A former Israeli ambassador to the United States said Saturday that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should cancel his upcoming March address to Congress on Iran at the invitation of House Speaker John Boehner’s request.
“The behavior over the last few days created the impression of a cynical political move, and it could hurt our attempts to act against Iran,” former ambassador Michael Oren said, according to Ynet News. “It’s advisable to cancel the speech to Congress so as not to cause a rift with the American government. Much responsibility and reasoned political behavior are needed to guard interests in the White House.”
The White House has called Netanyahu address at Boehner’s request, done without consultation with the Obama administration, a breach of diplomatic protocol. President Barack Obama will not meet with Netanyahu when he visits, with the White House citing the March 17 Israeli elections.
Oren was tabbed late last year to run for a seat in the Israeli legislature with the centrist Kulanu Party in the March elections. He had been appointed as ambassador to the United States by Netanyahu, who leads the right-wing Likud Party, in 2009. He served in the post until 2013.
"“The behavior over the last few days created the impression of a cynical
political move, and it could hurt our attempts to act against Iran,”
former ambassador Michael Oren said, according to Ynet News.
It was a lot more than a cynical move by Boehner. It was an in your face insult aimed at Obama…
It has the effect of sabotaging any chance to prevent Iran from getting an atomic bomb. Thanks a bunch Boehner…
Edit:
By doing this Boehner also creates another potential crisis which would be entirely avoidable and unnecessary. This sort of tactic is increasingly the style of governance by the GOP… Governing by crisis. Issue hostage taking.
Bibi pass up an opportunity to grandstand? Ha.
If you’ve lost MIchael Oren, an inveterate apologist for any and every shameless transgression of the Israeli apartheid apparatus, you’ve really gone too far, Bibi.
Who’d have thunk that getting advice from the same people who advised Mitt Romney would work out so poorly for Bibi?
It seems like everything the new Republican majority congress is doing is backfiring. Why am I even mildly surprised?