Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Rahm Emanuel Says Netanyahu Betrayed Obama; Sees Israeli PM as Ungrateful of Solid US Support

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu betrayed U.S. President Obama by announcing a new settlement expansion and the cutoff of tax transfers to the Palestinian Authority, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency website reports today  (December 4, 2012).

Emanuel -- who is of Jewish ancestry and was President Obama's chief of staff in the president's first term -- delivered the assessment over the weekend at the Saban Forum, an off-the-record Washington event.

Emanuel's comments were made public by another participant, former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, during an open forum and were confirmed by several other participants.

According to an account by New Yorker journalist David Remnick, Emanuel had said that Netanyahu had "repeatedly betrayed" Obama, and that the latest Israeli moves -- apparent retaliations for the successful Palestinian bid to achieve non-observer state status last week at the United Nations -- were especially galling,  given U.S. support for Israel during its recent mini-war with Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

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