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How Israel reacted to Netanyahu’s speech to Congress How Israel reacted to Netanyahu’s speech to Congress
(34 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 — Television viewers in Israel had to endure a five-minute delay imposed by electoral monitors worried that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s address to Congress on Tuesday 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 that the speech was rousing and demonstrated the support that Israel and Netanyahu enjoy in Congress, but that Netanyahu did not break new ground or offer a new way of dealing with Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
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. The speech and its visuals — of standing ovations and applause — might help propel Netanyahu to a historic fourth term as prime minister in upcoming elections. The address, however, is less likely to derail a possible deal with Iran being negotiated by United States and five other world powers.
[Read: Netanyahu warns that deal paves Iran’s path to a bomb][Read: Netanyahu warns that deal paves Iran’s path to a bomb]
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. At home, Netanyahu’s address — broadcast in prime time here — is especially important 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.
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. Responding Tuesday night to Netanyahu’s address, 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.
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. The choice of location was symbolic. Herzog charges that Netanyahu fought an ultimately futile war with Hamas that did not lead to a demilitarized Gaza Strip or a safer Israel.
[Read: Sorry Netanyahu, Iran is not the Islamic State] “I could have been in a different place tonight, but I have chosen to be here,” he said. “I prefer to be here rather than in Washington.”
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.” Herzog said he agrees with Netanyahu that a bad deal with Iran is dangerous and that a nuclear Iran would pose a significant threat to Israel.
“There is no doubt the prime minister knows how to speak well, but the truth is that the speech, as impressive as it was, will not prevent a nuclear Iran and won’t impact a deal that is being drafted — not on its content, nor on its timetable,” he said.
Herzog said Netanyahu should have worked with President Obama, not against him, to get a better deal.
“The painful truth is that after all the applause, Netanyahu is alone and Israel is isolated, and the negotiations will continue without Israel’s input,” Herzog said.
Members of Netanyahu’s Likud party responded to Herzog’s critique by asking, disdainfully, whether voters could imagine the challenger receiving such ovations in Washington.
In a statement, Likud said that while Netanyahu “was making an effort to prevent Iran from becoming a nuclear state . . . Herzog chose to attack the prime minister and his policies just to get a few more votes.”
Overall, 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 the majority of Israelis would respond well to the speech.
In a tweet, the popular Israeli political blogger Tal Schneider called Netanyahu's address “a strong speech” that generated “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 public tension between Netanyahu and Obama ahead of 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 at 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 is likely to 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 warm reception Netanyahu received in Congress “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. 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: holding off on a deal and strengthening sanctions against the country until it agrees to dismantle its nuclear program.
“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.” The Obama administration says this maximalist approach will not work. Israeli news media reported that after Netanyahu’s speech ended, Obama told reporters in Washington: “As far as I can tell, there was nothing new. . . . The prime minister didn’t offer any viable alternatives.”
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. 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 Institute for National Security Studies, said the speech might help Netanyahu at the polls.
“But let’s be honest, this speech will not change the agreement that is reached,” he said. “It will have a positive impact, and challengers will have to work very hard to compensate for that incredible stage that Netanyahu stood upon and the photo ops,” he said. “All this is not that important in terms of substance, but important when you talk about a campaign.”
“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.
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.”
Related stories:Related stories:
- Netanyahu warns that deal paves Iran’s path to a bomb
- Sorry Netanyahu, Iran is not the Islamic State- Sorry Netanyahu, Iran is not the Islamic State
- Standing ovations: Obama vs. Netanyahu- Standing ovations: Obama vs. Netanyahu
- How to get ‘Games of Thrones’ and Iran in one speech- How to get ‘Games of Thrones’ and Iran in one speech