Israel-US Ties Have Reached 'Crisis' Point, Lapid Says

[Purveyor]

This discussion thread was locked as off-topic by LeftishBrit (a host of the Latest Breaking News forum).

Source: Jerusalem Post

The latest sign of tension was evident this past week during Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon's trip to the US, during which he was categorically snubbed by the Obama administration.

By JPOST.COM STAFF \ 10/25/2014

Israel and the United States are in the midst of a “diplomatic crisis,” Finance Minister Yair Lapid told a town hall meeting in Tel Aviv on Saturday.

“We need to approach [US-Israel ties] as if it were a crisis situation and to deal with it,” Lapid said. “Our relations with the US are vital and important for the State of Israel, which is why it should do everything in its power to extricate itself from this crisis and restore good ties.”

The latest sign of tension was evident this past week during Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon's trip to the US, when he was categorically snubbed by the Obama administration.

The defense minister was denied meetings at the State Department and the White House after calling the US-led peace push this year "messianic."

Read more: http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Politics-And-Diplomacy/Israel-US-ties-have-reached-crisis-point-Lapid-says-379788

[craigmatic]

1. Good we shouldn't bend over backwards for them when tangibly they do nothing for us but

get us more animosity in the region. At times it almost seems like they think we're the client state. Obama is right to snub them. Remember when they tried to back romney on the sly?

[Scootaloo]

2. And Hair Lapid has worked so hard to make it otherwise?

[Paper Roses]

3. Maybe now we will reassess the billions we give to Israel each year.

They need us for lots of dollars but why do we need to send them the money and everything else?
Guns, bombs, planes whatever. Time we shut off the spigot. Israel is a wealthy country. We need to spend our very shrinking dollars elsewhere. My opinion only.

[azureblue]

37. the US needs that money

more than Israel does. Our infrastructure is falling apart. Our schools need upgrading. There are homeless people and hungry people who need to eat, and the money we give to Israel can be better spent on US citizens. And maybe it's time Israel reciprocates and helps the US

[billhicks76]

4. Take A Look In Mirror Israel

We are the last country that has supported you as the rest of the world has turned against your genocidal nature. Biting the last hand that feeds you doesn't seem prudent.

[oberliner]

8. "Genocidal nature" seems a little extreme

Support for Israel is actually growing in some other countries as far as trade and the like is concerned (India, China, Canada, etc.)

[pscot]

5. Israel may be in the midst

of a diplomatic crisis, but it's barely making a ripple here. Considering Netanyahoo's egregiously disrespectful behavior toward our President it's a wonder we're still talking to Israel at all, much less continuing to send them billions of dollars every year.

[bravenak]

6. I find it unsettles me reading the comments section of this particular popular news site.

It is filled with people who really despise the left in every way, they despise the president and call him such filthy names. I would suggest that everyone take a peek into the mind of these people and see how Tea Party the right in Israel is. Now, I know that internet message boards draw the nuts, but usually you see SOME normal reactions posted. I rarely do over there. I find myself getting physically ill at the way they talk about everyone who is, i guess not a part of the club, or something.

And I always find myself surprised at the level of hate towards Americans and Democrats in particuar.

[oberliner]

7. It's not a popular news site

In fact, it is probably the least popular news site in all of Israel.

[bravenak]

10. When I google Israeli news sites, it is number five.

There are plenty that come up that are much less popular and few that are more popular. It also has a very healty comments section and is linked from many other sites including this site in our IP group. May I have a link for it being 'the least' popular news site in Israel? Thx.

[oberliner]

11. There are only five Israeli news sites in English

So that would put JPost as the last of the bunch.

[bravenak]

12. Only five?

Are you sure? I'm about to check.

[oberliner]

13. Google JPost circulation

Here are the results:

Circulation
15,000; (Weekends: 40,000) (International: 40,000)

That is pretty minuscule, isn't it?

[bravenak]

15. Is that the online numbers?

I was speaking of online news sites. I have been to more than five myself, that 's why I don't understand why you are telling me that there are only five online news sites that are Israeli. New ones pop up all the time that are much less popular than Jpost. Hence, me speaking of comments sections. I read Haaretz comments too, and they are not AS Bad, but most of them are dripping with venom towards americans and many call for our destruction by mythical forces if we don't comply with Israel's requests and let them down in some way. I just read one like that a minute ago and i am shocked everytime.

[oberliner]

17. Most of the visitors are from the USA

According to the Alexa web traffic site, 51.6% of the visitors are from the US, only 6.6% are from Israel.

JPost (online or print) is not a news source that is widely read in Israel. It is one of the least popular. It is published in neither Hebrew nor Arabic.

[bravenak]

19. That's fine. Because I was never speaking of the home delivered papers.

Just online publications with comments sections. Don't know why you were thinking I was speaking of it's popularity in Israel only. Just meant popular Israeli publication. It is in the top 3000 in the USA. I live in the USA.

[reACTIONary]

16. I'm wondering...

...do you ever post a reply or attempt to engage them? I'm not trying to encourage you, just curious and wondering what the response might be if you did.

[bravenak]

18. Oh, no! They don't like my kind very much.

I noticed it (the comments section) during the deportation of black Jews back to Africa and the birth control scandal (Israel was giving african refugees bc without informing everyone) and started reading it. Then I knew I better not.

If I engaged them I would not be able to keep my composure for any reasonable length of time. Did you take a gander at it? It's too much wrong with it to even try. I find it to be very scary.

[reACTIONary]

20. I haven't looked yet,

But I opened the tab and will. But I have a feeling I'm not going to like what I find. Like tipping over a rock.

[bravenak]

22. Just brace yourself and pretend it's all an act. Some of it is.

But keep in mind that many of them are dead ass serious, then you will see why Netanyahu behaves the way he does so easily. He is positively liberal compared to many of them. I'm going to go finish the comments on this article and see how far down the rabbit hole goes.

[reACTIONary]

25. Holy S****

What a cesspool! What's funny is the warning on the comments box that comments must be approved by the moderator!

[bravenak]

26. I noticed that too.

I figured it meant those comments were approved and considered normal. I couldn't finish. I read them so often I can predict Netanyahu's next speech.

[azureblue]

38. those commenters

should be aware of the concept of "biting the hand that feed you." The haters reinforce why we should not be giving money to Israel, while our own people go hungry, sick and homeless.

[bravenak]

39. That's how I feel too.

We have plenty of hungry kids, welfare reform, reduction in food stamps.... We could use that money.

[jtuck004]

9. Israel is such a waste of good resources. Need to send the money elsewhere, wish them well.

on edit: Maybe buy the water department in Detroit and turn the water back on. Among other things.

[bemildred]

14. So telling the President "Fuck You!" over and over again doesn't build up the relationship?

You don't say.

[The Magistrate]

21. Amazing, Sir, The Things People Seem Genuinely Surprised By....

[lofty1]

27. Maybe it always worked in the past.

What's different now?

[bemildred]

28. What is different is that Israeli politicians have gotten into the habit of publically

denigrating the President of the United States, his policies, and his character.

[sadoldgirl]

29. which fits with their racial profiling, does it not?

[bemildred]

30. As an American, calling out anybody else about racism seems like chutzpah.

So I was avoiding that subject.

[lofty1]

33. Evidently

But why? It's more likely President Obama has spoken some truth to them that they did not want to hear.

[Lil Missy]

23. Long past time to cut off ALL financial and military aid. n/t

[sadoldgirl]

31. yes, I can understand that,

but the last paragraph of the article makes it just too obvious to ignore.

[yurbud]

24. it was nice to hear an Israeli official admit we are vital to them

too bad he didn't see the correct way to fix the rift (to the degree that it exists at all).

[Ash_F]

32. Should read Likud-Democrat ties have reached a crisis.

They didn't have anything in common anyway.

[LoisB]

34. Good.

[kimbutgar]

35. We send so much money to Israel that could be spent here in the USA

Que sera sera. Let Israel go then. It's only because of the christofascists that we bootlick Israel.

I am not anti semantic. I have many Jewish friends and acquaintances and they have issues with Israel's positions in the middle east.

[L0oniX]

36. "messianic." LMFAO

[MisterP]

40. maybe this'll happen?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Three_Christs_of_Ypsilanti

[LeftishBrit]

41. Sorry, but hosts consider that this is mainly analysis rather than news, so are locking.