US President Barack Obama has a big problem with Prime Minister Binyamin
Netanyahu, despite denials by US Ambassador Dan Shapiro, former deputy foreign
minister Yossi Beilin said Tuesday.
Shapiro called reports about tension
between the United States and Israel over Iran overheated and said the
relationship between Obama and Netanyahu was “just what it needs to be.” But
Beilin said he heard from his contacts in Washington that Netanyahu had crossed
red lines.
“Whether the US administration admits it or not, they see Bibi
[Netanyahu] as interfering in the US election and gambling on [Republican
candidate Mitt] Romney winning,” Beilin said. “Shapiro says relations between
countries are good, which is true. But the relations between the two leaders are
very poor. I don’t remember it being so bad before, and Israel will pay a price
for it.”
Beilin said the Obama administration was upset about the way
Netanyahu received Romney in Israel, Romney’s fundraiser in Jerusalem and the
prime minister’s close ties with the man spending billions to bring down the
president: Las Vegas casino magnate Sheldon Adelson.