and STEVEN LEE MYERS
Published: September 20, 2011


WASHINGTON — When the Obama administration wanted to be certain that Congress would not block $50 million in new aid to the Palestinian Authority last month, it turned to a singularly influential lobbyist: Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.



At the request of the American Embassy and Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, Mr. Netanyahu urged dozens of members of Congress visiting Israel last month not to object to the aid, according to Congressional and diplomatic officials. Mr. Netanyahu’s intervention with Congress underscored an extraordinary intersection of American diplomacy and domestic politics, the result of an ever-tightening relationship between the Israeli government and the Republican Party that now controls the House.

On Tuesday, one of President Obama’s potential rivals in 2012, Gov. Rick Perry of Texas, delivered a speech in New York criticizing Mr. Obama’s stance toward Israel as “naïve, arrogant, misguided and dangerous.” Mr. Perry said that he would be a guest soon of Danny Danon, the hard-right deputy speaker of the Israeli Parliament.

The relationship between the Israeli government and the Republican Party has significantly complicated the administration’s diplomatic efforts to avert a confrontation at the United Nations this week over the Palestinian bid for full membership as a state, limiting President Obama’s ability to exert pressure on Mr. Netanyahu to make concessions that could restart negotiations with the Palestinians.



remainder: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/21/world/middleeast/house-gop-finds-a-growing-bond-with-netanyahu.html?_r=1&hp

[Proud Liberal Dem]

1. When

are the House Republicans planning on re-locating themselves to Israel........to help continue to nurture this "growing bond" with Netanyahu? :eyes:

[BeyondGeography]

2. Shows among other things why Obama gave the correct speech today

Aid to the Palestinians would disappear for starters had he done otherwise, not to mention the obvious personal political harm.

[EC]

3. Not sure I'm getting this?

Obama asked Netanyahu to ask the repubs not to stall the aid and that means that suddenly that he and the repubs are great buddies against Obama, when he's doing what Obama asked him to do? So how does that work? It just tells me that Obama was one step ahead of the repubs, not that he was naive, arrogant, misguided or dangerous.

[shira]

4. Right. In addition, a significant percentage of Dems are in line with Israeli policy.

This isn't a wedge issue like some wish to present it.

[azurnoir]

5. Gee if I remember a significant number of Dems were 'in line' with racial segregation

in the US, a Democratic President ended it and a significant number of Dems have been voting Republican ever since guess we won't make that mistake again huh?

[shira]

6. Are you equating support for Israel with support for racial segregation? As in Zionism = Racism? NT

[azurnoir]

8. No I am equating not supporting a Palestinian State with segregation

oh I forgot Dems support a Palestinian state -someday like they have for 20 years

[Violet_Crumble]

9. Don't forget a significant number of Dems supported the invasion of Iraq n/t

[Jefferson23]

7. Republicans take advantage of the situation when they can. Obama

asking Netanyahu to help secure aid is another reminder of how dysfunctional the political process has become. Although
it is bizarre and inappropriate for Obama to need to ask him for any such favor, this small task he asked of Israel is nothing
compared to what Obama has done for Netahyahu of late.

Former Mayor Ed Koch campaigned for Obama in 2008, he said he found Palin, "kinda scary"...now he has decided
Obama is not pro-Israel enough..so there is that side of the situation too, coming from a Democrat.