- Moderator
- #1
Netyanahu's unprecedented and deliberate attempt to influence and divide American politics along these lines for his own political gain is really not good. If his actions force us into another war I see no good coming out of this at all. The talks need to be given an opportunity to work. We don't need an Iran with nuclear power but we also don't need another Middle East war with OUR soldiers stuck in the middle because Netanyahu wants it.
Netanyahu Speech To Congress Is High-Risk High-Reward Analysts Say NPR
The Republican congressional leadership responded by inviting Netanyahu — loudly critical of those talks — to give his own address to Congress in early March, ignoring usual protocol and surprising the White House with the plans.
Both the threat from Iran and relations with the U.S. are important issues in Israel. Meir Javedanfar, who teaches Iranian politics at Israel's Interdisciplinary Center says that if Netanyahu urges Congress to vote for sanctions against Iran now, he could undermine the ongoing U.S.-Iran negotiations.
"Absolutely nobody in the state of Israel wants Iran to have a nuclear weapon for a nanosecond, nobody," says Javedanfar, but sabotaging the talks would be bad for Israel.
If new sanctions were to be imposed on Iran later, if talks clearly fail, he says that would help Israel by staying aligned with the international coalition involved in the talks.
The Risk
Netanyahu is taking a risk by pushing against the Obama administration in such a high-profile way, says Yaron Ezrahi, an emeritus professor of political science at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
Ezrahi worries that if negotiations with Iran fail, military action — even U.S. military action — could follow. Then, he says, Israel could be accused of undermining a diplomatic resolution.
"To involve Israel in the risk of being responsible — indirectly even — for an act of war by the United States is, I think, the utmost form of irresponsibility on the part of the Israeli leadership," Ezrahi says.
Many political watchers say another risk for Israel involves U.S. domestic politics. If the partisan way Netanyahu's speech was arranged splits congressional support for Israel along party lines, it could threaten the strong bipartisan backing Israel has long had.
On the other hand, a congressional speech on Iran two weeks before what could be a tight Israeli election could win Netanyahu votes back home, says analyst Eytan Gilboa of Israel's Bar-Ilan University.
Netanyahu Speech To Congress Is High-Risk High-Reward Analysts Say NPR
The Republican congressional leadership responded by inviting Netanyahu — loudly critical of those talks — to give his own address to Congress in early March, ignoring usual protocol and surprising the White House with the plans.
Both the threat from Iran and relations with the U.S. are important issues in Israel. Meir Javedanfar, who teaches Iranian politics at Israel's Interdisciplinary Center says that if Netanyahu urges Congress to vote for sanctions against Iran now, he could undermine the ongoing U.S.-Iran negotiations.
"Absolutely nobody in the state of Israel wants Iran to have a nuclear weapon for a nanosecond, nobody," says Javedanfar, but sabotaging the talks would be bad for Israel.
If new sanctions were to be imposed on Iran later, if talks clearly fail, he says that would help Israel by staying aligned with the international coalition involved in the talks.
The Risk
Netanyahu is taking a risk by pushing against the Obama administration in such a high-profile way, says Yaron Ezrahi, an emeritus professor of political science at The Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
Ezrahi worries that if negotiations with Iran fail, military action — even U.S. military action — could follow. Then, he says, Israel could be accused of undermining a diplomatic resolution.
"To involve Israel in the risk of being responsible — indirectly even — for an act of war by the United States is, I think, the utmost form of irresponsibility on the part of the Israeli leadership," Ezrahi says.
Many political watchers say another risk for Israel involves U.S. domestic politics. If the partisan way Netanyahu's speech was arranged splits congressional support for Israel along party lines, it could threaten the strong bipartisan backing Israel has long had.
On the other hand, a congressional speech on Iran two weeks before what could be a tight Israeli election could win Netanyahu votes back home, says analyst Eytan Gilboa of Israel's Bar-Ilan University.