Ties between Israel and US 'worst in 35 years'

[Winston Smith]

I guess he was wrong. Apparently Clinton called Bibi up and read him the riot act, and they're threatening to withdraw relations unless Bibi does A, B and C. And of course, Israel will cave, they have to.

i wouldn't bet on it. if the demands published are true, there is no chance any israeli government can pass them. it may be possible to pass one of them, but not all four. it will simply collapse every government, even a Kadima one.

I'm starting to wonder if that's not the point of this whole exercise.

it won't surprise me either. the thing is, even if there were elections right now, i'm pretty sure likud will only get stronger, not to mention the far right-wing parties (i haven't seen any poling on the matter, though).

Obama has blown this incident completely out of proportion on purpose, the israeli public knows this, and as you know, in times of trouble, people tend to band together, and i would guess any voters who are "on the fence" or those that have no strong affiliation to kadima or likud, will get behind netanyahu simply as a show of solidarity.

 

[uscitizen]

I guess he was wrong. Apparently Clinton called Bibi up and read him the riot act, and they're threatening to withdraw relations unless Bibi does A, B and C. And of course, Israel will cave, they have to.

i wouldn't bet on it. if the demands published are true, there is no chance any israeli government can pass them. it may be possible to pass one of them, but not all four. it will simply collapse every government, even a Kadima one.

I'm starting to wonder if that's not the point of this whole exercise.

In negotiating you always ask for more than you expect to get.
And you generally threaten to do more than you actually will.
Compromise on both parties part usually results.

 

[Marc39]

i wouldn't bet on it. if the demands published are true, there is no chance any israeli government can pass them. it may be possible to pass one of them, but not all four. it will simply collapse every government, even a Kadima one.

I'm starting to wonder if that's not the point of this whole exercise.

In negotiating you always ask for more than you expect to get.
And you generally threaten to do more than you actually will.
Compromise on both parties part usually results.

Tell everyone the compromises the Arabs have made to Israel.

 

[Marc39]

The insult to Biden was clearly to shore the right wing in Bibi's governing coalition, but I don't think he counted on Obama taking him to the mat on this (because of our hysterical evangelical Israel lobby here, who can make a lot of noise).

I guess he was wrong. Apparently Clinton called Bibi up and read him the riot act, and they're threatening to withdraw relations unless Bibi does A, B and C. And of course, Israel will cave, they have to.

Israel won't cave, nor, should it. The pressure on Sheikh Hussein Obama will cause him to back down.

 

[Marc39]

pap? Are the Israeli strapping bombs on their young men and children and sending them to market to kill Palestinians? No? You know who paid Palestinian families 25,000 bucks to strap bombs on their sons. so they could kill Israeli? Saddam did. Now you tell us who the terrorists are.

Most children in Arab nations are taught to hate the Jews.. it's pretty sad.

and Americans since we carry the Israeli's water.

How much anti American terrorism has happened becuase we support Israel?

How much anti American terrorism has happened because we bailed out Kuwait when Iraq invaded them and because we had a military presence in Saudi Arabia to protect their asses from Iraq? Israel is a red herring.