Herzog calls on Netanyahu to disavow allies who support Trump
Netanyahu: No matter who wins, US is our greatest ally.
By LAHAV HARKOVUpdated: NOVEMBER 7, 2016 17:15Trump Netanyahu and Clinton(photo credit: REUTERS)
Opposition leader Isaac Herzog (Zionist Union) raised his suspicions that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is intervening in the US election, in a statement made at his party's faction meeting on Monday."In the past, we saw serious information stating that Israeli leaders tried to intervene and influence the results of the elections [in the US], and the citizens of Israel paid the high price," Herzog said. "Recently, we saw again information on Israeli leaders' intervention in elections through people close to them across the sea."Herzog demanded that Netanyahu clarify that he is not intervening in the election through his allies."His silence about the actions of those patrons is dangerous and destructive," he warned.Herzog also said he will cooperate and stretch his hand out to whomever is elected as president of the US, "our most important and strongest ally in the world."Netanyahu has not publicly made any statements in support of either candidate. He met with both on a recent trip to New York.When asked for a specific case of intervention by Netanyahu's allies in the current US election, his office sent an op-ed arguing that meeting the prime minister helped Republican nominee Donald Trump more than Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.Las Vegas billionaire Sheldon Adelson, a major Netanyahu supporter and close ally of the prime minister, donated $25 million to Trump last week. In addition, newspapers Adelson owns, including the pro-Netanyahu Israeli daily Yisrael Hayom, have endorsed Trump.Also on Monday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a Likud faction meeting that the US-Israel relationship will remain strong, regardless of who is elected president."These relations are based first of all on shared values of liberty, democracy and progress," Netanyahu stated. "When looking at the region around us, we understand how unique these values are."
The prime minister said the relations are also built on joint interests, which stem from those shared allies.Citing an annual Gallup poll taken in the last 16 years, which shows growing support for Israel among Americans has grown from 54% to 71% since 2000, Netanyahu said: "The American people see Israel as a unique and faithful ally in the world, and certainly in the tumultuous and stormy Middle East."Netanyahu added that "Israel has no better friend than the US, and the US has no better friend than Israel."