US concerned over prospect of right-wing government

Jerusalem Post ^ | HILARY LEILA KRIEGER, THE JERUSALEM POST, WASHINGTON

[Nachum]

US officials are publicly taking a wait-and-see approach to the formation of a new Israeli government, but privately many have expressed concern that Likud leader Binyamin Netanyahu might preside over a right-wing coalition.

Arabs see little hope for peace from whatever government emerges

"There would be great unease" at the prospect of such a government, said one Capitol Hill source.

He predicted that a governing coalition of parties from the Right could embolden the left flank of the Democratic party and turn up pressure, particularly in the US Congress, to pass measures that made clear demands on Israel.

He distinguished, however, between a Netanyahu-led right-wing coalition and Netanyahu-led national unity government.

Despite the Likud's second-place finish to the centrist Kadima party, parties on the Right won more of the vote, which means Netanyahu might have an easier time forming a hawkish coalition but could try to work out a formula for a unity government, as could Kadima head Tzipi Livni.

The Capitol Hill source, who didn't want to be identified speaking about another country's internal politics, noted that Netanyahu had made a strong effort to reach out to the Obama administration and made the case to the US and the Israeli public that he could work with the White House.

US President-elect Barack Obama and opposition leader Binyamin Netnyahu in Jerusalem, July 2008. Photo: AP

He said that attitude could help assuage US concerns when presented in a national-unity package, whose positions - whether under Netanyahu or Livni - would be more in line with the US's own policies of engagement on Arab-Israeli reconciliation.

"The hope is that there is a government that is really committed to peace with the Palestinians," The Washington Post quoted one senior administration official saying.

Even if Netanyahu prevails, the official added, "he's grown over the years. Getting back to the talks with the Palestinians is really the only solution."

Ron Dermer, a senior adviser to Netanyahu, said Wednesday that the Likud leader strongly preferred to put together a national-unity government that looked toward the center of the country's political spectrum rather than a right-wing coalition.

"He's said his biggest mistake when he was prime minister last time was not reaching out to Shimon Peres," who then headed the Labor party, Dermer said on a conference call with the United Jewish Communities and the Jewish Council for Public Affairs. "I do not believe he will make the same mistake this time.

"I very much hope that Tzipi Livni will put politics aside" to sit in a Likud-led government, Dermer added.

Still, many political analysts say there's no doubt the Obama administration would prefer to see a national-unity government headed by Livni.

"The impression in Israel is that the Obama administration has already made its preference known and that its preference is for Kadima - and that impression isn't going anywhere," said Georgetown University professor and Israel expert Michael Oren.

"They'd rather work with a centrist government than a right-wing government."

He added that the preference of the Obama camp, with its interest in intensive diplomacy, was "legitimate," noting that many Israelis preferred Republican presidential candidate John McCain because they observed a greater alignment of views.

When it comes to Livni, the administration sees someone who has spent the last year working with the Palestinians as part of a negotiating process and made the two-state solution an important part of her campaign, while Netanyahu has been much more circumspect on the extent of his support for that formulation, focusing his campaign on the need for security.

And while Netanyahu did sign agreements that gave control of West Bank areas to the Palestinians as prime minister in the late '90s, he had a troubled relationship with many of the American officials who served under then president Bill Clinton, several of whom are returning to office under Obama.

Dennis Ross, Clinton's Middle East envoy and likely to be a top regional representative, described Netanyahu as "overcome by hubris" after his first election to the premiership and recalled him being "nearly insufferable, lecturing and telling us how to deal with the Arabs" in his book on the Oslo peace process.

Still, publicly US officials are welcoming the Israeli democratic process and indicating their readiness to work with whoever becomes prime minister.

"This is a choice these Israeli people will have to make. Once that new government is formed, regardless of who is in that government, we will work with that government," said US State Department Acting Spokesman Robert Wood on Wednesday.

"We look forward to working with that new government once it's formed. We have a robust agenda with the government of Israel, as you know. And so we're looking forward to getting down to business with the new government."

When questioned about whether a government with right-wing leadership would hurt American peace efforts, Wood responded, "We certainly hope that a new government will continue to pursue a path to peace. I see no reason to think that a new government would do something otherwise."

He added that he knew of no change to Middle East envoy George Mitchell's plans to make his second visit to Israel at the end of the month.

"The administration is being very cautious," said an Israeli official about the silence from US officials right now.

He noted that regardless of their views, they understood that they could have to work with both leaders and didn't want to prejudice either relationship.

Oren said the US leadership had done better at keeping a lid on its feelings than many previous US and Israeli governments.

"This administration is more constrained and more controlled in saying whom they prefer," he said.

He added that if the US expressed its preference for Livni too loudly, it could backfire and hurt her position. He compared the situation to the boost in the polls Israel Beiteinu leader Avigdor Lieberman received from the police's pursuit of corruption charges, since some of his supporters felt he was being unfairly targeted.

"It could boomerang, just like Lieberman picked up [support] from the police investigation," he said.

[Brilliant]

Of course Obama doesn’t want a right wing government. He wants Israel to collapse.

[Jeff Head]

I'd love to see Netanyahu dress the Obamanation out. He would eat him up and spit him out as an appetizer before breakfast.

Bin knows who Obama is and exactly what he represents.

THE AUDACITY OF TRUTH ABOUT BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA

NOW WE KNOW WHAT A COMMUNITY ORGANIZER DOES

OBAMA, THE STOCK MARKET, AND ENERGY

BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA IN HIS OWN WORDS

THE AUDACITY OF TRUTH ABOUT BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA'S UPBRINGING

[rightwingextremist1776]

I find it funny that the Obama administration is more concerned about a conservative Israeli government then a fascists Iranian government...

[what's up]

Perhaps Netanyahu will become the new leader of the Free World.

[Diogenesis]

That is insulting to MIT, his alma mater.

And speaking of insulting to Israel.
When is President Obama moving the US Embassy to Jerusalem?

[Retired Greyhound]

Of course.

Obama prefers the Castros, Chavezes and Ahmadinejads of the world.

[UCFRoadWarrior]

Real meaning of this article: The Obama Admin is full of anti-Semites.

[allmendream]

“The hope is that there is a government that is really committed to peace with the Palestinians,” The Washington Post quoted one senior administration official saying

The only “peace” an Israeli will ever get from a Palestinian raised among the hate-mongering kleptochracy of Palestine is the “peace” of the grave.

[bergmeid]

Just found out you can’t control everything now, Barack, can you?

[tet68]

No bias in this article eh.
Jeff I’m always amazed at the propensity of the press to
push the agenda of unknown and unidentified sources.

One can only hope Mr. Netanyahu gives it to the democrats
good and hard.

If this administration suffered a sharp pain every time it sat down at the “peace” table trying to make the Israelies
accept new concessions it would be all to the good.

[anniegetyourgun]

He will attempt to preside over it....

[Nuc1]

The US is quite happy BiBi won. The libtards in the government OTOH are not. I suspect the majority of American Jews support Libtards. Go figure.

[virgil]

Yes, the communists in Washington are worried that they may have to deal with a democracy

[Jeff Head]

Amen to every bit of that my FRiend!

[Flavius]

General McAuliffe kept his HQ in the basement of a building on the Heintz Barracks base. It was from here that he replied to the German surrender demand with his famous "NUTS" The Belgian Army soldiers based in the Heintz Barracks provided many of these items to make a recreation of the old HQ

"Richard "Red" Falvey was an original member of the 506th and in October 2008, he visited the Heintz Barracks and the McAuliffe HQ in the basement. Thanks to Reg Jens, a local historian and tour guide, Red was surprised with a tour by the Belgian soldiers who currently are based there, and was given a plaque and a medal thanking him for his service. I was lucky enough to be there!

[Ezekiel]

Dennis Ross, Clinton's Middle East envoy and likely to be a top regional representative, described Netanyahu as "overcome by hubris" after his first election to the premiership and recalled him being "nearly insufferable, lecturing and telling us how to deal with the Arabs" in his book on the Oslo peace process.

Of course, thanks to the wisdom of Dennis Ross, the Middle East is overflowing with lovingkindness, cuddles, and love. Dennis Ross = hubris personified.

[editor-surveyor]

About time Israel got smart!

You can’t negotiate with Arabs.

[SJackson]

Middle East and terrorism, occasional political and Jewish issues Ping List. High Volume

If you'd like to be on or off, please FR mail me.

----------------------------

If this is a worry to The One, he's dumber that even I thought. Look around BHO, Israel isn't your biggest problem.

[Darwin Fish]

BIBI!