JERUSALEM An Israeli political cartoon depicting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu piloting an airplane heading for New Yorks Twin Towers has set off a firestorm of criticism and focused new attention on the troubled relationship between Israel and the UnitedStates.
The cartoon appeared Thursday in Haaretz, Israels leading liberal newspaper, and elicited strong words both in Israel itself and from Anti-Defamation League head Abraham Foxman. Foxman called on Haaretz to apologize for printing a grossly offensive cartoon. He said it misrepresents any tensions which may currently exist between the U.S. government and Mr. Netanyahu and disrespects the
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JERUSALEM An Israeli political cartoon depicting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu piloting an airplane heading for New Yorks Twin Towers has set off a firestorm of criticism and focused new attention on the troubled relationship between Israel and the UnitedStates.
The cartoon appeared Thursday in Haaretz, Israels leading liberal newspaper, and elicited strong words both in Israel itself and from Anti-Defamation League head Abraham Foxman. Foxman called on Haaretz to apologize for printing a grossly offensive cartoon. He said it misrepresents any tensions which may currently exist between the U.S. government and Mr. Netanyahu and disrespects the memories of thousands of innocent Americans and others who tragically perished on9/11.
The cartoon appeared a day after the Atlantic quoted an unidentified administration official who used the word chickens – to assail Netanyahu for his alleged cowardice and pettiness. The official also complained about his settlement policies in the West Bank and east Jerusalem and questioned the prime ministers commitment to Middle East peace efforts, as well as his resolve to launch a pre-emptive strike against Iran to thwart its nuclearprogram.
Since the Atlantic story appeared, national security adviser Susan Rice has pushed back hard against its message of a crisis in bilateral relations, while Netanyahu himself declined to get embroiled in a new mud-slinging match with Washington, insisting that his main concern was defending Israelsinterests.
Ties with the United States constitute one of Israels most important diplomatic and security assets, and few Israelis want to see them undermined. That desire for harmony is particularly acute now, with the country facing a dangerous brew of regional challenges among them, the Iranian nuclear program and the presence of hostile Islamic fundamentalists on its southern and northernborders.
But the Obama administration has long had a tense dynamic with Netanyahu, mostly for his close relationship with the Republican Party and for what is sometimes seen as a lecturing tone toward the U.S.president.
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