Tag Archives: hullabaloo-over

News about Israel today is dominated by headlines pointing to the “greatest rift in decades”. I find it hard to believe that one of America's most special relationships is really in existential peril…but things don't look great between the two nations. Last week, as Biden was in Israel discouraging settlement building, the government announced 1600 new settlements in East Jerusalem. The Obama Adminstration is more than a little miffed. And though Netanyahu's government has apologized for the *timing* of the announcement, they don't seem near to reversing the decision. From Voice of America: “The Israeli leader said Israel has been building in mostly Arab East Jerusalem for the past 40 years and no Israeli leader during that time has stopped it. Mr. Netanyahu said building Jewish neighborhoods on the land, in his words, in no way has hurt the Arabs of East Jerusalem, and he said the construction did not come at their expense.” (Link: http://www1.voanews.com/english/news/middle-east/Israel-Tries-to-Defuse-Crisis-w… ) So what happens if nobody gives? Is Israel really in a position to distance itself from the US? Is the Obama Administration really in a position to risk its closest ally in the Middle East? Or is this a bunch of hullabaloo over nothing? added by: afitzgerald