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Netenyahu set to Lobby Congress
By Blazed1979 2015-01-25 11:25:41
http://www.vox.com/2015/1/24/7884311/netanyahu-boehner-fox-news
Quote: Fox News is not exactly known as an ally of the Obama administration, especially when it comes to disputes between Obama and House Speaker John Boehner, or disputes between Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Yet two prominent Fox News hosts, Chris Wallace and Shepherd Smith, harshly criticized Boehner and Netanyahu on Friday for secretly arranging a Netanyahu speech to Congress that is transparently aimed at undermining President Obama, and set up without the White House's knowledge.
The White House, State Department, and many foreign policy observers, including prominent former US ambassador to Israel Martin Indyk, expressed outrage over the move. And, in a sign of just how many lines Boehner and Netanyahu crossed, so did the two Fox News hosts.
"I agree 100 percent," Wallace said when Smith read a quote from Indyk criticizing the Boehner-Netanyahu maneuver. Wallace went on:
And to make you get a sense of really how, forgive me, wicked, this whole thing is, the Secretary of State John Kerry met with the Israeli Ambassador to the United States for two hours on Tuesday, Ron Dermer. The ambassador, never mentioned the fact that Netanyahu was in negotiations and finally agreed to come to Washington, not to see the president, but to go to Capitol Hill, speak to a joint session of congress and criticize the president's policy. I have to say I'm shocked.
Smith said, "it seems like [Netanyahu's government] think[s] we don't pay attention and that we're just a bunch of complete morons, the United States citizens, as if we wouldn't pick up on what's happening here."
Wallace pointed out that Netanyahu might face political backlash in Israel over this "very risky political strategy," which could damage Israel's relationship with the United States.
Here is the backstory: On Wednesday, Boehner announced that he had invited Netanyahu to come speak to a joint session of Congress in late February (later pushed to early March) on Obama's nuclear negotiations with Iran, which both Boehner and Netanyahu oppose, and which Republicans are seeking to blow up by forcing new, deal-killing sanctions on Iran. What made this such a remarkable breach is that Boehner had reached over Obama to make the invitation, which he and Netanyahu kept secret from the White House. That is a major breach in US foreign policy, which is supposed to be unified; things like official visits by heads of state almost always go through the White House.
Perhaps worse, Republicans are letting a foreign leader use the floor of Congress to bash the American president, thus not just allowing but helping a foreign country meddle in American foreign policy. (This is not the first time either. Republicans invited Netanyahu to speak to Congress in 2011, an opportunity he also used to lambast Obama.)
For his part, Netanyahu is once again attempting to undermine the American president who is by far his most important ally, and is using Congress as a campaign stop on his own bid for reelection in Israel's March elections.
"BIBI AND DERMER MIGHT HAVE FINALLY GONE TOO FAR"
While backlash was anticipatable, Netanyahu likely did not imagine it extending to Fox News.
"After watching this I think Bibi [Netanyahu] and [Israeli ambassador to the US Ron] Dermer might have finally gone too far," Lisa Goldman, the director of the Israel-Palestine Initiative at the New America Foundation, wrote on Facebook of the Fox News segment. "They miscalculated the American Zeitgeist and didn't realize that when a foreign power, even a favorite ally, shows a lack of respect for US institutions, a red line has been crossed."
To Goldman's point, both Smith and Wallace, in expressing outrage at Netanyahu, pointed out that the Israeli leader had defied President George W. Bush's demand that Israel cease settlement growth in the West Bank, and had resisted Bush's efforts at an Israel-Palestine peace deal. The issue, for them, was not principally one of partisan politics, but of this ostensible ally repeatedly mistreating the United States and its president, regardless of political party.
If the Netanyahu government and Ron Dermer's embassy are watching this, and they certainly should be, they should be alarmed that even this crucially important element of their American support base is beginning to see the Netanyahu government as less of an ally. Quote: The Obama administration reportedly is fuming over Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plans to address Congress in March regarding the Iranian threat, with one unnamed official telling an Israeli newspaper he will pay “a price” for the snub.
House Speaker John Boehner invited Netanyahu -- and the Israeli leader accepted – without any involvement from the White House.
In public, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest politely describes this as a “departure” from protocol. He also says the president will not meet with Netanyahu when he visits in early March, but has attributed that decision only to a desire not to influence Israel’s upcoming elections.
But in private, Obama’s team is livid with the Israeli leader, according to Haaretz.
"We thought we've seen everything," a source identified as a senior American official was quoted as saying. "But Bibi managed to surprise even us. There are things you simply don't do.
“He spat in our face publicly and that's no way to behave. Netanyahu ought to remember that President Obama has a year and a half left to his presidency, and that there will be a price."
The anonymous quote was a throwback to when, last year, Atlantic magazine quoted another unnamed senior administration official calling Netanyahu a “chickenshit.”
Administration officials, including Earnest, did not deny the quote at the time, though the White House stressed the criticism did not reflect how the rest of the administration views Netanyahu.
On Friday, Earnest once again was asked about tensions with the Israeli government. Asked if the decision to speak to Congress was a slap at the Obama administration, he said, “I certainly didn’t interpret it that way.”
As for the decision for Obama not to meet with his Israeli counterpart, he stood by the earlier explanation.
“This administration goes to great lengths to ensure that we don’t give even the appearance of interfering or attempting to influence the outcome” of democratic elections abroad, he said.
Meanwhile, Haaretz also reported that Obama had directly warned Netanyahu to stop urging U.S. lawmakers to back legislation teeing up new sanctions against Iran.
Obama has threatened to veto such a bill, saying it could derail delicate talks over Iran’s nuclear program – and Netanyahu’s visit to Washington could give him an opportunity to further encourage sanctions legislation.
Haaretz reported that Israel’s ambassador already has been urging members of Congress to support the measures. The newspaper reported that Obama told Netanyahu to stop during a Jan. 12 phone call.
On Friday, Earnest acknowledged that Obama and Netanyahu have a “fundamental disagreement” about the diplomatic talks with Iran.
“He doesn’t share [the administration’s] view,” he said. But Earnest also said the “differences of opinion” do not undermine America’s commitment to Israel’s security.
As Obama officials often do, he described that commitment as “unshakable.” Quote: “We thought we’ve seen everything,” the newspaper quoted an unnamed senior US official as saying. “But Bibi managed to surprise even us.
“There are things you simply don’t do. He spat in our face publicly and that’s no way to behave. Netanyahu ought to remember that President Obama has a year and a half left to his presidency, and that there will be a price,” he said.
Can't think of any other "sovereign" nation that bows down to a foreign leader while undermining its own elected president just to score cheap domestic bipartisan points.
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By Odin.Jassik 2015-01-25 12:04:08
Israel is surrounded by countries that hate them and the US is one of the few countries that's willing to bear their burdens. He's doubling down on that relationship.
By Blazed1979 2015-01-25 12:18:09
Hey Jassik, you're a cop right?
Can you confirm this Israeli ex-soldier's story?
(the Israeli Defense Force is training US Police?) YouTube Video Placeholder
By Jetackuu 2015-01-25 12:19:38
Hey Jassik, you're a cop right? pretty sure, no.
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By Odin.Godofgods 2015-01-25 12:40:20
Source
Saw the same topic just a minute ago.
Quote: “As prime minister of Israel, I am obligated to make every effort to prevent Iran from achieving nuclear weapons that would be aimed at Israel,” Netanyahu said at the weekly cabinet meeting in Jerusalem today. “This effort is worldwide and I will go anywhere I am invited in order to enunciate the State of Israel’s position and in order to defend its future and its existence,” he said according to an e-mailed statement from his office. Quote: Critics say the measure is meant to undercut Obama’s efforts to negotiate a deal with the Iranians and will hurt Israel by damaging ties with the White House. They also say the speech will give the prime minister an unfair boost before Israel’s March 17 elections.
“This is a poke in the eye” of the Obama administration, “and ultimately a blow to Israel,” said lawmaker Shelly Yachimovich of the opposition Labor party. “In exchange for giving a campaign speech, Netanyahu is prepared to hurt our relationship with the U.S.,” Yachimovich said today on Israel Radio.
American politicians complaining that someone might get an 'unfair boost' in elections...
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By Odin.Godofgods 2015-01-25 12:45:55
Quote: Republicans and some Democrats in Congress seek new economic and diplomatic sanctions on the government in Tehran, a move that could kill any nuclear deal. Obama said in his State of the Union address that he would veto any proposed legislation that increases sanctions.
Also find that quite interesting...
By Blazed1979 2015-01-25 13:21:49
John Boehner may be a traitor.Quote: John Boehner may be a traitor.
On Wednesday, the Speaker of the House confirmed that he had invited Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to come speak to Congress, "on the grave threats radical Islam and Iran pose to our security and way of life."
The announcement just so happens to come as Republicans in Congress are pushing for new sanctions against Iran, which threaten current diplomatic negotiations with that country.
See more news and opinion from Thom Hartmann at Truthout here.
As of now, Netanyahu is expected to speak to a joint session of Congress in March, while he's in the US for the annual AIPAC conference.
So, why is Boehner's invitation to Netanyahu such a big deal?
First off, it's a huge violation of protocol and massively disrespectful to President Obama and the authority of the executive branch.
It is completely unprecedented for the Speaker of the House, or any member of Congress, to invite a foreign leader to come to the US and speak to Congress without getting authorization and/or cooperation from the White House.
As Guy Ziv, a professor at American University who has studied US-Israeli relations told TPM, "It's unprecedented. It's hitting below the belt. It's taking partisanship to a whole new level."
By inviting Netanyahu to speak to Congress without the authority of the executive branch, Speaker Boehner is badly blurring the lines of national sovereignty, and again massively disrespecting typical protocol.
But, more importantly, he may be in violation of a number of laws, which may make him a traitor.
So, let's take a look at a few legal possibilities where the Speaker's actions may be considered criminal.
First, you could make a case that by inviting Netanyahu to speak to Congress without authority from the executive branch, Speaker Boehner is committing an act of sedition.
Sedition is defined as conduct or speech inciting people to rebel against the authority of a state or monarch.
However, it would be hard to prove that by inviting Netanyahu to speak to Congress, Boehner is trying to incite Americans to rebel against our nation; he's just using a foreign leader to lobby for his own legislation.
This is why a better case for Boehner's criminal conduct can be made under the Logan Act.
Established back in 1799, the Logan Act makes it illegal for unauthorized American citizens to negotiate with foreign governments.
Violation of the act is a felony, and comes with a punishment of up to three years in prison.
In order to prosecute Boehner under the Logan Act, there would have to be sufficient proof that he was acting "without authority" when he asked Netanyahu to come and speak to Congress, and that "authority" isn't specified in the law, although at the time it was passed, it was clearly intended to be held in the hands of President John Adams, who was furious that members of Congress were talking to French politicians.
It's also possible that Boehner is in violation of Federal Elections Commission (FEC) law.
Section 441e of FEC law makes it illegal for, "a person to solicit, accept, or receive a contribution or donation" from a foreign national.
In other words, if Speaker Boehner were to accept campaign money from Netanyahu, or use the speech to help raise money for Republicans in any way, he would be guilty of violating FEC law. Somebody needs to look into this, particularly to see if the hands of any of the Republican billionaires who obsess on Israel issues are involved in this.
Section 441e also makes it illegal for "a foreign national, directly or indirectly, to make a contribution or donation of money or other thing of value, or to make an express or implied promise to make a contribution or donation, in connection with a Federal, State or local election."
How is this speech not a thing of value to the Republicans?
The bottom line here is that, by inviting Prime Minister Netanyahu to speak to Congress, Speaker Boehner may have broken any number of laws, and the Department of Justice needs to investigate.
And even if no criminal activity is found, we can't forget how massively disrespectful this move by Boehner is.
Can you imagine Congress doing something like this to John Kennedy?
Or even to George W. Bush?
What if Nancy Pelosi had invited Saddam Hussein to address Congress back in 2002?
Don't you think Bush would have tried to prosecute her? Or at least get her impeached?
So at the very least Speaker Boehner is massively disrespecting the executive branch.
But, by blurring the lines of sovereignty, he may have also have fulfilled John Adams' worse dreams and, in the process, turned himself into a traitor.
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By Asura.Kingnobody 2015-01-25 13:32:50
Hey Jassik, you're a cop right? pretty sure, no. Jassik pretends to be a manager.
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By Bahamut.Milamber 2015-01-25 13:47:25
John Boehner may be a traitor.Quote: John Boehner may be a traitor.
On Wednesday, the Speaker of the House confirmed that he had invited Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to come speak to Congress, "on the grave threats radical Islam and Iran pose to our security and way of life."
The announcement just so happens to come as Republicans in Congress are pushing for new sanctions against Iran, which threaten current diplomatic negotiations with that country.
See more news and opinion from Thom Hartmann at Truthout here.
As of now, Netanyahu is expected to speak to a joint session of Congress in March, while he's in the US for the annual AIPAC conference.
So, why is Boehner's invitation to Netanyahu such a big deal?
First off, it's a huge violation of protocol and massively disrespectful to President Obama and the authority of the executive branch.
It is completely unprecedented for the Speaker of the House, or any member of Congress, to invite a foreign leader to come to the US and speak to Congress without getting authorization and/or cooperation from the White House.
As Guy Ziv, a professor at American University who has studied US-Israeli relations told TPM, "It's unprecedented. It's hitting below the belt. It's taking partisanship to a whole new level."
By inviting Netanyahu to speak to Congress without the authority of the executive branch, Speaker Boehner is badly blurring the lines of national sovereignty, and again massively disrespecting typical protocol.
But, more importantly, he may be in violation of a number of laws, which may make him a traitor.
So, let's take a look at a few legal possibilities where the Speaker's actions may be considered criminal.
First, you could make a case that by inviting Netanyahu to speak to Congress without authority from the executive branch, Speaker Boehner is committing an act of sedition.
Sedition is defined as conduct or speech inciting people to rebel against the authority of a state or monarch.
However, it would be hard to prove that by inviting Netanyahu to speak to Congress, Boehner is trying to incite Americans to rebel against our nation; he's just using a foreign leader to lobby for his own legislation.
This is why a better case for Boehner's criminal conduct can be made under the Logan Act.
Established back in 1799, the Logan Act makes it illegal for unauthorized American citizens to negotiate with foreign governments.
Violation of the act is a felony, and comes with a punishment of up to three years in prison.
In order to prosecute Boehner under the Logan Act, there would have to be sufficient proof that he was acting "without authority" when he asked Netanyahu to come and speak to Congress, and that "authority" isn't specified in the law, although at the time it was passed, it was clearly intended to be held in the hands of President John Adams, who was furious that members of Congress were talking to French politicians.
It's also possible that Boehner is in violation of Federal Elections Commission (FEC) law.
Section 441e of FEC law makes it illegal for, "a person to solicit, accept, or receive a contribution or donation" from a foreign national.
In other words, if Speaker Boehner were to accept campaign money from Netanyahu, or use the speech to help raise money for Republicans in any way, he would be guilty of violating FEC law. Somebody needs to look into this, particularly to see if the hands of any of the Republican billionaires who obsess on Israel issues are involved in this.
Section 441e also makes it illegal for "a foreign national, directly or indirectly, to make a contribution or donation of money or other thing of value, or to make an express or implied promise to make a contribution or donation, in connection with a Federal, State or local election."
How is this speech not a thing of value to the Republicans?
The bottom line here is that, by inviting Prime Minister Netanyahu to speak to Congress, Speaker Boehner may have broken any number of laws, and the Department of Justice needs to investigate.
And even if no criminal activity is found, we can't forget how massively disrespectful this move by Boehner is.
Can you imagine Congress doing something like this to John Kennedy?
Or even to George W. Bush?
What if Nancy Pelosi had invited Saddam Hussein to address Congress back in 2002?
Don't you think Bush would have tried to prosecute her? Or at least get her impeached?
So at the very least Speaker Boehner is massively disrespecting the executive branch.
But, by blurring the lines of sovereignty, he may have also have fulfilled John Adams' worse dreams and, in the process, turned himself into a traitor. Oh ***. I'm not a big fan of Boehner, but this is beyond the pale. About the only relevant item is with regards to speculation on financing, but that is something that *all* congresspersons should be screened on.
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By Asura.Kingnobody 2015-01-25 13:48:28
John Boehner may be a traitor.Quote: John Boehner may be a traitor.
On Wednesday, the Speaker of the House confirmed that he had invited Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to come speak to Congress, "on the grave threats radical Islam and Iran pose to our security and way of life."
The announcement just so happens to come as Republicans in Congress are pushing for new sanctions against Iran, which threaten current diplomatic negotiations with that country.
See more news and opinion from Thom Hartmann at Truthout here.
As of now, Netanyahu is expected to speak to a joint session of Congress in March, while he's in the US for the annual AIPAC conference.
So, why is Boehner's invitation to Netanyahu such a big deal?
First off, it's a huge violation of protocol and massively disrespectful to President Obama and the authority of the executive branch.
It is completely unprecedented for the Speaker of the House, or any member of Congress, to invite a foreign leader to come to the US and speak to Congress without getting authorization and/or cooperation from the White House.
As Guy Ziv, a professor at American University who has studied US-Israeli relations told TPM, "It's unprecedented. It's hitting below the belt. It's taking partisanship to a whole new level."
By inviting Netanyahu to speak to Congress without the authority of the executive branch, Speaker Boehner is badly blurring the lines of national sovereignty, and again massively disrespecting typical protocol.
But, more importantly, he may be in violation of a number of laws, which may make him a traitor.
So, let's take a look at a few legal possibilities where the Speaker's actions may be considered criminal.
First, you could make a case that by inviting Netanyahu to speak to Congress without authority from the executive branch, Speaker Boehner is committing an act of sedition.
Sedition is defined as conduct or speech inciting people to rebel against the authority of a state or monarch.
However, it would be hard to prove that by inviting Netanyahu to speak to Congress, Boehner is trying to incite Americans to rebel against our nation; he's just using a foreign leader to lobby for his own legislation.
This is why a better case for Boehner's criminal conduct can be made under the Logan Act.
Established back in 1799, the Logan Act makes it illegal for unauthorized American citizens to negotiate with foreign governments.
Violation of the act is a felony, and comes with a punishment of up to three years in prison.
In order to prosecute Boehner under the Logan Act, there would have to be sufficient proof that he was acting "without authority" when he asked Netanyahu to come and speak to Congress, and that "authority" isn't specified in the law, although at the time it was passed, it was clearly intended to be held in the hands of President John Adams, who was furious that members of Congress were talking to French politicians.
It's also possible that Boehner is in violation of Federal Elections Commission (FEC) law.
Section 441e of FEC law makes it illegal for, "a person to solicit, accept, or receive a contribution or donation" from a foreign national.
In other words, if Speaker Boehner were to accept campaign money from Netanyahu, or use the speech to help raise money for Republicans in any way, he would be guilty of violating FEC law. Somebody needs to look into this, particularly to see if the hands of any of the Republican billionaires who obsess on Israel issues are involved in this.
Section 441e also makes it illegal for "a foreign national, directly or indirectly, to make a contribution or donation of money or other thing of value, or to make an express or implied promise to make a contribution or donation, in connection with a Federal, State or local election."
How is this speech not a thing of value to the Republicans?
The bottom line here is that, by inviting Prime Minister Netanyahu to speak to Congress, Speaker Boehner may have broken any number of laws, and the Department of Justice needs to investigate.
And even if no criminal activity is found, we can't forget how massively disrespectful this move by Boehner is.
Can you imagine Congress doing something like this to John Kennedy?
Or even to George W. Bush?
What if Nancy Pelosi had invited Saddam Hussein to address Congress back in 2002?
Don't you think Bush would have tried to prosecute her? Or at least get her impeached?
So at the very least Speaker Boehner is massively disrespecting the executive branch.
But, by blurring the lines of sovereignty, he may have also have fulfilled John Adams' worse dreams and, in the process, turned himself into a traitor. Oh ***. I'm not a big fan of Boehner, but this is beyond the pale. About the only relevant item is with regards to speculation on financing, but that is something that *all* congresspersons should be screened on. Come on Mil, I thought that the source itself would have tipped you off.
This is "Truth and Justice" type delusional.
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By Bahamut.Milamber 2015-01-25 14:05:01
Hey Jassik, you're a cop right?
Can you confirm this Israeli ex-soldier's story?
(the Israeli Defense Force is training US Police?) YouTube Video Placeholder You are thinking Voren, I believe. And won't speak as to what the video claims, because it is 40min and...yeah, no.
General training? I doubt it. Working with some select individuals? Likely. Sharing techniques/best practices? Likely.
It is also highly likely they would meet with the comparative Israeli border patrol or police, as opposed to the IDF, except where it pertains to airport security.
[+]
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By Odin.Jassik 2015-01-25 14:27:06
Hey Jassik, you're a cop right? pretty sure, no. Jassik pretends to be a manager.
Jassik has been in several levels of management. Haven't you been spoken to about goading people many times?
Hey Jassik, you're a cop right?
Can you confirm this Israeli ex-soldier's story?
(the Israeli Defense Force is training US Police?) YouTube Video Placeholder
Yeah, you're thinking about Voren. I have no idea who is training or not training with who.
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By Asura.Kingnobody 2015-01-25 15:49:44
Jassik has been in several levels of management. Haven't you been spoken to about goading people many times? Whenever you actually show evidence of knowledge of being in management, then people would accept that you are in management.
Until then, my statement stands.
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By Cecilia Charl 2015-01-25 18:31:33
Neten- YouTube Video Placeholder
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By Odin.Jassik 2015-01-25 18:50:23
Jassik has been in several levels of management. Haven't you been spoken to about goading people many times? Whenever you actually show evidence of knowledge of being in management, then people would accept that you are in management.
Until then, my statement stands.
Whatever you say, bro.
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By Shiva.Viciousss 2015-01-25 19:36:29
This is pretty much the dumbest thing I have seen any politician do in a long time, and the fact its John Boehner at the forefront doesn't surprise me at all. Boehner is allowing the US Congress to be used as a prop to get Netanyahu re-elected. Its not an accident that Bibi said no thanks to a February speech and asked for it to take place in March two weeks before Israeli elections. And the fact that Boehner went behind everyone's back and ok'd it on his own is just another reason he should be ousted as Speaker. He is way, way out of his depth, and the United States is going to be embarrassed for it.
And what is it all for? Does he think that a speech is going to lead to Iran sanctions? Or he is just trying to embarrass Obama? Its pathetic, no one should support this.
By Blazed1979 2015-01-26 16:13:21
is this a case of "if anyone's gon f_ck my sista is gon be me" ?
Necro Bump Detected!
[41 days between previous and next post]
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By Leviathan.Chaosx 2015-03-08 07:44:50
Quote: 
Tens of thousands of Israelis are gathering at a Tel Aviv square under the banner "Israel wants change" and calling for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to be replaced in March 17 national elections.
Saturday night's rally at Rabin Square is the highest profile demonstration yet in the run-up to the election. It is organized by a non-profit organization seeking to change Israel's priorities and refocus on health, education, housing and the country's cost of living. Though not officially endorsed by any political party, it drew mostly supporters of leftist and centrist parties.
The rally's keynote speaker is former Mossad chief Meir Dagan who recently slammed Netanyahu's conduct and called him "the person who has caused the greatest strategic damage to Israel."
http://www.vox.com/2015/1/24/7884311/netanyahu-boehner-fox-news
Quote: Fox News is not exactly known as an ally of the Obama administration, especially when it comes to disputes between Obama and House Speaker John Boehner, or disputes between Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Yet two prominent Fox News hosts, Chris Wallace and Shepherd Smith, harshly criticized Boehner and Netanyahu on Friday for secretly arranging a Netanyahu speech to Congress that is transparently aimed at undermining President Obama, and set up without the White House's knowledge.
The White House, State Department, and many foreign policy observers, including prominent former US ambassador to Israel Martin Indyk, expressed outrage over the move. And, in a sign of just how many lines Boehner and Netanyahu crossed, so did the two Fox News hosts.
"I agree 100 percent," Wallace said when Smith read a quote from Indyk criticizing the Boehner-Netanyahu maneuver. Wallace went on:
And to make you get a sense of really how, forgive me, wicked, this whole thing is, the Secretary of State John Kerry met with the Israeli Ambassador to the United States for two hours on Tuesday, Ron Dermer. The ambassador, never mentioned the fact that Netanyahu was in negotiations and finally agreed to come to Washington, not to see the president, but to go to Capitol Hill, speak to a joint session of congress and criticize the president's policy. I have to say I'm shocked.
Smith said, "it seems like [Netanyahu's government] think[s] we don't pay attention and that we're just a bunch of complete morons, the United States citizens, as if we wouldn't pick up on what's happening here."
Wallace pointed out that Netanyahu might face political backlash in Israel over this "very risky political strategy," which could damage Israel's relationship with the United States.
Here is the backstory: On Wednesday, Boehner announced that he had invited Netanyahu to come speak to a joint session of Congress in late February (later pushed to early March) on Obama's nuclear negotiations with Iran, which both Boehner and Netanyahu oppose, and which Republicans are seeking to blow up by forcing new, deal-killing sanctions on Iran. What made this such a remarkable breach is that Boehner had reached over Obama to make the invitation, which he and Netanyahu kept secret from the White House. That is a major breach in US foreign policy, which is supposed to be unified; things like official visits by heads of state almost always go through the White House.
Perhaps worse, Republicans are letting a foreign leader use the floor of Congress to bash the American president, thus not just allowing but helping a foreign country meddle in American foreign policy. (This is not the first time either. Republicans invited Netanyahu to speak to Congress in 2011, an opportunity he also used to lambast Obama.)
For his part, Netanyahu is once again attempting to undermine the American president who is by far his most important ally, and is using Congress as a campaign stop on his own bid for reelection in Israel's March elections.
"BIBI AND DERMER MIGHT HAVE FINALLY GONE TOO FAR"
While backlash was anticipatable, Netanyahu likely did not imagine it extending to Fox News.
"After watching this I think Bibi [Netanyahu] and [Israeli ambassador to the US Ron] Dermer might have finally gone too far," Lisa Goldman, the director of the Israel-Palestine Initiative at the New America Foundation, wrote on Facebook of the Fox News segment. "They miscalculated the American Zeitgeist and didn't realize that when a foreign power, even a favorite ally, shows a lack of respect for US institutions, a red line has been crossed."
To Goldman's point, both Smith and Wallace, in expressing outrage at Netanyahu, pointed out that the Israeli leader had defied President George W. Bush's demand that Israel cease settlement growth in the West Bank, and had resisted Bush's efforts at an Israel-Palestine peace deal. The issue, for them, was not principally one of partisan politics, but of this ostensible ally repeatedly mistreating the United States and its president, regardless of political party.
If the Netanyahu government and Ron Dermer's embassy are watching this, and they certainly should be, they should be alarmed that even this crucially important element of their American support base is beginning to see the Netanyahu government as less of an ally. Quote: The Obama administration reportedly is fuming over Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plans to address Congress in March regarding the Iranian threat, with one unnamed official telling an Israeli newspaper he will pay “a price” for the snub.
House Speaker John Boehner invited Netanyahu -- and the Israeli leader accepted – without any involvement from the White House.
In public, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest politely describes this as a “departure” from protocol. He also says the president will not meet with Netanyahu when he visits in early March, but has attributed that decision only to a desire not to influence Israel’s upcoming elections.
But in private, Obama’s team is livid with the Israeli leader, according to Haaretz.
"We thought we've seen everything," a source identified as a senior American official was quoted as saying. "But Bibi managed to surprise even us. There are things you simply don't do.
“He spat in our face publicly and that's no way to behave. Netanyahu ought to remember that President Obama has a year and a half left to his presidency, and that there will be a price."
The anonymous quote was a throwback to when, last year, Atlantic magazine quoted another unnamed senior administration official calling Netanyahu a “chickenshit.”
Administration officials, including Earnest, did not deny the quote at the time, though the White House stressed the criticism did not reflect how the rest of the administration views Netanyahu.
On Friday, Earnest once again was asked about tensions with the Israeli government. Asked if the decision to speak to Congress was a slap at the Obama administration, he said, “I certainly didn’t interpret it that way.”
As for the decision for Obama not to meet with his Israeli counterpart, he stood by the earlier explanation.
“This administration goes to great lengths to ensure that we don’t give even the appearance of interfering or attempting to influence the outcome” of democratic elections abroad, he said.
Meanwhile, Haaretz also reported that Obama had directly warned Netanyahu to stop urging U.S. lawmakers to back legislation teeing up new sanctions against Iran.
Obama has threatened to veto such a bill, saying it could derail delicate talks over Iran’s nuclear program – and Netanyahu’s visit to Washington could give him an opportunity to further encourage sanctions legislation.
Haaretz reported that Israel’s ambassador already has been urging members of Congress to support the measures. The newspaper reported that Obama told Netanyahu to stop during a Jan. 12 phone call.
On Friday, Earnest acknowledged that Obama and Netanyahu have a “fundamental disagreement” about the diplomatic talks with Iran.
“He doesn’t share [the administration’s] view,” he said. But Earnest also said the “differences of opinion” do not undermine America’s commitment to Israel’s security.
As Obama officials often do, he described that commitment as “unshakable.” Quote: “We thought we’ve seen everything,” the newspaper quoted an unnamed senior US official as saying. “But Bibi managed to surprise even us.
“There are things you simply don’t do. He spat in our face publicly and that’s no way to behave. Netanyahu ought to remember that President Obama has a year and a half left to his presidency, and that there will be a price,” he said.
Can't think of any other "sovereign" nation that bows down to a foreign leader while undermining its own elected president just to score cheap domestic bipartisan points.
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