Posted on 02/16/2009 9:15:33 AM PST by Nachum
(IsraelNN.com) US President Barack Obama may pressure Kadima prime ministerial candidate Tzipi Livni to enter into a coalition with Likud's Binyamin "Bibi" Netanyahu if Netanyahu is asked to head the government.
Obama's only hope of forcing Israel back to the negotiating table with the Palestinian Authority is through a 'national unity government' comprising Likud and Kadima, according to a report in Britain's The Daily Telegraph. According to sources in Washington, Obama is ready to manipulate Israeli politics behind the scenes in order to make that happen, as Israeli president Shimon Peres determines who he will ask to head up Israel's next government.
Yet involving himself in the Israeli democratic process may have the opposite effect for Obama. "It would be political suicide for him," said David Bedein, Bureau Chief of the Israel Resource News Agency.
According to Bedein, it is likely that the rumor of Obama's imminent meddling is false, a story planted in order to destabilize Netanyahu and make it less possible for him to take power. "There are a number of unsubstantiated [Israeli political] stories lately," said Bedein. "I think the story has been leaked to the press by someone high up, maybe [President] Shimon Peres." Peres himself is a member of Likud's rival party, Kadima.
Kadima, which was spawned by former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon after he bucked his own Likud party to unilaterally expel the Jews of Gush Katif from Gaza in 2005, won more seats than the right-of-center Likud party in the recent elections. However, the combination of chosen candidates from purported nationalist parties is higher, making it likely that Peres will ask Netanyahu, the leader of the highest ranking nationalist party, to form the government.
According to The Telegraph, Washington sources say Obama will secretly force the rival factions together for the sake of his Middle East peace vision. Yet in a twist on the pressure scenario, it may be that Netanyahu will ask Obama to compel Livni into his government in a bid to avoid a coalition comprised of stalwart nationalist parties.
Publicly, Obama has said he will work with whatever coalition Israel's politicians put together.
In exchange for Obama's cooperation in coercing Livni, the US would gain leverage to implement its Middle East peace initiatives with less Israeli hindrance, says The Telegraph.
Tzipi Livni, who serves as foreign minister, has said she will not join a Likud-led government.
Livni is under pressure to avoid a coalition by some in her party who want to wait for Netanyahu to fail at forming a government, thereby paving the way for Kadima to be asked to head the nation. Others in her party have simply refused to join forces with the Likud, sentiments which threaten to create a schism in Kadima. Yet others say Livni should join forces with Netanyahu, but as the head of the coalition.
"I have no idea if [the rumor that Netanyahu is involving Obama] is true," said head of the 'Jewish Leadership' faction of the Likud party, Mose Feiglin. "But if it is true, it is terrible, and reminds us all how the destruction of the Second Temple started. It began when Jews invited Romans in to solve internal Jewish conflicts and make decisions."
Israel needs to look out for itself and reject stuttering barry.
Israel should tell Obama to pound sand where the sun don't shine.
Congressman Billybob
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Who the heck does this SOB think he is? Forcing another country to make the decisions he likes?! He thinks he’s President of the world.
Bibi’s got enough with the small right parties, no?
Does that prospective coalition, include Shas?
I am trying to get up on the in-and-out of politics. Shas strikes me as pretty much the Mike Huckabee nannystate welfare wing of Israeli right (except Sephard).
If you'd like to be on or off, please FR mail me.
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Reading all this nonsense, you'd almost think Bibi is opposed to negotiations, or to a Palestinian state. And his idea that a state will best be developed through economic development of the West Bank, Gaza after Hamas is out of power, makes a great deal of sense. Other than to those who prefer a terrorist state in the region
if the USA were to interfere in this manner with the internal workings of any other country’s democratic process, the usual suspects would be out in the streets, hanging and burning our leaders in effigy. (Didn’t we learn our lesson when James Carville went over to mess with Bibi’s prospects the first time around?)
Don't the 'Rats in Washington realize that this is hardly the appropriate time to be even thinking about negotiations, considering that the Palis haven't yet stopped firing missiles into Israeli cites and towns from Gaza?
He can’t force jack sh!t!
LLS
That speaks volumes, don't you see. His first attempt was to make the unity gov't with Livni because he knows what he is up against. If he goes ahead and joins with the small right wing parties, this administration will turn Netanyahu into an extremist and push to force him from office. First of all, Bibi is a politician. He has gone and stabbed his conservative supporters in the back in the past. The religious Jews who supported him last time remember it well.
He is trying to make a deal that will not antagonize the current administration and keep him in office. Livni wants a lot of power in exchange for the deal. I am skeptical of any deal, skeptical of his promises, and have few expectations of him.
Terrorist hero boy zero needs to get to know Jesus!
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