Israel's Netanyahu declines offer to meet with Obama: White House

[WhiteTara]

Source: Reuters

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declined an offer to meet President Barack Obama at the White House later this month and canceled his trip to Washington, the White House said on Monday, citing Israeli news reports.

Netanyahu's decision to nix his U.S. visit marked the latest episode in a fraught relationship with Obama that has yet to recover from their deep differences over last year's U.S.-led international nuclear deal with Iran, Israel's arch-foe.

The White House said the Israeli government had requested a Netanyahu meeting with Obama on either March 18 or 19 and that he was offered a March 18 encounter two weeks ago.

"We were looking forward to hosting the bilateral meeting, and we were surprised to first learn via media reports that the Prime Minister, rather than accept our invitation, opted to cancel his visit," Ned Price, a spokesman for the White House National Security Council, said in an emailed statement.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/white-house-says-israels-netanyahu-opted-cancel-visit-211709688.html

[left-of-center2012]

1. No great loss

Israel needs us more than we need Israel.

[forest444]

2. Exactly.

Don't let the door hit you in your fat toosh, Netanyahoo.

[harun]

38. True, makes more time for important matters.

[Purveyor]

3. We will be hard-pressed to ever find a President that will

handle the 'israeli situation' as well as President Obama is.

I'm really going to miss him in this regard.

[azurnoir]

4. I think Bernie would do every bit as well as Obama

[Purveyor]

7. That said, I don't think Trump would put up with their bullshit

for long considering his reported stance on the ME.

[TrollBuster9090]

18. I think so, too. And with the added bonus that it would be kind of hard to accuse Bernie of

antisemitism, the way they've done with Obama. Hillary has many good qualities, but pandering to various special interest groups (including the Israeli lobby) is one of her bad ones.

[elljay]

25. They will have a special name for Bernie

I'm afraid that we Jews who don't tow the Netanyahu line are called "self-hating Jews" by right-wingers. In fact, I myself was called that by someone in synagogue for suggesting that Israel dismantle settlements. Believe me, the far right Adelson/Netanyahu crowd would be on Bernie's case in a New York second for proposing a rational policy.

[leftynyc]

30. You could count on that

The other premise is that in order to not face the "charge" that he was too favorable to Israel, he would go too far the other way. That said, bibi is a fucking embarrassment.

[elljay]

40. Isn't he now!

My kid goes to school with a lot of Israelis who support him. Of course, if they REALLY liked how their country was working under their right wing government, they might still be living there....

[TheCowsCameHome]

5. Cut off his aid, and watch him whistle a different tune.

Ungrateful prick.

[leftynyc]

31. Do you honestly think

THIS congress would do that? They have the power of the purse.

[Judi Lynn]

6. Oh, booooo hooooo hooooo, shoulders heaving, gasp, hiccup, sob. Let's try to bear up, shall we? n/t

[WhiteTara]

8. Just another snub against our President.

He spent a lot of time trying to undermine the Iran nuclear deal and it didn't work.

[Judi Lynn]

13. He's acted like a smelly little tyrant against a man who treated him far better than he deserved. n/

[truthisfreedom]

9. Cut his aid.

Teach the little bastard a lesson in diplomacy.

[KG]

10. piss on netanyahoo

[chwaliszewski]

35. Piss On Eddie Shore

and piss on old-time hockey!

[link:

|

[Old Vet]

11. Please excuse my language...............

Fuck him.....he needs us more then we need him.

[madokie]

12. I didn't want the asshole over here anyway

fuck him and the book he rode in on

[7962]

14. Bad move, Bibi. Unless there's a good reason. nt

[WhiteTara]

17. Reason? He's just a nasty guy.

[SisterSarah]

15. Farewell Israel

DONE

http://www.wrmea.org/congress-u.s.-aid-to-israel/u.s.-aid-to-israel.html

No more wars, free college, universal health care, rebuilding infrastructure and even an improved relationship with the middle east- all better returns on our tax dollars.

[Judi Lynn]

16. It's about it, isn't it? Welcome to D.U., Sister Sarah. n/t

[leftynyc]

32. Never happen

Between THIS congress not giving a shit what THIS President says or does, THIS congress is merely representing their constituents when they favor Israel. The yearly Gallup poll on this (posted several times last week), shows VERY strong support among Americans - all demographics - over the Palestinians. They would be going against their own people if they did what you suggest. It seems many Americans are able to separate Israel the country from Israel's current leader. Here's the bad news for anyone who wants the US to turn away from Israel (a teeny minority).

http://www.gallup.com/poll/189626/americans-views-toward-israel-remain-firmly-positive.aspx

[TrollBuster9090]

19. While we're on the subject...what ever happened to the faux Republican outrage over the NSI

What ever happened to the faux Republican outrage over the NSI intercepting communications between Israel and congressional Republicans discussing nixing the Iran nuclear treaty? Weren't they going to hole Daryll Issa-style show trials over it?

My guess is they shut up about it fairly quickly when they realized Congressional Republicans were discussing national security issues using...ghasp...private email servers.

[WhiteTara]

20. gasp!

[sulphurdunn]

21. It takes a lot of chutzpah

to come for a handout and then bite the hand that offers it.

[WhiteTara]

22. Yep. nt

[leftynyc]

33. The President doesn't

hand over a check. Congress has the power of the purse and you can count on if Congress made the invitation, it would have been accepted.

[elmac]

23. he must be holding out for pres cruz

so they can get together and talk about the rapture or what ever religious fanatics talk about.

[davidn3600]

24. He's going to run out the clock and deal with the next president

Both Hillary and Trump will likely be more accommodating to Israel.

[Purveyor]

26. He just recently said as much. nt

[tularetom]

27. More accommodating?

Shit, Hillary will nuke Iran if Nuttyyahoo tells her to.

She may do it even if he doesn't but knows he has her in the palm of his hand.

[mahina]

28. Insult our President, insult all Americans.

There are no civil words to be said.

Go disrupt somebody else's Congress. You misread the situation badly, Booboo.

[leftynyc]

34. Given American's still

very strong support of Israel over the Palestinians, looks like bibi read the situation just right. He's no moron:

http://www.gallup.com/poll/189626/americans-views-toward-israel-remain-firmly-positive.aspx

[mahina]

36. How do you feel about his stunt with Congress?

We disagree.

[leftynyc]

37. Which one?

If you're talking about him agreeing to meet with Congress after being invited, I thought it was in very bad taste given his relationship with our President.

[longship]

29. Netanyahu prefers to meet Cthulhu at R'lyeh.

In the hopes that he might be eaten first.

Just saying.

[Grins]

39. Meanwhile....

"Israel is expected to get F-35 and F-16 fighter jets, spare parts, missiles, intelligence gathering systems. The last 10-year package was for $30 billion." - Washington Post on Biden's visit to Israel TODAY.

And now they want far more than $30B. And they pull this shit.

It has taken me a long time to go from pro-Israel to 'Fuck 'em!', but they earned it, year after year after year.

'Fuck 'em!' Good and hard!

Want to read a good book on the history of the middle east and British/French/Egyptian/Iraqi/Saudi U.S. screw-ups there going back to the 19th century? Book is "Quicksand" by Geoffrey Wawro. See if you can get through the parts of it that deal with the U.S. and Israel without starting to shout: 'Fuck 'em!' Good and hard!

[Arazi]

41. Too bad, so sad

NOT



Good. I'm glad. The less face time Obama has with that war criminal the better

[WhiteTara]

42. Agreed. nt

[lark]

43. Little murderer is such a tough guy - NOT!

Even the slightest hint of disapproval of his policies hurts his widdle feelings so bad, he just can't come over and talk with that bad black man.

Obama doesn't think he has the right to murder every Palestinian in Gaza - can you imagine that? How dare he stand up for the law! Bibi doesn't recognize any stinking laws, other than the ones that are convenient for him.

[Eugene]

44. Netanyahu says declined to meet Obama due to U.S. election campaign

Source: Reuters

Politics | Tue Mar 8, 2016 10:57am EST

Netanyahu says declined to meet Obama due to U.S. election campaign

JERUSALEM | BY JEFFREY HELLER

[font size=1]-snip-[/font]

Within hours, however, a flap erupted with the White House, which said that contrary to media reports, Netanyahu had been offered a March 18 meeting with Obama, ahead of the president's landmark Cuba visit on March 21 and 22.

Netanyahu's office said on Tuesday he would not attend the AIPAC event and voiced appreciation for Obama's willingness to host him.

It said Netanyahu was reluctant to be drawn into the U.S. presidential campaign, where candidates have been vying to assert their bona fides as friends of Israel.

In 2012, Netanyahu hosted then-Republican contender Mitt Romney in Israel in what many Democrats saw as a bid to undercut Obama's second-term run. Israel denied meddling.



(Additional reporting by Dan Williams; Editing by Dominic Evans)

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-israel-idUSKCN0WA0UK