November 7, 2012

In-depth

Obama victory spells trouble for Israel's Netanyahu

Facing his own election, the Israeli prime minister must now contend with a re-elected prsident and critics at home who accused him of backing Romney, writes Jeffrey Heller for Reuters. 

… former Israeli ambassador to Washington, Sallai Meridor, suggested that Obama would not easily forget that Netanyahu had created a perception that Israel wanted Romney to defeat him. Obama is “very strategic, very disciplined”, Meridor said during a panel discussion on the U.S. election at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv. “But I don't think we can just assume that what happened between them over past four years will have just evaporated,” he said.

 

An Open Letter to Mori Rothman

Writing in Tablet Magazine, Yoav Schafer expresses his feelings towards a young Israeli who refused to serve in the IDF.

I am in no way comparing Israel’s situation to that faced by Jews under the Nazis. But make no mistake: The Jewish state faces significant threats to its national security. Not having a military is a luxury that Israelis can’t afford; our lives depend upon the strength of our army. You, like me, object to Israel’s occupation of the West Bank and the military’s role in enforcing it. But that proposition cannot be extended to deny Israel’s legitimate right to self-defense.

Obama re-election signals new phase in Syria war

With the U.S. election over, expect a change in international policy toward the ongoing conflict in Syria, writes Dale Gavlak in the Daily Star. 

…a Turkish official said Turkey and allies, including the United States, have discussed the possibility of using Patriot missiles to protect a safe zone inside Syria. The foreign ministry official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of ministry prohibitions on contacts with the news media, said planning for the safe zone had been put on hold pending the U.S. election.

Daily Digest

• Times of Israel: For Obama and Netanyahu, four more years of mutual dislike and suspicion? Not so fast
• Haaretz: Like Obama, Netanyahu will win elections only with a focused campaign
• Jerusalem Post: Netanyahu: Israel-US alliance 'stronger than ever'
• Ynet: US Jews stay strongly with Obama
• New York Times: Abroad, Obama’s Victory Brings Demands for Attention
• Washington Post: Obama re-election signals new phase in Syria conflict; UK wants to work directly with rebels
• Wall Street Journal: Cameron: Grant Assad Safe Passage to End Conflict