A Familiar Tactic

Something vaguely familiar is going on in international politics, specifically regarding the Israeli-Palestinian problem: obstructionism. As with their right-wing Rethug/neocon friends in Washington on domestic policy, Israel's ruling right-wing Likud coalition government is determined to obstruct any efforts by the Obama Administration to get talks restarted between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. Last week, during Vice President Biden's visit, the Israeli government announced the creation of 1600 new housing units in East Jerusalem and the West Bank, despite strong, longstanding U.S. opposition. Secretary of State Clinton blasted Likudnik Prime Minister Netanyahu for the "insulting move." It's also being reported that no less a hero of the Rethugs than Gen. Petraeus is warning about the increasingly toxic effect that actions by Israel's right-wing government are having on our relations throughout the region.

As the Obama Administration reacted negatively to the intentional slap from Israel, the Likud's American auxiliary swung into action, as noted at Think Progress. Joe Lieberliar, Wee Willie Kristol and their fellow neocons can always be counted on to blame America first, when it comes to problems in relations with Israel.

UPDATE: Glenn Greenwald has an extensive run-down on the issue of neocon loyalty to Israel first.

Would Bibi Baby Lie?

The Rethuglican neocon- Israeli Likudnik axis has influenced Middle East policy for a decade or more. When the neocons' candidate, Preznit Chimpy, was put in office by the Supreme Court in 2000, as key Bushit Assministration officials (Wolfowitz, Perle, Feith, Bolton, among the better known) they had an open field to implement their aggressive policies of military confrontation. The Likud's fortunes went up and down during the last decade, but now, with the Likud's Bibi Netanyahu in power in Israel, the question of peace with the Palestinians is in doubt. While Netanyahu maintains a public face of cooperation with the U.S., there's growing doubt that he will ever agree to an independent Palestinian state, much less stopping illegal Israeli settlement construction on the West Bank.

Having the Obama Administration as a counterweight to the Likud's hostility to a peace agreement is perhaps the only bright spot, but expect the neocons here to fire up the smear machine against Obama once Netanyahu drops his public face and goes for broke on the West Bank settlements issue.

Turn For The Worst In The Middle East

Right-wing Israeli leader Binyamin Netanyahu has been asked by Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres to form the next Israeli government, based on the outcome of their recent elections. Netanyahu heads the rightist Likud party, which favors expanded settlements on the West Bank and no further territorial concessions. Likud and American neoconservatives share the same policy goals and approaches to politics in the Middle East (war with Iraq, war with Iran, belligerent military philosophy)

In short, it's the perfect outcome for Hamas and Hezbollah, one which they can hold up as an emblem of an expansionist Israel seeking the elimination of any Palestinian state. It undercuts the influence of the more moderate Palestinian Authority, and could set the stage for another intifada.