PaintMyHouse
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- Feb 24, 2014
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Bibi needs Obama, Obama does not need Bibi. Now what?Bibi:1, Obama:0
Bibi wins big - Michael Crowley - POLITICO
Bibi wins big
As Netanyahu seems set to return to power, his relations with the Obama White House appear to reach a new low.
Read more: Bibi wins big - Michael Crowley - POLITICO
Indeed, Netanyahu will likely emerge strengthened, leading a more conservative coalition than he did before — and likely emboldened in his conflicts with the Obama administration over how to defend Israel.
The results were demoralizing for Democrats who consider the Israeli leader tantamount to a partisan rival — particularly since Netanyahu’s March 3 speech to Congress arranged by Speaker John Boehner behind the Obama White House’s back. In Herzog, Obama officials saw a possible fresh start with Israel on issues like the Israeli-Palestinian peace process and Iran’s nuclear program.
“They hate him, they should, and they’re praying that he is out of power,” said a former senior Obama administration official as early returns came in Tuesday night.
With those prayers unanswered, Netanyahu’s relations with Obama are likely to resume at their lowest point yet.
In the closing days of the campaign, Netanyahu seemed to reject his previous support for a Palestinian state, potentially dashing hopes for a renewed peace process still nurtured by Secretary of State John Kerry and other U.S. officials.
Netanyahu also cast himself as the target of foreigners — and while he was vague about the details, pro-Netanyahu media outlets often cited the role of former Obama campaign operative Jeremy Bird, who advised a grass-roots campaign organization that opposes Netanyahu. That group also partnered with the Washington-based OneVoice Movement, an international grass-roots group that supports the two-state solution and has taken State Department funding in the past.
Read more: Bibi wins big - Michael Crowley - POLITICO