Trump's relationship with Netanyahu is personal. He will get an enthusiastic endorsement from AIPAC and their funders will be quite generous to Trump's reelection campaign.
But what are the US interests and how are they being advanced with this love affair?
There are cultural ties, historical ties and some ideological ties with Israel, but those have been in place with every administration.
The exchange of military and intelligence information has been less important since we've had our own permanent presence in the Middle East.
The US tension with Israel has been when Israel launches attacks on its neighbors and the US supports those moves. This last UN report sites 200 deaths and 11,000 wounded from Israeli sniper fire on unarmed demonstrators.
This uncritical support costs US political capital that we need for our own goals.
And since the entire world, minus the US media knows the so called "peace process" has been a charade, and our policy has been to in effect endorse the ethnic cleansing of the Palestinians.
Don't expect Trump to change that with his "peace plan" because it won't contain anything that Bibi doesn't approve.
So, we have turned a legitimate "support" for Israel into support for the international crime of ethnic cleansing.
If we really 'support' Israel we would tell them the truth about their illegal annexation campaign. And we would offer a viable alternative. But we won't. And Trump will not change any of that.
1
With a Granddaughter living in Israel, my main concern is peace in the region, and I could care less if the West bank is part of a peace deal with the Palestinians.No peace of dirt could ever replace my Granddaughter,
Having said the above, Israel is more important to me than ever before.I feel squeezed between Anti Semitism from the Right & from the Left. Omar & the support she received from the left, has me disillusioned as a Life long Democrat I feel betrayed by my Party, & for the first time in my life I am seriously thinking of voting Republican.Yes I know i may be going from the frying pan into the fire, but there is no question in my mind that Israel will fare much better with Trump rather than a liberal anti semite.
2
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/04/opinion/sunday/israeli-jews-american-jews-divide.html
This particular piece says it all.
American Jews and Israeli Jews Are Headed for a Messy Breakup
"Yes, Netanyahu and Trump are like two peas in a pod."
Both are conniving and divisive for their own private agenda. If I would be face with the choice which country I would want to live right now, neither would be on my list.
Netanyahu managed to do the impossible, alienating jews around the world from Israel, after decades of unquestionable allegiance & loyalty .
His extreme right wing tactic makes any decent jewish person to recoil, he is on a very wrong path, but it still bags the question, how he can experience such support in his own country, and what this adoration of trump?
I always, maybe mistakenly, thought that jewish people savvy enough to recognize a con man when they see one.
What's wrong with my fellow jews, do you need more history lessons, have you forgotten that there's plenty of anti-Semitism all around us.
Memory lapses like that will only contribute to more intolerance and bigotry, where no one wins and jews will definitely lose.
History is unforgivable especially to jews.
Sadly, the present PM Netanyahu professing the brutal system of apartheid in Israel, the country that use to be the only one legitimate democracy among all Middle Eastern countries.
His policies would undoubtedly result in grave consequences for Israel's safety in long run.
2
At first I read the title as “ are these the final days?” Meaning the end of times.
1
You're really in trouble when you have to depend on not so secret weapon as Trump.
1
One of them is going to jail
1
That poll says a lot about the Jewish people , sad they do not care at all about Trump having 0 moralities. I used to think the Jewish people had a lot of moralities but it seems Trump trump's God.
5
Trump has no ‘partners’ per se. He only has creditors who have loaned him money because legitimate banks have refused him credit. The so-called ‘partnership’ between Natinyahu & Trump is one between the hard-right Israeli Orthodox who wish to reestablish ‘greater Judea’ on Palestinian land and whose support Natinyahu needs to maintain power and the American Evangelicals who wish to see the ‘second coming’ of their messiah and whose support Trump needs to maintain power.
5
As an American Jew, it saddens me to see other Jews, both here and in Israel, lavish such praise on a demagogue who has seemingly adopted Mein Kampf as his playbook. I believe Jews are morally obligated to reject and resist those who would employ such tactics, not because we are the "chosen people," but because we know better than anyone where such tactics ultimately lead.
10
Trump’s devotion to Bibi follows not only from his embrace of cruel strong men everywhere. It reflects the GOP’s dependence on their Evangelical base, for whom “Israel” and “the Jews” are theological concepts tied to the second coming of Jesus. In the end of days narrative, Jews must convert or die, which one might say is the ultimate anti-Semitic statement.
Trump’s Evangelical base might love Bibi, but do they know Bibi considers the many Christian citizens of Israel - under the new nation-state law - to be second class citizens?
Trump, the GOP and Netanyahu are using American Evangelicals in a corrupt game of power and greed, and one can only hope the spell will eventually be broken.
8
Both are despots. The sooner their respective judicial systems takes them both down the better for the world.
6
Netanyahu posing for photos with American troops seems dangerously close to supporting the “trope” of dual allegiance.
5
Trump, frankly, I do not even attempt to understand. I’m just waiting for the 20/20 hindsight final score of his presidency to tell if he was good or bad for America.
But Netanyahu is a very different story and that is something that is worth bearing in mind – especially if you’re centrist-left in your policies. The fact is that Netanyahu’s only real crime is, in the late great President Roosevelt, “He’s an actor that has been on the stage for too long. The public is bored with him.” But that makes no difference. The fact is that he is the only Prime Minister that has not embroiled Israel in wars. Every prime minister in the past from Itzhak Shamir on has gotten Israel into one war or another – with Rabin and Ehud Barak actually bringing about the deadliest bloodshed in Israel’s history of the second Intifada (uprising). The whole current crisis, in fact, is because Netanyahu resisted an intense public pressure and wouldn’t let his defense minister to go into Gaza in force. He is a total “status-quo-ist” pragmatist.
His “problem”, as far as too many pundits and armchair strategists, is that he is too pro-Israel. The simple fact is that Israel’s astonishing success hides the brutal fact that it is under mortal danger on a day to day basis and, as such, cannot afford any parlor-game niceties and – and in that respect Netanyahu is probably the most effective PM Israel has ever had.
So you don’t like him and his wife drives you nuts? Well, boohoo.
4
You are sort of conveniently forgetting that, at least for now, not all Israeli citizens are Jews, and not all Jews want a theocracy. Ironic too how well Netanyahu and bin Salman,s ‘peace’ plans mesh.
7
Sarah Huckabee Slanders just backed Trump's words, calling ALL Democrats Anti-Semitic. Quite the statement from an Evangelical Christian who believes Jewish people aren't getting into heaven because they don't believe Jesus was the son of God. Religion, bad politics and hatred, the Republican way.
15
@Baddy Khan
Have you recently been to Israel like we have? Just spent another winter (5 weeks) mostly in the Galilee and also in the TLV metro area. Many Israelis don't like Trump, say that Kushner does not rep their interests and had enough of Bibi. Keep in mind 25% of Israel's population is Arab (Christian, Muslim) and if a 2-state solution was ever worked out, I'll bet 24.999% of the Arab-Israeli pop. will remain in Israel proper. So much for hearing about how Arab nations and their civility to their own population, i.e. Syria, Lebanon, Libya, Egypt and the list goes on! Its getting pretty disgusting to hear or read from bloviating people who have never been to Eretz Yisrael, the lone democracy in the entire region!
2
No fear, no 2 state solution will be ‘worked out’ anytime soon.
7
Let us hope that reasonable political alliances will prevail and the grip of the Ultra Orthodox and ultra right wing forces will be minimized. Democracy must return to Israel to make the ideals upon which was founded survive.
12
Wonder what they say about each other in private.
9
Birds of a feather flock together. That's the first though that comes to mind when I see the picture of Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Trump shaking hands, smirking.
They have many things in common, the most despicable being their total distain for law and willingness to bend it to any extent to advance their interests. Let's hope they don't get away with it forever.
On April 9, Israelis will have a chance to prove to their arrogant, self-centered prime minister that he is easily dispensable. Will they rise to the occasion? They shouldn't wait until the indictment for corruption and other legal violations being brought against him by their country’s attorney general takes its course. It's laudable that the attorney general is determined to prove to the world that Israel is a country where the rule of law still prevails, its own prime minister’s disdain for it notwithstanding. On April 9, Israelis will have a chance to follow suit through the ballot.
Americans may have to wait a little longer before President Trump learns that he is easily dispensable, too. They will have to wait until the country’s efficient legal system, which has already begun to punish, one by one, all the thugs that helped him reach where he is now, finally catches up with him. They will surely learn that the man who manipulated his way into the presidency with the “Only I can fix it” boast (according to him the system had been broken) has been steadily wrecking it.
7
Its curious that Netanyahu status is nebulous but that of MBS is clear. The recent editorials in the NYT suggests a bias. Arab countries, when they have questionable ties with Trump, are kept well in focus. Israel politics not so much.
The specific details of the move to the right seems especially absent from all mainstream media. The detention of a Israeli-American student participating or arguing for a boycott of Israeli products was a stretch to find. Connecting the dots to paint a bleak picture of the state of the democracy in Israeli apparently is not a clear objective of mainstream media. It seems clearer that an objective is to remain silent about it.
It would be clarifying to know the percentages of columnists who acknowledge allegiance with Israel, the number of articles written about the deterioration of the democracy in Israel as opposed to negative stories about Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries. Without such perhaps Trump partially tells the truth: the news can be faked to reflect favorably on the favored.
8
"...President Trump, who is more popular in Israel than in almost any other country".
Tells you all you need to know about the current state of the Israeli state.
Makes it easier to understand concerns like those expressed by Representative Omar.
Other than the US, its hard to imagine a nation more laser-focused on its own destruction and disrepute than Israel.
11
That the American Left condemns foreigners for embracing an American president, says a lot.
Stop blaming other countries for Trump!
Other countries have to deal with him, they have no choice. What would you have other countries do? Should they invade America to liberate it?
If Democrats nominate someone quasi-normal he/she will likely win.
3
Hillary Clinton won.
By the thoughts of the Founders, the Electors would have said ‘we’re here to prevent a vain, corrupt, amoral man from becoming President, let the popular vote-getter take her rightful seat.’
5
Good article. Deployment of US troops t Israel seems really bizarre and likely illegal. Israel has a law prohibiting propaganda shots with Israeli troops, but US troops are OK. Mr Cummings please look into this. It must be illegal.
16
"Giant campaign billboards went up in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem a month ago showing the prime minister and the president shaking hands and grinning under the words “A Different League,” implicitly dismissing Mr. Netanyahu’s challengers as amateurs."
Netanyahu and Trump are in some very problematic company in their "Different League" of belligerent "strongmen" - Dutarte of Philippines, Orban of Hungary, Putin in Russia, Bolisario in Brazil, the PM's of Turkey, Poland, Cambodia, Myanmar, Al Assad of Syria, Al Assisi in Egypt, and the Prince of Saudi Arabia.
If ever Americans needed a new reason to be very critical of Israel, this very odd political camaraderie between Trump and Netanyahu, under indictment for corruption, is it.
22
"Monday, the Pentagon announced a small, temporary American troop deployment in Israel. By Wednesday, Mr. Netanyahu — barred under an anti-propaganda law from exploiting Israeli soldiers as campaign props — had circulated a video and snapshots showing him surrounded by American troops instead."
This is misure of OUR military, ladies and gentlemen. WE pay them. They work for WE THE PEOPLE.
People with power in OUR political/legal/military/secret service complexes MUST step up and stop these world destroyers NOW.
OUR lives depend on it.
17
I can't get past this: "Netanyahu — barred under an anti-propaganda law from exploiting Israeli soldiers as campaign props — had circulated a video and snapshots showing him surrounded by American troops instead."
Are our military troops available to be used as political props by any foreign power, or just those aligned with our president? Can I get them to come to a birthday party? Was going for a pomp and circumstance theme...
31
@Toni Indeed. I can use the protection of some troops when I go downtown at night. Haven't I been a good neighbour of Americans all my life?
4
Netanyahu is a thug and Trump is a thug...seeing that picture of the two thugs together made me cringe. I have lost my sympathy for Israel because of their short sightedness in dealing with the Palestinians...not to mention the corruption of their state , and I don't have enough time or space to register how I feel about this current disaster in chief of our own making. Both countries have a chance to vote for a more sane and more ethical government, let's hope anyway.
29
Wow, you really dislike Mr. Netanyahu even when grudgingly recounting his successes.
Here, in Palestine, we know where Mr. Netanyahu and the Likud party stand on most issues, certainly those that concern us most.
How exactly do you know what Mr. Gantz and Mr. Lapid of the Blue and White party intend (as you write) as they have yet to make a positive statement as to positions of concern to the Israeli populace.
5
@Dr. Sam Rosenblum, successes? As an American Jew who loves Israel, the only success I am familiar with from Netanyahu is the utter destruction of the Zionist dream of Herzl and Ben Gurion. His policies decades from now will be viewed as those that marginalized Israel not saved it. He will be known at the Prime Minister who, ignoring intelligence chiefs - who acknowledge the merits of the Iranian nuclear deal - let Iran resume it's nuclear program. Ironic that the most anti-Iranian P.M. Israel has had will be the one who lets them acquire the most power.
2
@Dr. Sam Rosenblum That's the new negative way of winning elections in this era of corrupted undemocracy - don't say anything voters can criticize while disdain for the incumbent increases and increases. Politicians have the right to remain silent. Silence is golden.
2
Trump and Netanyahu...easily two of the most odious mainstream politicians in the westernized world.
It's not even close. No surprise Israel would love Trump - who else would needlessly move the embassy to Jerusalem to appease Christian fundamentalists and Israeli settlers.
No one. Because no other president in our lifetimes is so stupid, inept, and unqualified.
Give me GW again and again. And that is saying alot. 2020 can not come quick enough.
24
@Jack...You betcha, Jack. Why in the world would the US put an embassy in the capital city of any country? That goes against every diplomatic norm. Can you imagine an American embassy in London, Paris, Berlin? Of course not. It would be unthinkable. Yeah, those halcyon days of MISSION ACCOMPLISHED and the Red Line in the Sand. American was great before Trump. Let's make it great again in 2020!
1
Mr. Netanyahu is just practicing "keep your friends close. Keep your scatterbrained, idiot friends that protect you closer so you can maybe influence them when they do something on a whim that could be disasterous for Israel".
7
They deserve each other. A marriage made in hell.
14
The closer personal relationship between the two-Trump and Netanyahu-could be mutually advantageous to each other but never in the larger interest of their peoples as it keeps the real issues buried under the loud noise of jingoistic nationalism and populist euphoria. The forthcoming elections in Israel may change all this.
24
Are these its final days.
For both, I do hope so.
27
How can the world have respect for either country when they are lead by crooks. How sad.
38
Both leaders are from the same mold. Netanyahu's greed will lead to his demise and Trump is next. They deserve one another!
37
Netanyahu shored up his own political position by essentially forming an alliance with the Republican party.
For Israel this is a mistake of epic proportions since it will inevitably undermine the Israeli alliance with the United States. There are still a lot of very pro-Israeli Democrats but how many of them are young? I think the answer is very few. If so then in ten or twenty years we many see a Democratic party that will have no special bond with Israel, that will be inclined to treat Israel as just another nation.
When you look at all we've done for Israel and at what they've done for us (nothing), losing that special relationship and being treated by us as they actually deserve will be quite a disaster for them. They may, for example, have to disgorge some of the land they've stolen.
31
@Jack Toner
If the US stopped sending military aid, it would likely make Israel much more aggressive as it consolidated its gains while it still maintained its qualitative military edge.
Maybe that would be better for both countries.
1
I object to my tax dollars being used to allow an election photo-op in a foreign country.
It’s outrageous!
44
@TheraP
Our troops should not be used as pawns in an election in any country. They are not there to get votes for a foreign leader.
30
@TheraP...Your share of taxes don't even amount to a shiny new copper penny. That doesn't buy very much outrage.
Hours before Israel’s attorney general announced his intention to indict Mr. Netanyahu on corruption charges last month, Mr. Trump told reporters in Vietnam that the Israeli leader was “tough, smart, strong” and “has done a great job as prime minister.”
There is an old saying there is honor among thieves!
28
And we criticize our elected Representatives who try to call attention to flaws in the relationship between this Country and Israel by parsing every word and phrase and finding ways to attack the messenger instead of heeding the message.
29
@Green Grandma Well-said. The unconditional support of "liberal" Americans for Israel, along with the absolute support of evangelists, together with Israel's undue power over American policies, is irrational.
13
Actually it’s the Republicans primarily who support Netanyahu and Trump. The Democratic Congress Representative has apologized for her remarks and has been willing to expand her views to be inclusive.
10
Yes, the Dems folded like they always do. There was no need to apologize. The reaction was the literal embodiment of the term political correctness. The GOP raised the issue of antisemitism -- oh the irony! -- and the Democrats took the bate.
5
Kushner's personal relationship with Netanyahu deviates from US policy. He lacks the resume for the position he holds He would not have been issued a Security Clearance had his father-in-law not intervened. His relationship with the Saudi Prince granted him the power to commit the murder of a journalist who possessed a Green Card with no reprisals. Trump's daughter is actively engaged in applying for Trademarks in China, 16 in October 2018 and 5 in January 2019. Trump junior is so secure he is untouchable since he is first son he spews as much ignorance, arrogance and deception as his father.
When the subject of questioning Trump's two family members who are Federal employees or the first son for any misdeeds, conflict of interests or corruption it would be great injustice to the American people to refrain from doing so. They need to be subject to the same scrutiny as any other citizen who possibly committed or participated in a crime. In addition that choke on Trump may be the first time in his life he learns what it feels like to be humbled.
t
18
Reading these comments can make one depressed.
The idea that Israelis are at fault for Americans’ choice of Trump is risible.
Americans made a choice. Israelis view that choice from their perspective. Would you have them judge the wisdom of a border wall or challenging Obamacare?
From an American perspective, we should be focused on what Israel does for us. Do they continue to prove an intelligence source? Are they a reliable military ally?
The US, a country that has more prisoners per capita than any other country on earth, hardly has its own house in order. Let the Israelis and Arabs figure out their own issues. If they needs us, they have our number. Otherwise, Americans shop stop moralizing.
7
@SG
That's a lovely piece of "whataboutism" that doesn't address choices made by Israelis.
To be sure, Trump won the US election in 2016, but we don't see heads of state in Europe, Asia, Australia or Latin America erecting billboards to promote their close personal and political relationship with Trump. I hope you can appreciate the difference.
29
@Steve
What I appreciate is that Bibi is successful in maintaining a good relationship with the American president. That is part of his job.
If Americans elect Ilhan Omar, that will still be his job.
Bragging about his success to Israelis is normal.
Perhaps, your job as an American is to choose a better president.
4
@SG
I'm working on changing the political climate here through conventional democratic procedures.
Do you think Elie Wiesel would approve of Bibi approach?
4
“And in a matter of months, the criminal case against Mr. Netanyahu could dislodge him from power once and for all”
No surprise…….birds of a feather flock together; another parallel to Trump and the investigations against him. These two individuals truly deserve one another.
45
Does anything more need to be said in order to put to bed the notion that criticizing Israel constitutes anti-Semitism? Trump and Netanyahu - birds of a feather, sleeping dogs, pack of thieves, two peas in a pod - however you care to describe them - are stains not only on their countries, but on humanity as well. America elected Trump. Trump enjoys more support in Israel than almost anywhere (almost certainly more than he enjoys here!) We - the U.S and Israel - need to do everything we possibly can to remove them from office before their actions remove all of us from this planet.
54
Criticizing Israeli behavior is not anti-Semitism. Attacking American Jews based on age old stereotypes is anti-Semitism. Denying Israel's right to exist as a homeland for the Jews is anti-Semitism.
7
@Dr B
As a first generation Jewish American, I would say that denying Israel's right to exist as a homeland for the Jews (with the implication that all other inhabitants be marginalized secondary citizens) is anti-Zionism. That's a big difference from anti-Semitism. Oversimplifying complex and thorny questions of history, ethics, genocide, origins, manifest destinies and democracy with such a broad brush doesn't help anything.
6
Two scurrilous advocates for each other, who hurt their own country as they try to hold onto power. Let's hope it is their last days when Netanyahu loses this election. Next is Trump in November 2020.
37
@James Lochrie Let's hope both criminal justice systems do their job and remove both jerks before their next respective elections. Haven't we had enough tip-toeing around thugs whose crimes have been laid bare for all to see? Exposing a liar multiple times on multiple topics should not garner respect from anyone, especially not from the people they work for.
4
It is time for Netanyahu to go, but I wonder if the Times might do an article or two on what the Palestinian leadership is doing these days to foster a two state solution.
Netanyahu's hold on power is a direct result of a complete lack of leadership from Fatah and Hamas. If they were to suggest an openness to a two state solution, they would certainly bolster the support of those on the Israeli side looking for a legitimate solution to the untenable status quo.
22
As a former supporter of the state of Israel, who who at one time held Israeli savings bonds, I can no longer support a country that continues to elect someone as morally bankrupt as Netanyahu to be Prime Minister. Israelis' reverence toward Donald Trump, to me, is an indication that the country I once admired has lost its moral compass and is no better than its surrounding neighbors.
35
@RLW
It takes something special for an American to blame Israelis for liking the American president.
Perhaps, Americans should be more introspective of their own political process?
As for corruption, Israel appears to have a robust justice system unafraid to go after its head of govt, can you say the same thing in America?
Before doling out criticism of other countries’ democracies, you might consider getting your own house in order.
Israel, arguably, has a far more complex domestic and foreign agenda than the US. Nevertheless, everyone is fed and housed in a democratic country. When the US, with its enormous resources, achieves the same we can talk.
13
@SG
Good point. So many "conservative" Americans support Israel without question, ignoring that in many ways it is a "Socialist" country with subsidized medical care, college and required military service for all. (Well, almost all!) But suggest we provide the same or similar services and care for American citizens? No way!
12
@SG "Israel, arguably, has a far more complex... foreign agenda than the US."
That is quite a howler.
8
Time to apologize to Ihan Omar for questioning the relationship and then receiving such an onslaught of criticism.
50
@Yolanda. Omar trafficked in age-old anti-semitic tropes, not anti-Israel criticism. But nice try.
6
@Sparky
Taking a knee in silent protest received a much more vigorous response than running a woman down in Charlottesville from the White House, I am having such a problem with recognizing who we are and what is acceptable and what is not. But am trying.
3
I don’t disagree with you, but the next time (soon!) I see the word “tropes” I’m going to hurl. Six months ago, 99% of the population had never heard of the word; now, everyone has discovered a cool sounding word but no one understands it unless it’s connected to the word “anti Semitic.” “Cliché” is the much more descriptive word, and most everyone knows its definition and how to use it. In a few short months, the word “tropes” has gone from being unknown to *itself* being a cliche! And yes, I’m an English teacher and seething old grammar scold.
3
They will shake hands, give big hugs, and both wonder how they will survive their crimes.
I insist on separate prisons.
38
His reelection is not really in doubt, and even an indictment - a long process - is a year or more down the road.
3
@Stephen Gianelli Netenyahu's reelection is not at all assured. He is behind in the polls. If he did win he wouldn't be able to form a functional coalition government as only far right parties would partner with him.
5
not all Israelis "Israelis have ample reason to view the president favorably: His administration has showered Mr. Netanyahu with gift after politically charged gift, including moving the American Embassy to Jerusalem, repeatedly cutting aid to the Palestinian Authority, and embracing Israel’s argument that millions of Palestinians should no longer be counted as refugees.
13
If one does nothing to address change except treat it as an adversity that can be intimidated into going away, then you can have what you have. The reactionary view of things held by Trump and Netanyahu and most right wing politicians. That’s why they are always angry and nasty and appeal to fear and resentments. It’s also why they lead countries during times of decline and why they are eventually replaced by more constructively minded leadership that restore times of increase.
8
Trump is doing now the same thing Obama had been doing in 2015, i.e. tampering with internal politics of foreign country by taking sides in election campaign there. It is pity Mr. Halbfinger fails to discern the pattern.
4
Rep Omar has been mentioned in many of these comments. What has not been mentioned is that by making her comments, Rep Omar is putting her allegiance elsewhere before allegiance to her own country, the US. We are in trouble in our country and the last thing we need is someone who is more interested in making her divisive remarks, than in forming a cohesive party that has a chance of winning the next election and restoring our own government.
11
In Israel, "Mr. Trump is admired more than in almost any other country". What does this say about the natural divergence in interests between the US and Israel, and the basis of the so-called "special relationship"?
Why does the US media and Congress protect Israel from criticism as though it were a sacred object? What dwindling "shared values" connect the two?
Isn't it time to open up this relationship to greater scrutiny? A good start would be to recognize AIPAC as a foreign lobby.
137
@Baddy Khan
Israeli support Trump because he is friendly to them. You can’t hold Israeli responsible for how an American president governs at home. From their perspective, he is the elected leader of the US.
4
@SG Well if they're really the fifty-first state then they should both know more and care more.
8
@SG Really? Could it be that his overt racism strikes a chord?
It is AIPAC's job to make sure that support for Israel is consistent across administrations, and AIPAC has done its job well, on behalf of Israel. Which is, of course, a foreign country like any other.
9
The article links to a poll that shows approximately 83% of Israeli Jews think Trump is handling global affairs well (69% of those polled in Israel feel that way), while less than 10% of those polled in France and Germany have that confidence in Trump. Britain shows 28% and Canada 25%.
Hopefully, Netanyahu will be defeated, and Trump with his family will move to Jerusalem, where he can sign Bibles.
167
@James Barth
I think the need for signing bibles is greater in Sing-Sing or in Leavenworth but Rikers Island will do too.
5
People around the world should recognize that candidates that say "only I can fix it" are likely to be demagogues who will not be acting in the common interest. History has shown this time and again.
30
The fact that Bibi would support a President who has openly displayed support for racist, anti-Semitic groups says all we need to know. He may be smarter and more experienced than Trump but they both seem to have major moral failings.
61
@GM - Bibi and his partisans aren't the only ones that have sold out, by dealing with and supporting Trump, to push their own agenda. Moderate Republicans and the evangelical right have both made for strange bedfellows with the this president.
10
And we cry about Russia meddling with our elections, but look at us intervening in another countries election. Will the Israeli press call out this collusion? Will our press call out our hypocrisy?
26
Trump, in typical fashion, said he would have huge support if he ran for Prime Minister in Israel. Please do so. If you resign the Presidency and commit to running is Israel, lots of people would give you money to go away. It would be the best thing that could happen for the US.
46
Any shred of American sensitivity to the plight of the Palestinians; of fairness in approaching a solution to the problem of Israel and it neighbors; of democracy itself as a flag under which both countries can rally around, is simply non-existent.
Both the US and Israel are led by corrupt and increasingly out of touch, populist, crypto-autocrats; two men who ought to be in front of a court of law rather than be on the front pages of newspapers as leaders of their countries.
Perhaps both nations, Israel and the USA, will emerge from this dark tunnel we all find ourselves in and send both these guys packing.
50
@Bob Burns
The good news is one of them is going to soon be in front of a court of law. We can only hope the other has the same fate. Fingers crossed, that both are convicted for the criminals they are.
19
The biggest problem for Israel is if the Palestinians get their own country. If they do not control the arms and people that enter that country there will be a bloodbath real quickly. The other big problem is if the Palestinians do not get their own country.
11
@randall Very little of the blood in your putative bloodbath would be Israeli blood. I'm not being snarky, just realistic. The notion that a Palestinian state would pose a serious threat to Israel strikes me as ridiculous.
1
I am an Israeli presently in the US who does not support Bibi.
While it is true Trump and Bibi seem very close, they are in fact very different (these are not mutually exclusive).
Say what you will about Bibi, he is a highly polished speaker and thinker with tremendous experience in the political arena who is well read in history. Trump is none of those things.
It is the job of every Israeli PM to cultivate a positive relationship with the US, and in that respect Bibi appears to have greatly succeeded.
As for the assumption that Bibi will reject a peace plan, I am not sure that is correct. Often, it is the right that embraces compromise, Begin (Sinai) and Sharon (Gaza) come to mind. It is unclear how the new environment of poor governmental support of the Palestinians in the US or in the Gulf will move Palestinians at the negotiating table.
Finally, contrary to the suggestion of the article, the Israeli press today is predicting a Bibi victory.
Not liking Trump and Bibi is understandable, but is not a basis for drawing false parallels. They are very different in style and substance. It is easy to over simplify.
14
SG, they are both very ethically challenged so there's that.
9
@Dan
That can be said of almost every politician.
1
President Trump has certainly fooled the people of Israel because in reality he could care less about them. Anything he does regarding Israel, or for any other matter or decision he makes, is to enhance his own persona and aura. The US embassy move was made without regard to any ramifications or drawbacks, only so Mr. Trump could claim another "trophy" and say "look what I did". As to Mr. Netanyahu, he certainly is a great protector of Israel, as every Israeli prime minister must be. But in my opinion he fails to look down the long road Israel is facing and is not making enough correct decisions so that Israel will find itself in a much better position to safely and peacefully exist in the Middle East for many years to come. We have here two leaders that will do pretty much do anything to remain in power. They are both not thinking about all of the responsibilities they have as their nation's leaders. They are both failing their countries in the long term.
17
Jews, especially Israeli Jews, will rue the day they ever supported Netanyahu and his like for anything. Thankfully, most of us American Jews were not taken in by our own Netanyahu. Though perhaps too many of us dismissed the possibility of his ascendancy to Netanyahuhood!
34
Buildings in the US and other countries can’t take down the Trump emblem fast enough. But Bibi is putting up billboards. We are living in strange times.
35
"Are these its final days?" Not if you believe in how powerful such an alliance between two men who will stop at nothing to increase their power.
The extent of commonality between these two leaders is truly astounding. They seem like twins separated at birth, only exceptions being their intellectual capacity, nationality, and style of discipline.
I've been rather astounded at what Netanyahu will tolerate to maintain power. personally, I think he's sold his values down the river.
We know Trump didn't start with any values, thus his ability to read a crowd, locate its nexus of fear, and exploit that, make him, in my mind, infinitely more dangerous.
Ultimately, though, it's a marriage of convenience, so it will be interesting to see whose shoe drops first . It's hard for me to see a "long game" that the Israelis fear, that some sort of Kushner grand peace plan would award concessions to Palestinians, that due to political alliance, Netanyahu would eagerly espouse.
Trump doesn't do "long games," and right now, his short game is demonize the Mueller investigation in the court of public opinion, no matter what the special counsel's final report says.
15
Big deal, Netanyahu and Trump shaking hands on campaign billboards in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Bigger deal, why the Pentagon has announced today an American troop deployment (small and temporary) in Israel. Campaign videos with Bibi surrounded by U.S. troops is also a very big deal. The question is why is our president more admired in the state of Israel than anywhere else on earth? Something about this smells bad. Bibi has held the chariot reins of power in Israel for too long. Let's hope his defeat on 9 April is more than just a possibility. Next week, S.O.S. Mike Pompeo will swing by Israel to give Netanyahu the sub-rosa nod for a one-state solution to the 70 year old conundrum still unsolved. Donald Trump has Bibi's back.
151
Let's hope the "small, temporary" deployment of American troops to Israel doesn't put them on the border with Gaza, or in posts that support Israeli forces fighting in Gaza or patrolling the West Bank.
10
Hmmm. Sounds like Ilhan Omar may be on to something after all. Go figure.
44
To answer your question: Let's all hope so. Benjamin Netanyahu and his autocratic, corrupt, and cruel regime stand as the biggest obstacles to peace in the Middle East. In addition to his inhumane treatment of the Palestinians trapped in economically oppressive ghettos on the West Bank and Gaza, he has formed a truly unholy alliance with an equally vicious autocrat in Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia and Donald Trump to prepare for an all-out, all-consuming war against Iran. As an American of Jewish heritage and a Holocaust family, let's hope the voters of Israel will elect someone who can bring peace to the region rather than further escalate the ongoing Muslim civil war between Sunni Saudi and Shiite Iran.
23
@Paul Wortman
So Hamas, whose leadership refuses to meet with Israel, and insists on the total destruction of Israel is not the biggest obstacle to peace? Give me a break.
2
@Mark Shyres Yes, and if not Hamas, then Mahmoud Abbas. And, if not Abbas, then Yassir Arafat. And, on and on through the 70 years of mutual, blame, recrimination, and violence. So yes, please "Give ME a break." I've been waiting since 1948 when Harry Truman recognized the State of Israel and my Holocaust family and I cheered and sang the Hatikvah in our synagogue. Enough!
3
Notwithstanding how clumsy they semed, doesn't news and facts like this provide a basis that is not anti-semitic and illustrates Rep. Omar's commnet?
25
Who meddles in the US politics more? Netanyahu or Putin?
Netanyahu to US Congress, September 12, 2002 " If YOU take out Saddam, Saddam's regime, I GUARANTEE YOU, that it will have enormous positive reverberations on the region, The reverberations of what will happen with the collapse of Saddam's regime, could very well cause an implosion in a neighbor regime like Iran"
Americans and Iraqis lost many lives and treasure with the destruction of Netanyahu's WAR against Saddam, and cannot make a claim on his GUARANTEE. Proved dead wrong the dead number over a MILLION PEOPLE, the consequences still unfolding in the World.
Iran didn't implode. It increased influence in it's own part of the World with the illegal 2003 US invasion of Iraq.
God didn't listen to Netanyahu but Americans do.
Israel's Netanyahu spoke to a Joint Session of the US Congress in 2015, getting standing ovations by delirious, non-partisan, Republicans and Democrats, calling for the US to reject the Iran Nuclear deal.
Trump withdrew from the Iran Nuclear Deal on May 8 last year.
What will be the consequences for the US Economic War Trump announced against Iran designed to destroy the Iranian Economy supporting it's 80 MILLION people before having to resort to bombs?
All of this is happening with Netanyahu meddling in US affairs in Public, that can be seen.
As the only head of government to attend the recent US organized anti-Iran meeting in Warsaw, he led the charge for War with Iran. Wasn't Iraq enough?
29
@Ray Joseph Cormier
Netanyahu was not Prime Minister after 9/11. Sharon was and he said nothing of the kind. In fact, he publicly stated that Iraq had no chemical weapons prior to the US invasion.
6
@SG Netanyahu was PM before that, but he still said those words in quotes to the US Congress on September 12, 2002 a year after 9/11 and before the US invasion of Iraq.
So what's your point?
11
I read:
"Netanyahu-Trump Partnership Is Stronger Than Ever. Are These Its Final Days?"
and wonder aloud:
"Are these Netanyahu-Trump's final days?"
7
Trump said that Netanyahu is "tough, smart, strong," and doing a great job. Well, when Trump praised somebody, very often it is a sign that trouble is coming for that person, Ask Manafort?
20
"All of this is of great help to Mr. Netanyahu with voters in Israel, where polls show Mr. Trump is admired more than in almost any other country. " If true, Israel is a very sick country. I wonder whether the Israelis understand that most of us despise him?
21
Israelis mostly don't care if Americans like Trump. they have been sold the line that Trump is the American president most likely to go to war with their enemy, Iran, doing Israeli's dirty, expensive, and dangerous work for them by taking out their major threat, while asking little to nothing in return from the nation.
3
Benjamin Netanyahu and Israel along with Vladimir Putin and Russia constitute an axis of white supremacist nationalist right-wing terrorist international evil that collaborated, colluded, conspired and cooperated with Donald Trump and the Trump Organization, campaign and administration to get Trump elected President of the United States.
Netanyahu and Putin's motivations were to make themselves and their nations more powerful at the expense of American interests and values. That is why they were given license to hack and meddle in the 2016 Presidential campaign and election.
Trump's motivation is the solemn sworn oath he took to preserve, protect and defend whatever profitable Trump Organization and other holdings advantage that he is hiding from the American people in his personal, family and business income tax returns and records arising from his occupation of the Oval Office of the White House.
Israel and Russia along with Saudi Arabia are clearly hostile foreign powers and should be treated as such with all of the power of American national security intelligence defense apparatus and infrastructure arrayed against them.
Reversing Trump's disdain,dismissal and disregard for our European allies along with Canada, Japan, Mexico and South Korea should be of the highest priority. America should turn to it's true traditional allies and friends. America should keep its distance from the likes of the Egypt, Gulf oil states, Joedan, the Philippines and Turkey.
15
The thing that most Americans seem to not understand is that even if Netanyahu is thrown out of office, little is likely to change with any other Israeli government regarding the Palestinians. This is because the problem lies with the Palestinian leadership, not the Israeli government.
Netanyahu is "right-wing", so Americans conflate his policies with Trump's, but what "right-wing" means in Israeli politics has more to do with economic and social policy, rather than foreign affairs and security.
Israel has had many "left wing" (even "socialist") governments, and their administrations focused on making peace with the Palestinians (Ehud Barak, in particular, but also Shimon Peres, and earlier Golda Meir, and to some extent Yitzchak Rabin and Ehud Olmert).
None were successful.
Several had made proposals that match exactly what most readers of the NY Times expect a peace deal to look like: a Palestinian state comprising most of pre-1967 West Bank and Gaza, with some tradeoffs of land where a sizeable population of Israelis live very close to the Green Line.
But Palestinian leaders (Yasser Arafat and Mahmoud Abbas, the current president in year 13 of his 4 year term in office) never countered any of those proposals and instead initiated campaigns of terror just about every time (to keep their own people distracted?).
The Israeli public des not believe a deal is possible until a new generation of Palestinian leadership emerges.
They will not waste time on a futility.
10
@G
Nonsense. Israel is not interested in peace with Palestinians. Why is that not obvious? Israel is interested in annexation of Palestinian land; that is what they've been doing. Gaza is an open-air prison. Israel gots billions of dollars from us to perpetuate and illegal and very brutal occupation.
13
@G
No deal is possible until Israel recognizes The State of Palestine and accepts both UN Resolutions and international law.
@Sage
So why was there no peace before 1967, when there no settlements, and Israel did not control Gaza or the West bank ?
If you are not already familiar with the Khartoum resolution (September 1, 1967) , kindly look it up before responding.
3
"There is nothing unheard-of about a president trying to influence an Israeli election..."
Wait, I thought foreigners trying to influence elections was a terrible thing?
Seriously, The Donald and Bibi have had their day. I sincerely hope.
15
@Bunk McNulty: but it was OK for Obama to work to defeat Netanyahu -- right?
1
One more classic example of how power corrupts; and absolute power corrupts absolutely. When a politician; "any politician"; starts believing his own propaganda of being the savior of a nation it usually proceeds disaster. Both for the politician and the country involved. While countries need strong leaders; they do not need demagogues. Something on display far too well in Israel and the U.S. these days. There will come a day; probably not long from now; when the citizens of those nations will see clearly that they can carry on quite nicely without either of these 2 egomaniacs. Netanyahu has long portrayed himself as a latter day Winston Churchill. Funny; but I don`t. remember Churchill being involved with radical fringe parties just to save his political hide. Trump should learn from this...but he won`t.!
12
Americans should question why any issue concerning Israel gets Republican-Democratic bi-partisanship, but that same bi-partisanship does not exist for the many serious issues facing America? Representative Omar questioned it and look what happened to her.
31
Last month the United Nations Commission of Human Rights determined that Israel had likely committed "war crimes" against Palestinian protesters: 198 Palestinians killed, 6,100 shot with live ammunition, many of these are children.Will Netanyahu ever be held responsible?
68
@Mark Muhich No. the Christians Conservatives, in particular, have held every administrations' feet to the fire for decades in terms of supporting Israel financially directly (cash) and indirectly (military equipment). This ensures that Israel is considered the victim regardless of the facts at hand.
17
@Mark Muhich Will he be held responsible? Not likely given we have a president who some say he, the "president" should emulate the actions on our southern border that Netanyahu takes on his border wall.
9
@Mark Muhich
Under Netanyahu's leadership of the country and Gantz's leadership of the IDF, war crimes were committed during Israel's 2104 war on Gaza. There is clear evidence that Israel intentionally targeted civilians and civilian infrastructure. Both Netanyahu and Gantz should be called before the ICC and held responsible.
3
My view of politicians is that they are all corrupt regardless of party, age, gender, race, religion, or what nation they are in. That said, I admire Netanyahu for that part of his life before he entered politics.
However, I support Israel. I support Israel regardless what party or politicians are its leaders.
The far left portion of the Democrat party is anti-Israel and supports those who are determined to destroy Israel. Many of the far left are also anti-Jewish.
Mainstream Democrats have been and remain supportive of Israel. But as we have recently seen, in order to obtain partisan political benefit, those same mainstream Democrats are willing to put aside their support for Israel and, worse, they are willing to tolerate accommodate the anti-Jewish members of their party.
I believe that the current popular appeal of far left political personalities will fade. I believe that the vast majority of the nation will reject the irresponsible economic proposals they espouse. Therefore, mainstream Democrats will find that they have made a devil's bargain, trading their soul for power they will not obtain.
5
@Errol I am from Pakistan. No one is asking you to not to support Israel but at least vote for the party who is willing to fairly work towards peace with Palestinians. History tells us aggressive one sided policies of the current party are not a solution even for the most patriotic Jews this is only a short term solution.
12
@Errol "The far left portion of the Democrat party is anti-Israel and supports those who are determined to destroy Israel. Many of the far left are also anti-Jewish."
Well, at least this is what the right wing in Israel and their allies in the U.S. would have you believe. I have never heard a single statement by any politician or influential political figure in the U.S., right, middle or left that doesn't stand solidly for the existence and survival of Israel as a Jewish state as long as that designation is supported by the majority of the Jewish people.
After the behavior of the U.S., England and other nations restricting Jewish immigration prior to WWII it is vital that Jews everywhere know there is at least one country that would receive them with open arms in any situation.
But this support doesn't give Israel a blank check for any policy they pursue, including illegal land grabs and a refusal to pursue a 2-state solution in that context.
21
@Errol I am not a "far left" Democrat, or claim to be a Democrat at all. I am anti-entrenched political party, and, not anti-Jewish, but, anti-Israel due to their policies of apartheid.
I'll not debate ones support of Israel, only recognize we have different beliefs. Many may share my beliefs and, like me, have no political affiliation or leaning.
So, that throws a wrench into your belief that only "left-leaning Democrats" are anti-Israeli.
8
The Israelis like Trump?
Take him.
It won’t be the Second Coming but he will wreak havoc.
Consider him an appendage to the regularly featured Four Horsemen of Death, Famine, War and Conquest.
It would be too much to say he is Havoc though.
Consider him Narcissus. While the regular four horsemen issue their deeds, Trump would sit by a pool with Ivanka, claiming bone spurs.
77
You say Trump is admired more in Israel than in any other country. Russia and Saudi Arabia are pretty close seconds then. That’s really something to brag about. Not!
42
@Mary
None of these so-called leaders actually "admire" Trump. They know he is an easily manipulated tool.
3
The Trump Netanyahu friendship (if you can call it that) is not about respect or admiration but about political necessity. It is amazing to me that Netanyahu can ally himself to a man who courts white supremacy/anti Jewish voters without a second thought. Trump and Netanyahu are less interested in the security of their respective countries but instead seek power, influence and money. On this they can agree.
Their treatment of the Palestinians is criminal but they will do what is necessary to get the occupied territory. They will say it is to fulfill Jewish and Christian prophecy but the truth is much darker--Netanyahu to stay in office and Trump for its real estate value.
What is most astonishing is that they each claim their actions--self aggrandizement--are in the name of God. They are mistaken.
59
@Rvincent1 Geopolitical interests on both sides outweigh any real moral or ideological conviction. Israel doesn't do itself a favor by aligning itself with Trump.
19
So, Does that mean the U.S. is meddling in other countries elections? Did not Russia do the same thing with the Trump election.
12
@gfrank Has the U.S. hacked their computers and voting registration lists? Has Netanyahu shared internal polling data with Trump?
9
@Ken
Ordering our military to do a press op with Netanyahu is certainly abuse of power.
8
At this honor among thieves ( foreign and domestic) is the name of the game at the White House.
16
Is it me or is something fishy when a American Muslim Congresswoman receives censure for what many incorrectly identify as alleged Anti-Semitic remarks when she in fact made Anti-Israel remarks while their government finds the same gutter level as the Americans?
107
@quadgator
not her criticism of Israel-- many American Jews are critical of Israel under Netanyahu; but her anti-semitic tropes. ever hear her criticize Saudi Arabia-- for its mistreatment of women, of non-Muslims, of next door neighbor Yemen? yet she is herself from Somalia--across the Red Sea from Saudi Arabia? Therein lies the problem with her fixation, not just on Israel, but on American Jews.
She is not a good spokesperson for the needed critique of Netanyahu and company.
11
@ak
Unfortunately for you, she does criticise Saudi Arabia frequently.
16
@ak
You are misinformed she has stridently and repeatedly condemned Saudi Arabia for its despotic regime and genocidal war in Yemen.
Kushner, Adelson, Friedman, Mnuchin, Hannity, Trump; Netanyahu has greater support in America than in Israel.
Netanyahu had more standing ovations in congress than Abraham Lincoln. Looks like a shoe-in. corruption not withstanding.
11
“The moment Trump was elected, it unleashed a far more aggressive, vulgar and manipulative Netanyahu than we had seen before,” he added.
Trump had the same nasty effect on a lot of people, though with Netanyahu, considering the man's pre-existing degree of aggressiveness, vulgarity, and willingness to go to any length to get his way, it's pretty amazing anyone took notice.
65
Strange bedfellows indeed. I would have thought that embracing Trump might be damaging to US/Israel relations, since so many Americans supportive of Israel want to see Trump in the rear view mirror of history ASAP. Go figure...money, power and corruption forge strange alliances. If this relationship gets us into a war with Iran, Americans must take to the streets in protest and no matter what get to the polls in massive numbers November 2020 to put an end to this nightmare.
35
Trump has a knack for picking out the most corrupt and in some cases brutal leaders like Un. These are his friends. People like him
who care little about law and humans.
63
@Dorian's Truth
Sadly, many American Presidents have a 'knack' for supporting the most corrupt and brutal dictators; we give them lots of our tax payer dollars while they oppress either their own citizens---and in the case of Israel, the Palestinians.
4
Netanyahu has aligned himself with Trump in the USA and with MBS in Saudi Arabia. They are both very high risk people who could vanish in a flash. Netanyahu is way way way out on a limb.
Netanyahu seems to have a knack of choosing the worst of the worst, whether its Trump, MBS, Kushner, Adelson,or Lieberman. He in gambling with his legacy in the same intensity he is gambling with the future of the State of Israel.
51
Hopefully 2019 proves to be the demise of Netanyahu’s political career, and a prelude to the 2020 U.S. Presidential election outcome. May both Netanyahu and Trump also face the legal consequences for the corruption they have embraced.
140
@Scott Man
Do you sense a nasty right-wing game going on here? I do. If I despise Trump, does this make me un-American?
If someone despises Netanyahu, does that make them anti- Israel?
Put that way, conflating anti-Semite with anti-Netanyahu makes no sense at all
A significant difference between those two is that Netanyahu, unlike Trump, can be indicted while in office.
82
@Ran, only precedent, not law, keeps Trump from being indicted. It's time to create a new precedent.
15
While she may have expressed herself unartfully and as the new Congress person she is, news of the US troop deployment to Israel seems to confirm what she is trying to get at.
74
@anselm It's just an exercise involving the THAAD missle defense system. Israel is one of several places in which it is taking place. Temporary - for about 2 weeks.
7
It is not only the Trump-Netanyahu team. The Trump-Kushner-Netanyahu-MBS cabal is collaborating on a deal (the so-called "Deal of the Century") that will have beneficial returns to each of them:
The Trump and Kushner real estate conglomerate will get critical loan bailouts plus prime properties in Riyadh and Tel Aviv.
Netanyahu & Co. will get Palestinian land and rights to Palestinian water and gas resources.
MBS will get protection at the international courts, the suppression of Iran, and possibly nuclear weapons capable technology.
All this at the expense of:
The Palestinian people will get the abrogation of their legal rights and no viable independent state.
The Israeli people will get an unmanageable and dangerous situation.
The American people will get nothing but shame.
The world will get a heightened threat of a major ME war.
430
Source please? Thanks.
2
@Himura
Just from reading the signs over the last month or so. Hopefully the "deal" will be dumped by both Congress and the UN.
11
@Greg
Unfortunately, the American people will get more than just shame.
We will get even more massive military spending funded by national debt, and more economic and national insecurity through our involvement the ME.
Americans are paying for these relationships in American lives and dollars. So, what are we getting in return other than more lives lost, costs, and strained relations with the rest of the world?
The State of Israel and Saudi Arabia are financially well-off, sophisticated and capable of defending themselves - let them!
28
Both leaders have led their country astray. Voters need to examine their conscience to avoid a repeat of electing a cynical showman who ‘stirs the pot’ to deflect us from noticing the personal financial scams perpetrated on the taxpayer. The only difference is, as former SoS Rex Tillerson said, Trump is way in over his head.
202
Obama campaigned pretty openly in favor of Netanyahu's opponents. Where was you negative coverage then?
14
@Naysayer Pretty sure that, despite all the false equivalence in our media, Americans still recognize poor quality leaders versus decent ones. Hence negative coverage of the Trump-Netanyahu alliance.
2
Mr. Halbfinger: good coverage of Shavit, Miller, Pfeffer, Ungar-Sargon, and [Daniel]Shapiro.
Fortunate for Obama and friends that you omitted his many million dollar unsuccessful effort to defeat Bibi in the last election.
It is most fortunate that most Israelis, sitting daily in the equivalent of a foxhole, know to whom to pay heed and to draw the line at national suicide.
8
Both have committed Crimes Against Humanity. In 1945 this would end up in death of both.
13
Like America, Israel is a democracy and Israelis will decide who they want to lead their country. Instead of judging others, we need to focus on problems that we have.
11
@Resident
Right. Let's keep Trump out of Israel and let's keep Netanyahu out of the USA. Lets' also keep American taxpayer dollars out of Israel.
115
@Resident,
A democracy?
Could have sworn Netanyahu said Israel is "the nation state of one people only – the Jewish people – and of no other people", “the nation state not of all its citizens but only of the Jewish people”.
But yeah, we're a democracy.
Sounds like everyone is equal. Sure...
10
Democracies are not typically characterized by brutal military occupation, land theft, assassination, indefinite detention or checkpoints. God bless Congresswoman Omar.
3
"And on Monday, the Pentagon announced a small, temporary American troop deployment in Israel. By Wednesday, Mr. Netanyahu — barred under an anti-propaganda law from exploiting Israeli soldiers as campaign props — had circulated a video and snapshots showing him surrounded by American troops instead."
US troops as props in a foreign election campaign? Is there no depths to which Mr. Trump will not sink? His contempt for our military and its legitimate missions extends from the highest ranking general to the lowest private in the field.
This is beyond digusting - using
122
@Gibbs Kinderman
Us troops and navy visit Israel all the time for various missions. We don't know for sure if this was just taking advantage of an existing situation or the deployment was created to provide props for a campaign commercial. Not that I am a supporter of either Trump or Bibi but sometimes a bit of objectivity would not hurt.
10
Thank you Mr. Netanyahu for:
-- remaining vigilant and proactive to the continuing threats posed to the existence of Israel by Iran, Syria, Hamas and Hezbollah
-- working to maintain Israel as a place where women's rights, gay rights, freedom of the press and freedom of religion and speech are valued and flourish
-- helping to combat anti-Semitism in the world wherever it exists
-- providing a safe haven for Jews fleeing from assaults and discrimination in Europe and other places in the world
-- helping to make Israel a place where people of all races and religions can live a safe and decent life
-- standing with the United States wherever our interests and values are threatened
-- helping to make Israel a world leader in medical and scientific research that provides new cures and medical treatments for people everywhere
-- freely sharing the important military and political intelligence that Israel gathers with the U.S.
-- combating the spread of terrorism in the Middle East and elsewhere
-- working tirelessly to prevent Iran from developing nuclear capabilities that would threaten Israel with nuclear annihilation and result in a massive nuclear arms race in the Middle East
-- and for always remaining open -- notwithstanding the continuing absence of substantive Palestinian interest in -- to the prospect of a negotiated settlement that would provide for a demilitarized state of Palestine alongside a Jewish State of Israel with secure and permanent borders.
17
@A. Stanton
Why is he standing with Donald Trump? "if you desire to know person's character, consider his friends". Trump's best buddies are Putin, Xi, and the newly minted Jim Jung Un.
86
@A. Stanton
You need to add unequivocal support for the US President to that list.
Donald Trump has helped push Netanyahu to implement the measures that you have listed. If there’s a political pay-off for Trump in the US, all credit to him.
This is not to say that the Palestinians are having an easy time of it, having been betrayed time and again by their leaders, but their lot is far better than that of their fellow Muslims in the Yemen, many of whom are facing famine and similar horrors.
5
@Shim
Because after so many years, there is someone who seems to be genuinely on Israel's side. Israel does not have too many friends to be in position to pick and choose.
8
The ego, the corruption, and the dark elements that these two bring out in their voting population are on parallel tracks. They certainly do have a formula for success. Unfortunately, it is a witches brew that corrodes both democracies.
For those watching and listening their language is an exact mirror image whether attacking the press, deriding the multitude of legitimate investigation into their corrupt financial dealings as witch hunts, and stirring the pot to stay in office by employing outright racism.
Their tactics are deplorable but they have been richly rewarded by their populations. One can only come to the conclusion that in these two democracies crime does pay.
134
As it does in the USA, under Trump.
5
How pathetic that Israelis feel so weak that they have to support Trump who personifies the antithesis of what Judaism stands for.
306
@Larry Feig
"the antithesis of what Judaism stands for".
Thank you. Eloquently stated.
NOT my president
30
@Larry Feig
Trump also personifies weakness.
22
@Larry Feig. They may support Trump, but we actually elected him.
3
Ah politics! The best money can buy! How enriching to the state of democracy.
(....That's sacarsm for all of you who missed it.)
37
Every demagogue, despite background and country, has to rouse the hinterland rabble to make inroads. Are there Waffle Houses in Israel yet? It appears that US culture appropriation is moving forward. We could always swap baskets of deplorables as a sign of unity.
50
@Michael Berndtson
Can we put Trump and his administration in the first basket?
2
"His party is trailing that of a popular former army chief, Benny Gantz, in the polls."
Sorry, but you are not up to date. As of yesterday's front page article in Ha-Aretz (Hebrew), the mandates that the Likud lost to Gantz when the possible indictment of Mr. Netanyahu was announced (and he can be formally indicted only after a judiciary interview with the Israeli Attorney-General in which the potential accused has a right to contest the potential indictment, and that will not be before the elections), have mostly (theoretically) returned to the Likud.
It is not just a vote for Mr. Netanyahu, but support for a party and an ideology dating back to Betar , Jabotinsky, Begin etc..
There is also the problem that Mr. Ganz and Mr. Lapid have no platform apart from getting rid of Mr. Netanyahu.
As for the Netanyahu-Trump connection and its effect on the election: exaggerated, overdone and incorrect. This is a rather jaundiced view with very little insight into what Israelis really think and the key is Netanyahu and not Trump.
11
@Joshua Schwartz
You've just confirmed what I have believed for quite some time: Netanyahu is not the cause of Israel's turn to the right, but rather, he is the effect.
4
@M. Imberti Nope. I think it is the realization that the Palestinians would do to Israel, its Jews at least, what the Syrians do to one another or the Iraqis or the Libyans etc . etc. etc. all do to one another.
5
Maybe The Special Council of the US, and the one in Israel (if there is such a thing), could hook up, strike a deal such as a discount for prosecuting two "leaders" who thumb their noses at the rule of law, save tons of money, and put it towards something positive for the citizens of both countries. You think?
6
What in the world are we doing with US troops in Israel? For decades that country has committed to "no American troops, just US arms and equipment to help us survive." What's happening?
105
@JPE Calm down. It's a two week deployment of the THAAD missle system as an exercise in integration of missle defense systems. The troops are also doing the same exercise in several other countries.
6
@DH
But in those “other countries” they are not being used as campaign props for a slippery politician under criminal investigation. No, wait! They were deployed for just that reason along the United States border with Mexico. Regime change begins at home.
24
Anyone following Israeli politics for the past 20 years, if they were being honest, was fully aware of Netanyahu's viciousness and his willingness to appeal to ethnic/religious hatred and bigotry. The fact that he has been unleashed with Trump is hardly surprising, but it is not like he was hiding any of this previously. The real problem here is with Americans. The very idea that both major US political parties have to provide "unconditional" support to Israel is just obscene. This reality makes the US complicit in every illegal, violent thing that Israel does. The fact that many "liberal" Jews now feel caught between their support of Israel and their dislike of Trump is also long overdue. That Trump and Netanyahu are cut from the same cloth has long been clear. American Jewish liberals were simply very good at deluding themselves over what Israel really was. Saying that they are opposed to Netanyahu now hardly makes up for the past decades when they were more than willing to offer him unconditional support and punish any politician who dared suggested otherwise. This is why the smearing of Ilhan Omar is so disgusting. Nothing that she said was anti-Semitic; most of it was, as this article indicates, unquestionably true. The attacks on her and the misrepresentation of her words is, hopefully, the beginning of the end of the harmful double-standard with which Americans view Israel.
250
@Shaun Narine
Excuse me, but this “liberal Jew” has been against Netanyahu since he came on the scene. And it’s not just me.
3
Mr. Netanyahu's reliance on President Trump's bear hugs is a demonstration of how guilty Mr. Netanyahu actually is. Mr. Trump's reliance on Bibi's adulation is a demonstration of just how guilty he is. Neither of these investigations is a made up thing. Both are fact based indictments of very similar psyches.
50
Yes, Netanyahu and Trump are like two peas in a pod. Their mutually continuing, allegedly corrupt antics are being mutually pursued by respective investigations and law enforcement in both countries.
Their mutual behavior of ignoring propriety, and heretofore conventional rules, and reaping allegedly unearned and undeserved financial benefits from our respective populaces, will be tested in our mutual, upcoming, respective elections.
It is my fervent hope, that our respective majorities will severely curtail their spurious efforts to downplay their their actions. And further that they will pay the ultimate price of losing their respective elections for their behavior, and their far right off the charts, prejudicial alliances.
General Gantz and his allies seem like they are the right leaders that Israel needs now more than ever. And we have viable candidates that will assure fairness is restored for the overall majority, in our country as well.
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For what reason does anyone assume that Gantz will be better , please?
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@Debbie
Seriously asking here. For what reasons does anyone assume he would be worse?
The photo says it all. Trump and Netanyahu shaking hands making "the deal" with real estate developments in the background.
Trump and Kushner get valuable land in Israel for development by their real estate conglomerate. Netanyahu & Co. gets confiscated Palestinian land and rights to Palestinian water and gas resources.
It's the criminal "Deal of the Century".
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The world can only hope these are the final days of this toxic relationship...on both sides of the Atlantic.
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Hope won't cut it, Tom. People around the globe who want to live in a relatively peaceful, socially and economically equitable world MUST step up and take one simple action to stop the International Mafia 0.01% Robber Baron/Radical religion Good Old Boys' cabal from destroying OUR lives with the WW3 - and global financial meltdown - they are trying to cause.
They would win - 99.9% of the world's people would be thrown back into the dark ages.
WE THE PEOPLE must not allow it. Not now. Not ever again.
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If Netanyahu gets reelected, Israel loses my support. Enough already. If he stays the invisible third temple will disappear for the same reasons as the second.
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