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Wednesday, April 28, 2010     INTELLIGENCE BRIEFING

Bibi be gone: Obama team plotting overthrow of Israel's Netanyahu

WASHINGTON — The administration of President Barack Obama has launched what officials termed a psychological warfare campaign meant to topple Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu     
Sources in the administration and Congress asserted that the White House and State Department have sought to destabilize Netanyahu's government by forcing him to agree to an indefinite freeze on Jewish construction in the West Bank and most of Jerusalem as well as the establishment of a Palestinian state by 2012. They said the campaign sought to replace Netanyahu with opposition leader and former foreign minister Tsipi Livni.

"Bibi is extremely vulnerable to pressure," a source familiar with the White House effort said. "We know this from his first term in office and believe he will collapse this time as well."


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The sources said the administration's strategy aimed to de-legitimize Netanyahu in his government and right-wing constituency, Middle East Newsline reported. They said Obama and his aides have sought to portray Netanyahu as a weak and unstable politician who will destroy relations with Washington as Israel seeks U.S. support for a military option against Iran.

Tsipi Livni     
"There seems to be a general belief in the circle around the president that the democratically-elected government in Israel is drunk at the wheel," Steven Rosen, a veteran pro-Israeli lobbyist now with the Middle East Forum, said. "They clearly will use pressure tactics to bring Israel around."

In April 2010, former U.S. ambassador to Israel Martin Indyk began a series of attacks on Netanyahu in the Israeli media. Indyk, a former assistant secretary of state under then-President Bill Clinton, has called for the toppling of Netanyahu while his right-wing partners accept a more pliant prime minister.

"Indyk was sent by Obama and encouraged by his American Jewish supporters, particularly [former Rep.] Robert Wexler, to do this," the source said.

In January 2010, Wexler resigned from Congress to become head of the Center for Middle East Peace and Economic Cooperation. The center was founded by Obama supporter Daniel Abraham and a delegation met Netanyahu in February.

The sources said the administration's campaign has included invitations to Defense Minister Ehud Barak to the White House, where he met with Obama on April 26. Barak has been regarded as the most pro-U.S. minister in Netanyahu's Cabinet and has been lobbying ministers to accept Obama's proposals.

"It's not going to be easy to turn this thing around," Rosen told a briefing on April 21. "Some of my friends in Jerusalem believe this crisis will go on for an extended period."

The anti-Netanyahu fervor has alarmed pro-Israeli members in Congress, particularly from the Democratic Party. Several of the Democrats have reported a sharp drop in funds by Jewish donors for congressional elections in November.

"This [campaign against Netanyahu] is counterproductive and has to stop," Sen. Charles Schumer, a New York Democrat who has threatened to issue a condemnation of the White House, said.

Some in the pro-Israeli community detect an anti-Semitic tinge to the White House campaign, despite the involvement of Jewish aides. On April 21, National Security Advisor James Jones stunned an audience at the pro-Israel Washington Institute when he told a joke of a Jewish merchant who tricked a thirsty Taliban fighter into buying a tie.

"I wish that I had not made this off the cuff joke at the top of my remarks," Jones later said. "I apologize to anyone who was offended by it. It also distracted from the larger message I carried that day: That the United States' commitment to Israel's security is sacrosanct."

Former State Department official Aaron Miller said Obama has surrounded himself with aides who blame Netanyahu for the suspension of the Arab-Israeli peace process. Miller said many of the aides had encountered Netanyahu during his first tenure as prime minister from 1996 to 1999.

"They had seen the Benjamin Netanyahu movie before and were determined not to let their chance at Middle East peace end the same way," Miller said in the magazine Foreign Policy. "Confronted with Netanyahu again, Obama and his team needed no encouragement to talk tough on the growing Israeli settlements in the West Bank, an issue that experts inside and outside government were clamoring for Obama to raise as the first step in his renewed push for peace. Fresh from his victory on health care, he's [Obama] king of the world again and in no mood to let the king of Israel frustrate his plans."




Comments


Obama is — and always has been — clearly in the Muslim camp. His standing idly by while Amadinejad builds his nuclear arsenal and cozying up to Karzai while denigrating Israel at every turn thoroughly reveal his hand.

Carter L. Clews      7:18 a.m. / Tuesday, May 4, 2010


Ralph Peters was right when he described Obama as the first "anti-Israel president." But what's important for supporters of Israel to understand is that America was never an “honest broker.” What emerges from an examination of American-Israel relations is that regardless of whether the U.S. administration is friendly toward Israel (George W. Bush), or hostile (Jimmy Carter and Barack Obama), each one accepts the same false premise that a two-state solution – which returns Israel to the dangerously vulnerable borders of 1949 – is the answer. For an education in this matter please see www.shmuelkatz.com

Dan      12:10 p.m. / Tuesday, May 4, 2010


Don't pay him any mind, Bibi! Just remember: he is NOT your friend! Also remember that we, the people, are.

Spirit      4:26 p.m. / Monday, May 3, 2010


History shows the American people can be relied on to dispose of their unpopular and inept presidents, so there is not really any reason to worry. Obama is already out.

Yoel      11:31 p.m. / Sunday, May 2, 2010


Face Obama Hussain down, Bibi; he is a one term president and worse than Carter. Plus he is a coward.

Kerry      8:46 p.m. / Sunday, May 2, 2010


The efforts to attain peace in the Middle East are being frustrated by the Arab despots' agenda that has the perpetuation of their autocratic regimes, through the elimination of democracy, have priority over the Palestinian efforts to establish yet another "Democratic Nation" in the Middle East. Obama is wasting lives, monies and the future of a Non-Sharia World by concentrating on combatting indoctrinated benighted "freedom Fighters".

Menachem Chazan      2:08 p.m. / Sunday, May 2, 2010


Bibi, we (the USA) need you to stand firm and be solid in your pursuits. You are as important to us as you are to Israel. If you fall, we all do. At that point, this world and all in it will be a very different place.

Jean      2:08 p.m. / Sunday, May 2, 2010


Obama wants to wage psychological war on Bibi?? That's a bit like showing up for a bullfight with a toothpick. If Obama were smart, he'd ask Bibi for advice on how NOT to destroy the economy!

WiseOldLady      7:43 a.m. / Sunday, May 2, 2010


Obama misread the Israeli attitude toward settlements. He thought that Israel hated settlements, aand that if he pushed Israel to stop the expansion of settlements, or to dismantle them, the Israeli public would be sympathetic. This has not happened because not all settlements are the same. Only a few are "ideological" settlements. Most Israelis see the post-1967 neighborhoods in Jerusalem and such settlements as Ma'sleh Adumim as mere land points to capture additional Israeli population.

ghj      9:47 p.m. / Saturday, May 1, 2010


Like it or not, we, the USA are the New Israel. If Israel (the country) goes down, so will the USA. We call for Obama to step down. His ratings are at an all time low. Americans are fed up and oppose his ideology and want Obama, Pelosi, Reid, all of Obama's appointees and all of the freeloading czars to go! Furthermore, we want the U.S. to join China, France, Italy and Hungary in banning the atheistic puppeteers: Soros and his buddies from the USA and from doing business in the USA. We applaud Netanyahu and pray that he does not cave in to the atheistic pressure placed upon him and that he knows in his heart that real Americans are on his side.

Jacqueline      3:47 p.m. / Friday, April 30, 2010


Only in Israel can support for a peace process in which previous Israeli governments have participated be constructed as a conspiracy against the ultranationalist at the helm. It feeds into a vast stream of anti-Obama paranoia in America that is, frankly, sickening and similar to the anti-Jewish paranoia in the early days of Nazi Germany. People are playing with fire, all right, just not the people who think Netanyahu stands in the way of peace.

Termis      3:12 p.m. / Friday, April 30, 2010


Our nation began to come apart at the seams when it became popular to move away from God and to attempt to remove God from the Stage. The man that has been elected to run the United States, through sheer lies and deception, WILL attempt to destroy Israel and that WILL be the end of THIS NATION. Obama's puppetiers have a puppet that gets away with murder purely because if you disagree you're a racist @ best. This NATION was not founded on principles Obama promotes. This nation did not achieve it's greatness on his ideals. AMERICA needs to wake up and return to the principles that made us GREAT.

Eric Youmans      11:52 a.m. / Friday, April 30, 2010


Now is the time for all Jews to stand behind Netanyahu. Arabs own 99.5% of Mid East. Tiny Israel own .5%. Jordon was created for the Arabs, Israel for the Jews and for any Arabs that wanted to stay. No such thing as a Palestinian.

Daphne Donges      2:14 a.m. / Friday, April 30, 2010


When will the Jewish people ever learn? History repeats itself. Jewish people historically support national socialists, and national socialists want to destroy the Jewish people. Obama is just the latest in a long line.

Bob W      7:47 p.m. / Thursday, April 29, 2010


God help America for turning on Israel. America needs to wake up and smell the coffee. Don't we have enough problems trying to be stable ourselves?

Olivia      5:56 p.m. / Thursday, April 29, 2010


I agree with every comment below - stay strong Bibi!

Andrew Summerton      5:01 p.m. / Thursday, April 29, 2010


Someone needs to reiterate to the hard heads in the administration that The State of Israel is not some banana republic in South America or a third world country. It was established long before the U.S. was even conceived. Israel has experienced crisis and wars all of its existence, and this one is not any different. It also managed to survive all of them with high flags. This attacks and political maneuvers by the US on the internal and security affairs of Israel will only cause damage to the US. Learn history … go back three thousands years.

Avi      1:30 p.m. / Thursday, April 29, 2010


He is the best prime minister in my opinion Isreal has ever had... The American people should overthrow Obama and let Isreal continue to be Isreal. With a president like Obama it's not suprising that even our own government is in trouble.

Micheal      1:16 p.m. / Thursday, April 29, 2010


It would be utter irresponsibility for an Israeli leader, Netanyahu or Livni, or whoever, to entrust Israel's survival to Obama's supposed commitment to Israel's security.

Syd Chaden      1:09 p.m. / Thursday, April 29, 2010


Dear Mr Netanyahu,
Please stay strong and fight this arrogant monster, the people of the U.S. have put in the White House. As you well know you have the most powerful partner on your side. You are the chosen people and you will prevail. Maranatha stay strong

Dianne      1:00 p.m. / Thursday, April 29, 2010


Mr. Netanyahu is a fighter - Isreael needs a fighter for her survival. Our hapless leader is not a fighter - he is a compromiser of the type that sent all the innocents to concentration camps. God save us.

     10:52 a.m. / Thursday, April 29, 2010


Obama MIGHT get away with screwing things up here in America, but he damned sure better don't mess with Isreal! eee-gads!

Randy Metcalf      10:06 p.m. / Wednesday, April 28, 2010


Obama will get Tsipi Livni killed if he continues on this path. The Israeli public will become even more right wing. He is playing with fire.

Dave James      1:52 p.m. / Wednesday, April 28, 2010

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