Why Such A Warm Reception For Benjamin Netanyahu At US Congress?

[Purveyor]

By Gail Russell Chaddock, Staff writer / May 24, 2011
Washington

The moment many US lawmakers were waiting for came toward the end of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's speech Tuesday to a joint session of Congress. "Israel will not return to the indefensible boundaries of 1967," he said, to a vigorous burst of cheers and applause.

With that, Mr. Netanyahu may have demonstrated that the American Congress stands with Israel, and not with President Obama, on the matter of a starting point for resuming peace talks with the Palestinians – if and when such negotiations ever do resume.

That, perhaps, does not come as a huge surprise, given the shared Judeo-Christian tradition and shared democratic values. But there's also the pro-Israel lobby, long one of the most effective on Capitol Hill. Since 1990, pro-Israel groups have contributed more than $97 million to congressional candidates – 67 percent to Democrats and 33 percent to Republicans, according to the Center for Responsive Politics in Washington. Some 38 lobbyists are registered on pro-Israel campaigns, spending more than $8.6 million to lobby Congress and the White House since Mr. Obama took office.

The pro-Israel lobby is also sustained by a robust grass-roots operation, on display Tuesday as thousands of people attending the annual meeting of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) jammed congressional corridors to lobby lawmakers on controversies of the day, including cutting aid to the Palestinians, blocking a United Nations vote on the creation of a Palestinian state, and defusing talk of a return to Israel's 1967 borders.

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http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Politics/2011/0524/Why-such-a-warm-reception-for-Benjamin-Netanyahu-at-US-Congress

[DonCoquixote]

1. The real reason

and before I say this, yes, not all jews are Zionists, many of them, the Robert Fisks, the Noam Chomskys, the Noami Kliens, even the Jon Stewarts are among the most honest people when it comes to fighting zionism.

All the same, you know the GOP is going to play a tune, "you know that Muslim Obama hates Jews."

[FLAprogressive]

2. Because AIPAC has infected both parties with lots of $$$

[NorthCarolina]

4. The best vehicle for laundering US taxpayer dollars to politicians pockets ever conceived.

AIPAC insures that US financial aid to Israel will continue by lining DC politicians pockets with a chunk of their 'generosity'.

[WingDinger]

3. If he is a jewish Gorbachev and ushers in Palestinian statehood peacefully

Our economy and theirs will soar. And a hardliner like him, is just the kind to get away with that. Obama'S stature will go berserk. his political capital will eclipse fort Knox.

[Fuddnik]

9. Gorbachev?

From all past experience with Nutinyahoo, he's the Israeli Milosovic.

[jtuck004]

5. Because we are so desperate for "democratic" friends since so many others

have gotten to know us.

[Zoeisright]

6. Good question. I think he's a pig.

[bhikkhu]

7. The welcome was fine, but his speech was ridiculous

He seems like more of a pompous blowhard than any US politician I can think of. At least Israel is a democracy, and I can't imagine the well-educated populace there putting up with him for long.

[bemildred]

8. Israel is a sacred cow in US politics. nt