Saturday, September 24, 2011

Netanyahu: Israel is above and beyond American politics

(Ben Smith-Politico). Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sharply rebuked a member of his Likud Party who appeared at a press conference last week with Gov. Rick Perry to criticize President Obama on Israel.

Netanyahu told CNN's Wolf Blitzer yesterday that the pro-settler politician, Danny Danon, hadn't told him about the event.

"I would have told him stay out of American politics," the prime minister said.

But he said he had little control over Danon, who has challenged Netanyahu from the right and told me he's disappointed in both Perry and Netanyahu for supporting the idea of a Palestinian state.

"When I get to the point that I can control Knesset, including in my own party, it'll be a good day," Netanyahu told Blitzer.

On ABC World news, Netanyahu managed to walk between the drops, saying Israel is above Politics.
"I’m just not going to walk into the minefield of American politics. I’ve got enough politics back at home.

I will say that I think Israel enjoys strong bipartisan support in the United States. It’s really above and beyond American politics. And I think President Obama and I cooperate on Israel’s security, we cooperate on many other areas, and I’m not just going to walk into this field.

This has characterized all American presidents to date, and it continues to do that — to do so with this administration."