Bibi’s Chutzpah

Published in Die Presse
(Austria) on 24 January 2015
by Thomas Vieregge (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Ron Argentati. Edited by Laurence Bouvard.
Benjamin Netanyahu doesn't think much of diplomatic protocol. He invited himself to the recent solidarity march through the streets of Paris without further ado. During the summit meeting of the G-20 leading rich and developing nations in Cannes, Nicolas Sarkozy confided to Obama, “I cannot stand him. He's a liar.” To which the U.S. president replied, “You're fed up with him. But I have to deal every day with him."

How true. Benjamin — “Bibi” — and Barack don't really like each other very much. Netanyahu the bully added a new Obama snub to his already lengthy list when he bypassed the president in getting invited to address Congress for the purpose of “thanking the American people,” his third such address. Winston Churchill is the only statesman to have ever received such an honor. The March speech will come during the hot phase of the Israeli elections, and Obama did right in not receiving him in the Oval Office at that time. Let it not be said that chemistry plays any role in partisan politics.


Die Chuzpe des Bibi Netanjahu
Von Thomas Vieregge
24.01.2015

Israels Premier brüskiert Obama aus Eigennutz.

Von diplomatischen Gepflogenheiten hält Benjamin Netanjahu nicht viel. Zum Solidaritätsmarsch durch eine Pariser Seitenstraße lud sich Israels Premier neulich kurzerhand selbst ein. Im Small Talk hatte Nicolas Sarkozy gegenüber Barack Obama einmal gar geätzt: „Ich kann ihn nicht ausstehen. Er ist ein Lügner.“ Worauf der US-Präsident antwortete: „Du hast die Nase voll von ihm. Aber ich habe jeden Tag mit ihm zu tun.“

Wie wahr. Benjamin („Bibi“) und Barack sind einander in herzlicher Abneigung zugetan. Den zahllosen Brüskierungen setzte der „Bully“ Netanjahu eine neue hinzu, als er sich an Obama vorbei eine Einladung für seine dann mittlerweile dritte Rede vor dem US-Kongress besorgte, um „dem US-Volk zu danken“, wie er betonte. So viel Ehre wurde nur Winston Churchill zuteil. Die Ansprache im März fällt indes in die heiße Wahlkampfphase in Israel, und Obama tut gut daran, ihn nicht im Weißen Haus zu empfangen. Sage keiner, Chemie spiele in der Politik keine Rolle.
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