Regime Change in Israel?

international | miscellaneous | other press

Wednesday July 01, 2009 16:28

by Saoirsí

Only Rahm Emmanuel could go to Israel...

The American Conservative's (August 01, 2009 Issue) Philip Giraldi ("Deep Background") - a former CIA Officer - is a fellow with the American Conservative Defense Alliance: "Rahm Emanuel, President Obama’s chief of staff, is coordinating a White House effort to remake the Israeli government... The choice of Rahm Emanuel, a pro-Israel hardliner, to head the campaign is intended to limit criticism that there might be an anti-Israel agenda at work."

[...]Emanuel, who will suggest to prominent Israelis that Netanyahu’s continued leadership role is not desirable, has carefully covered himself by discussing his plans with a number of American Jewish Democratic Party leaders. Most are supportive. Congressman Gary Ackerman (D-N.Y.) favors former Israeli minister of foreign affairs Tzipi Livni to replace Netanyahu. Livni has close relations with Emanuel and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, as well as with many in Congress. She is viewed as both a moderate and a realist, and it helps that she actually outpolled Netanyahu in the last Israeli election, though she was unable to pull together a coalition.

Clinton is helping the Emanuel effort by making negative comments about Netanyahu’s reliance on extremists, including Minister of Interior Avigdor Lieberman, who supports racist legislation directed at Israel’s Arab minority and who recently confirmed planned expansion of West Bank settlements in defiance of Washington. Emanuel believes that Netanyahu will probably not be able to maintain his coalition in power for more than the next several months, particularly if subjected to sniping from Washington, due to defections from already disgruntled Labor Party politicians. That will give Livni and her Kadima Party the opportunity to resume power. Not surprisingly, Netanyahu is aware of what is going on.