Netanyahu CANCELS Israeli diplomatic trip to Washington after the US refuses to veto United Nations

[Right_in_Virginia]

‘Madness’: Netanyahu’s handling of US relations under scrutiny after UN vote
The Guardian, Mar 26, 2024

The Israeli prime minister’s handling of relations with the Biden administration, which led the US on Monday to decline to veto a ceasefire resolution at the UN security council, has been greeted by sharp criticism by Israeli commentators.

After the US abstention, prominent columnists across the Israeli media condemned Benjamin Netanyahu’s growing friction with the US president, Joe Biden.

While Netanyahu, who has faced plummeting public approval ratings since Hamas’s surprise 7 October attack on southern Israel, has long been a target for a large section of Israel’s commentariat, the tone in some quarters after the rare US abstention in the security council bordered on derision and contempt.

Driving the sentiment is the vivid awareness within Israeli society of the huge importance of the US-Israeli relationship in terms of financial aid, arms sales and Washington’s diplomatic support, including its frequently used veto on Israel’s behalf on the security council.

The security council vote is a significant moment – but the US says its Gaza policy is unchanged.

Washington’s decision not to use its veto came after a weekend in which US officials say they spoke non-stop to Israeli counterparts warning them in advance, suggesting that Netanyahu’s decision to cancel a visit by a delegation to the US in the aftermath of the vote was more calculated theatre than the result of surprise.

[...]

The centre-right Yedioth Ahronoth was no less scathing, featuring a cartoon of a diminutive Netanyahu arm-wrestling a much larger Biden, in which Netanyahu’s fist barely encircles Biden’s finger.

In the same paper, the columnist Nahum Barnea painted an imagined scene where US officials were seen laughing at Netanyahu’s cancellation of a delegation to Washington in protest.

“Netanyahu,” he continued, “has been dealing with America the way a spoiled teenager deals with his parents: with perpetual rebellion, perpetual insults and perpetual scandals.”

Outside the media, the renewed calls for Netanyahu to resign were echoed by others including Gershon Baskin, who was involved in the negotiations to secure the release of the kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit over a decade ago.

“Netanyahu is off the rails,” wrote Baskin on X. “He is an existential danger to Israel. He must be gone from our lives.”

More:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/mar/26/benjamin-netanyahu-handling-us-relations-un-israel-gaza-ceasefire-vote

[Right_in_Virginia]

Some historical context:

Two dramatic things happened on Monday, neither quite unprecedented by itself but uniquely striking in their back-to-back timing.

First, the United States did not veto but rather abstained from—and thus allowed to pass—a U.N. Security Council resolution calling for an “immediate ceasefire” in the war on Gaza.

It wasn’t the first time the United States has turned away from its usual practice of protecting Israel by vetoing resolutions that criticized the country. In fact, every president from Richard Nixon to Barack Obama abstained at least once on resolutions condemning Israel—Ronald Reagan did so seven times—for expanding settlements, invading Lebanon, permitting the murder of Palestinians, or other crimes and malfeasances.

https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2024/03/why-netanyahu-really-canceled-his-visit-to-washington.html

[Smokin Joe]

Agrree.  I wonder how much sway Bibi has with American Jews.  If he has any, he might be able to sway several million dollars to Trump, and add maybe a few hundred thousand votes.

I mean really drive the point home that Biden and his puppetmasters are allies of Hamas.

Nah. 100,000? That wouldn't mean squat to the Democrats. They'd just print more ballots.

What does not seem to be considered here, is that Bibi will likely succeed in eliminating Hamas, with or without the US' help.

The reasons are the same as they have been since Oct. 7, an existential threat to Israel and her people. If anyone else attacks, Israel may come up short on ammo--or not, but if they have eliminated Hamas as a threat without the help of anyone else, they will stand taller on the world stage as a result.

Either way, this has liberated Bibi from any real need to give a damn what Biden says.

[Right_in_Virginia]

BREAKING: Israel agrees to reschedule delegation visit to the White House after last minute cancelation - ABC— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) March 27, 2024