Gal on: Netanyahu's speech is hurting US-Israel relations
Meretz leader says PM looking out for his own interests with persistence to address Congress; Calls on him to cancel speech.
By JPOST.COM STAFFZahava Gal-On(photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST)
Meretz leader Zahava Gal-On criticized Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's impending March 3rd address to Congress Saturday, saying, "Netanyahu's speech is impairing US-Israel relations, and keeping the country from being a global player in the nuclear-Iran sphere."Gal-On said that Netanyahu is disconnected from reality and "belittling the world" by continuing to look out for his own interests.Netanyahu's insistence on addressing Congress, evidence of his stubbornness, Gal-On said, is dampening US-Israel relations and turning AIPAC, the powerful pro-Israel lobby, into a hostage in the midst of his political upheaval.Her comments came amidst media reports that the White House may boycott the upcoming AIPAC conference in an attempt to undermine the premier's speech before Congress.By bringing AIPAC into the picture, the Meretz leader said, Netanyahu is causing irreversible damage to the foundations of pro-Israel lobbying in the United States.Gal-On called on Netanyahu to cancel his speech at Congress and sacrifice his own political interests "for the sake of the State of Israel and US Jewry."
