Netanyahu's positive ties with Obama worry Israel’s far Right over Iran, Palestinians

Deputy defense minister Danon says Right was surprised by Oslo and Gaza withdrawal and another surprise must be prevented.

By GIL STERN STERN HOFFMAN
netanyahu obama white house with entourages 370 (photo credit: GPO / Kobi Gideon)
netanyahu obama white house with entourages 370
(photo credit: GPO / Kobi Gideon)
Current and former Knesset members on the far Right expressed concern Monday that ties between Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and US President Barack Obama appeared to improve at their meeting at the White House.
The Right expressed satisfaction in the past when relations between Netanyahu and Obama appeared strained and even hostile. They saw problems between the two leaders as evidence that Netanyahu was resisting American pressure.
But now that Obama and Netanyahu got along before the cameras in Jerusalem in March and on Monday in Washington, current and former right-wing MKs said they are worried on both the Palestinian and the Iranian issues.
“They looked relaxed, for now,” Deputy Defense Minister Danny Danon said. “With all due respect to their words, we will have to judge their actions. We know there is an obligation [to diplomatic talks] on Netanyahu’s part and the will to make the talks succeed.”
Danon said that the Right was surprised by the Oslo process and the Gaza Strip withdrawal, and another surprise must be prevented.
Likud MK Moshe Feiglin said Netanyahu’s conception that the world will take action to prevent a nuclear Iran has collapsed. He said it was now clear to all that Iran will proceed toward a military nuclear capability and the US will not take action to stop it.
“What Netanyahu needs to ask himself is not what Obama will do, but whether under his own watch, an extremist Muslim country that wants to destroy Israel like Iran will join the nuclear club,” Feiglin said. “That’s what history will judge him on. It is wrong to shift our security to the US. It shows we haven’t learned anything.”
Former MK Aryeh Eldad said Netanyahu and Obama were both “good actors,” adding that Netanyahu was far less relaxed than he looked with Obama and that the president was not relaxed because of the US’s own internal socioeconomic problems.
“Bibi gave up the Israel option for military action on Iran, and he is now relying on the US, which says we need to give up on the Palestinian issue in return,” Eldad said. “He understands the fight is lost. He sacrificed the land of Israel and didn’t get Iran in return.”