More Israeli Concerns Over Changing U.S. Policy

By: Robert Berger
Topics: World Watch

(AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Israel is concerned about remarks White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel (above) made during a closed-door meeting Sunday with 300 major donors of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), the powerful pro-Israel lobby in Washington.

While expressing unwavering U.S. support for Israel, Israeli media reported that Emanuel also said confronting Iran depends on making progress in negotiations seeking to create a Palestinian state.

(AP Photo/Uriel Sinai, Pool)

Israel's hawkish new government flatly rejects that linkage. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (at left) sees the possibility of a nuclear-armed Iran as a threat to the existence of the State of Israel — a separate and far more pressing threat than that of the Palestinians. Netanyahu will make that clear when he meets President Obama in two weeks at the White House.

Netanyahu is especially concerned about Mr. Obama's plans to negotiate with Iran. Israeli officials say the talks will allow Iran to buy time while moving closer to nuclear capability. Netanyahu will urge the President to put a time limit on the talks while tightening economic sanctions on Iran.

Netanyahu has also said "Israel will not allow Iran to acquire nuclear weapons — with all the implications." In other words, Israel would consider a unilateral, preemptive strike on Iran's nuclear facilities as a last resort.

The Israeli public at large is also skeptical about U.S. talks with Iran. A poll by Bar-Ilan University in Tel Aviv shows that, while 60 percent of Israelis have a favorable opinion of President Obama, only 32 percent approve of his policy regarding Israel.

"What the public is saying is that... we don't know much about Obama and don't trust him," said Professor Eytan Gilboa, who conducted the poll.

This is in sharp contrast to the attitude of American Jews. Tracking polls conducted through Mr. Obama's first 100 days in office show that 79 percent of U.S. Jews approve of Mr. Obama's performance.

This story was filed by CBS Radio News correspondent Robert Berger in Jerusalem.

41 Comments +

Add a Comment

See all 41 Comments


by U-R-So-Wrong May 6, 2009 12:32 AM EDT: Ur So Wrong maybe I just stepped back and analyzed the situation and realized that Israel's current policy isn't leading to security for the U.S. or Israel. Maybe if you did the same thing you might come to the same conclusion. Or you could just accuse everyone who doesn't share your narrow minded opinion of being antisemitic!!
Posted by abpld

Some are merely idiots.; Reply to this comment


by abpld May 5, 2009 11:46 PM EDT: Ur So Wrong maybe I just stepped back and analyzed the situation and realized that Israel's current policy isn't leading to security for the U.S. or Israel. Maybe if you did the same thing you might come to the same conclusion. Or you could just accuse everyone who doesn't share your narrow minded opinion of being antisemitic!!; Reply to this comment


by U-R-So-Wrong May 5, 2009 11:23 PM EDT: Your false accusations of antisemitism does not fool people. You can't hide behind that reverse canard. Jewish citizens view similar opinions, and want security for Israel but are termed Self Hating Jew. Israel's policies should be of legitimate debate, and if the halls of Congress would hear those legitimate debates it would be better off for U.S. and Israeli security!! Plus you added to the weakness of your argument with now the popular antisemitic card. Went from weak to laughter and now gone to admitted defeat with supposed racism!!
Posted by abpld

Lackeys for Near Eastern dictatorships feel too much self-esteem these days. It must be a grand delusion -- it seems to bring a kind of joy -- maybe it takes the blogger's mind off-of their own problems. Maybe they identify with the underdog because their life-choices renders them the underdog.

However that may be, identifying 1.5 billion Muslims, or the 109 million people who surround Israel, or the OPEC nations as the underdogs in the Israeli equation is an attempt not to think.; Reply to this comment


by abpld May 5, 2009 10:35 PM EDT: Aldymac you are exactly correct. It is extremist interpretations of religion mixed with politics. If the moderate elements of each religion would step back from the abyss as Obama said, and see that they are not leading to their security the whole world would be a safer place. The blame goes both ways. The new right wing government of Israel will not help matters. At least Kadima said they were committed to peace. Israel is headed for a disaster for Israel and the U.S.; Reply to this comment


by Aldymac May 5, 2009 10:05 PM EDT: "We can forgive the Arabs for killing our children, but we cannot forgive the Arabs for forcing us to kill their children, only when the Arabs love their children more than they love killing our children will there be peace in Isreal."
Golda Mier
There is far more than just politics going on in the middle east. Westerners seeking to wrap all of the problems in the middle east in political solutions will never come close, and all the blame throwing by liberals and conservitives won't come any closer either.; Reply to this comment


by mikefbrown May 5, 2009 10:00 PM EDT: The poll cited here was misleading. It did not represent all Israelis as it only interviewed Jewish Israelis. Palestinian citizens of Israel make up 20 percent of Israel's population, but they were excluded from this poll. Consequently, the poll can't be said to be an accurate representation of Israeli viewpoints.; Reply to this comment


by abpld May 5, 2009 8:56 PM EDT: IT seems that Israel's government is suppose to dominate U.S. foreign policy in the region. The U.S. has had George Bush's Israel can do no wrong in the the Middle East for eight years and it has not made peace in the Middle East, or increased security for Israel. Israel seems to want to deflect criticism from the Palestinian issue to Iran, when Hamas and Hezbollah legitimize Iran through the Palestinian cause. If Israel would reach constructive peace with moderate Palestinian leaders, it would shrink the extremist like Hamas or Hezbollah. But the U.S. doesn't seem to be up to any legitimate debate, just the policies of Israel. NO matter how far right and out of touch with the security of the region and Israel it may be!!; Reply to this comment


by abpld May 5, 2009 7:57 PM EDT: Your false accusations of antisemitism does not fool people. You can't hide behind that reverse canard. Jewish citizens view similar opinions, and want security for Israel but are termed Self Hating Jew. Israel's policies should be of legitimate debate, and if the halls of Congress would hear those legitimate debates it would be better off for U.S. and Israeli security!! Plus you added to the weakness of your argument with now the popular antisemitic card. Went from weak to laughter and now gone to admitted defeat with supposed racism!!; Reply to this comment


by U-R-So-Wrong May 5, 2009 7:20 PM EDT: UR so Wrong how many Palestinians have been killed compared to how many Israeli's have been killed in the Israeli Palestine conflict? And Israel is lead by a far right government by BIBI and a racist by FM Lieberman that I would argue is far more radical than the PA. Demand from Israel has to be a joke. The U.S. has supported Israel over the years even to the detriment of the Israelis and the United States. Not only are your arguments weak they border on laughter. Posted by abpld

Your love of the racist, xenophobic Near East is no laughing matter. It merely comes disguised with a veneer of polite conversation. The Palestinians made common-cause with the Nazis during WW2 -- the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, who had declared there was no Palestine, merely subdivisions of Greater Syria -- recruited Muslims to kill Jews in Europe.

If you prefer, laugh all the way to Nuremberg.; Reply to this comment


by abpld May 5, 2009 6:55 PM EDT: UR so Wrong how many Palestinians have been killed compared to how many Israeli's have been killed in the Israeli Palestine conflict? And Israel is lead by a far right government by BIBI and a racist by FM Lieberman that I would argue is far more radical than the PA. Demand from Israel has to be a joke. The U.S. has supported Israel over the years even to the detriment of the Israelis and the United States. Not only are your arguments weak they border on laughter.; Reply to this comment

See all 41 Comments

Popular Now in World

Follow World Watch

RSS »

Most Popular on CBS News

Stories More »

Videos More »

23 Photos | View Gallery »
Buckingham Palace garden party
5 Photos | View Gallery »
Fla. police identify "face-eating" naked man
10 Photos | View Gallery »
2012 French Open
29 Photos | View Gallery »
Ga. student fights to survive flesh-eating bacterial infection
25 Photos | View Gallery »
Celebrity Circuit

Scroll Left

Scroll Right More »

CBS News on Facebook

More Israeli Concerns Over Changing U.S. Policy

Report offensive content:

E-mail this comment to a friend.

Follow World Watch

CBS This Morning iPad App