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| How Israel reacted to Netanyahu’s speech to Congress | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| JERUSALEM — Israeli TV viewers had to endure a five-minute delay imposed by electoral monitors here who feared that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to Congress on Tuesday — during prime time in Israel — could be viewed as “illegal campaigning.” | JERUSALEM — Israeli TV viewers had to endure a five-minute delay imposed by electoral monitors here who feared that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to Congress on Tuesday — during prime time in Israel — could be viewed as “illegal campaigning.” |
| A few minutes didn’t seem to matter much. Israeli commentators generally gave the Netanyahu speech high marks, with supporters calling it one of the best of the prime minister’s political career. Others said the speech was rousing and demonstrated the support that Israel and Netanyahu enjoy in Congress, but that Netanyahu did not break new ground or introduce a new way of dealing with Iran. | A few minutes didn’t seem to matter much. Israeli commentators generally gave the Netanyahu speech high marks, with supporters calling it one of the best of the prime minister’s political career. Others said the speech was rousing and demonstrated the support that Israel and Netanyahu enjoy in Congress, but that Netanyahu did not break new ground or introduce a new way of dealing with Iran. |
| Some thought the speech might help propel Netanyahu to a historic fourth term as prime minister in elections two weeks from now, but said polls taken over the next few days would tell more. | Some thought the speech might help propel Netanyahu to a historic fourth term as prime minister in elections two weeks from now, but said polls taken over the next few days would tell more. |
| Israeli reporters and analysts said Netanyahu did well, that his address was strong, that the prime minister was in his element before the joint meeting of Congress. They noted that Netanyahu performs especially well when he speaks in English -- with a conversational fluency that many Israelis envy and admire. | Israeli reporters and analysts said Netanyahu did well, that his address was strong, that the prime minister was in his element before the joint meeting of Congress. They noted that Netanyahu performs especially well when he speaks in English -- with a conversational fluency that many Israelis envy and admire. |
| One of Israel’s top political reporters on Channel 2, Amit Segal, said he thought 80 percent of Israelis would respond well to the speech. | One of Israel’s top political reporters on Channel 2, Amit Segal, said he thought 80 percent of Israelis would respond well to the speech. |
| Netanyahu’s address is especially important here because it comes just two weeks before the March 17 vote. Polling before the speech has shown the race to be extremely close, with a strong challenge by opposition leader and Labor Party chief Isaac Herzog and his running partner, former justice minister and peace negotiator Tzipi Livni. | Netanyahu’s address is especially important here because it comes just two weeks before the March 17 vote. Polling before the speech has shown the race to be extremely close, with a strong challenge by opposition leader and Labor Party chief Isaac Herzog and his running partner, former justice minister and peace negotiator Tzipi Livni. |
| In a tweet, the popular Israeli political blogger Tal Schneider called Netanyahu's address “a strong speech,” with “lots and lots of applause and cheering.” | In a tweet, the popular Israeli political blogger Tal Schneider called Netanyahu's address “a strong speech,” with “lots and lots of applause and cheering.” |
| Chemi Shalev, U.S. editor for the Israeli daily newspaper Haaretz, was less enthusiastic. He tweeted, “Don't know how speech plays in Congress/America but most Israelis have heard this before and are already bored to tears.” | Chemi Shalev, U.S. editor for the Israeli daily newspaper Haaretz, was less enthusiastic. He tweeted, “Don't know how speech plays in Congress/America but most Israelis have heard this before and are already bored to tears.” |
| Natan B. Sachs, a fellow at the Brookings Institution in Washington who is blogging on the Israeli elections, said, “Without a doubt, the speech was a political success.” | Natan B. Sachs, a fellow at the Brookings Institution in Washington who is blogging on the Israeli elections, said, “Without a doubt, the speech was a political success.” |
| The very public tension between Netanyahu and Obama leading up to the speech does matter to Israeli voters, who want a close relationship with the United States, which has provided billions in military defense and unwavering support for Israel in the United Nations. | The very public tension between Netanyahu and Obama leading up to the speech does matter to Israeli voters, who want a close relationship with the United States, which has provided billions in military defense and unwavering support for Israel in the United Nations. |
| The images of Netanyahu being greeted by sustained applause and multiple standing ovations will likely impress voters. | The images of Netanyahu being greeted by sustained applause and multiple standing ovations will likely impress voters. |
| Sachs said, “A video is worth a million words, and the spectacle of Netanyahu delivering a forceful and generally well-crafted speech that most Israelis will agree with is political gold.” | Sachs said, “A video is worth a million words, and the spectacle of Netanyahu delivering a forceful and generally well-crafted speech that most Israelis will agree with is political gold.” |
| The reception Netanyahu received in Congress — the standing ovations and applause — “drowned out the surrounding noise,” Sachs said. | The reception Netanyahu received in Congress — the standing ovations and applause — “drowned out the surrounding noise,” Sachs said. |
| “Speaking in English, about Israel’s security, is what made Netanyahu’s career to begin with. It remains his best skill,” he said. | “Speaking in English, about Israel’s security, is what made Netanyahu’s career to begin with. It remains his best skill,” he said. |
| Responding Tuesday night to Netanyahu's address, opposition leader Herzog spoke from a small Israeli town near the Gaza border, where residents spent 50 days last summer running to bomb shelters during a war with the militant Palestinian group, Hamas. | Responding Tuesday night to Netanyahu's address, opposition leader Herzog spoke from a small Israeli town near the Gaza border, where residents spent 50 days last summer running to bomb shelters during a war with the militant Palestinian group, Hamas. |
| “I could have been in a different place tonight, but I have chosen to be here,” Herzog said. “I prefer to be here rather than in Washington.” | “I could have been in a different place tonight, but I have chosen to be here,” Herzog said. “I prefer to be here rather than in Washington.” |
| Herzog said there was no difference between him and Netanyahu that a bad deal with Iran is dangerous and that a nuclear Iran would pose a significant threat to Israel. | Herzog said there was no difference between him and Netanyahu that a bad deal with Iran is dangerous and that a nuclear Iran would pose a significant threat to Israel. |
| “But let’s be honest, this speech will not change the agreement that is reached,” he said. | “But let’s be honest, this speech will not change the agreement that is reached,” he said. |
| “After the clapping is over, Netanyahu is alone, Israel is alone, and the agreements being worked on with Iran will continue,” Herzog said. He promised that if he becomes prime minister, “I plan to fix relations with Obama, and only with these relations back in place with the United States and the White House will we be able to prevent the Iranian nuclear program.” | “After the clapping is over, Netanyahu is alone, Israel is alone, and the agreements being worked on with Iran will continue,” Herzog said. He promised that if he becomes prime minister, “I plan to fix relations with Obama, and only with these relations back in place with the United States and the White House will we be able to prevent the Iranian nuclear program.” |
| Naftali Bennett, Israel’s economy minister and leader of a hard-line rightist party who sometimes sees Netanyahu as too soft, tweeted that the prime minister “presented a real alternative to the agreement” being negotiated with Iran: strengthening sanctions against the Islamic Republic. | Naftali Bennett, Israel’s economy minister and leader of a hard-line rightist party who sometimes sees Netanyahu as too soft, tweeted that the prime minister “presented a real alternative to the agreement” being negotiated with Iran: strengthening sanctions against the Islamic Republic. |
| Gilead Sher, who served as chief of staff 15 years ago to then-Prime Minister Ehud Barak and is now a senior fellow at the Israeli Institute for Security Studies, said the speech might help Netanyahu at the polls. | Gilead Sher, who served as chief of staff 15 years ago to then-Prime Minister Ehud Barak and is now a senior fellow at the Israeli Institute for Security Studies, said the speech might help Netanyahu at the polls. |
| “It will have a positive impact on his campaign, and challengers will have to work very hard to compensate for that incredible stage that Netanyahu got and photo ops,” he said. “All this is not that important in terms of substance but important when you talk about a campaign.” | “It will have a positive impact on his campaign, and challengers will have to work very hard to compensate for that incredible stage that Netanyahu got and photo ops,” he said. “All this is not that important in terms of substance but important when you talk about a campaign.” |