Netanyahu sidelined on nuclear Iran, a victim of his own success – Haaretz
The Israeli PM was back in his element, working the New York media, but his message of gloom and doom marred his vindication as the man who warned the West.
Throughout his long, exhaustive and often intimate interview with Charlie Rose on PBS this week, Benjamin Netanyahu glanced sideways every few minutes, away from his host and toward his aides and confidantes standing on the sidelines.
“How’m I doing?” his eyes seemed to be asking, Ed Koch-style. “Look, I’m still a master of the pointed one-liner, a connoisseur of the appropriate phrase. Tell me I’m not the best, after all these years.”
There was something touching in Netanyahu’s need for approval, you must admit, at least if you’re in a generous mood. Netanyahu is one of the most accomplished spokespersons that Israel has ever had, at least in English, with the legendary Abba Eban as his only serious rival. But here he was, begging for some positive feedback, seeking and expecting applause for a nifty metaphor, a cute idiom, a clever colloquialism delivered in the kind of impeccable American accent that only daily usage can maintain.
Netanyahu was back in his element, at the scene of his prime, working the New York media just as he did almost 30 years ago when he served as Israel’s envoy to the United Nations. He huddled with his old chum Andrea from NBC, joked around with Charlie from PBS and gave interviews in Spanish and even Farsi, carefully planting his pithy observations and his pointed one-liners to shore up his dark and foreboding speech on Tuesday at the UN General Assembly.
It was just like the good old days. Netanyahu was on a “media blitz,” his bureau explained, “to puncture the balloon” that Iranian President Rohani had inflated, pulling the U.S. media back down to earth from the delusional heights to which they had soared. His spokespersons distributed YouTube pictorials of Netanyahu being interviewed along with tweets that proclaimed, without blushing it seems, that he was a “Light to the (United) Nations.”
Netanyahu and his aides claimed that they had carefully bided their time before lowering Bibi’s boom on the Rohani festivities, but underneath their boastful bravado one could detect clear signs disappointment, if not desperation. The American media dutifully broadcast their interviews with Netanyahu, but did so furtively and minimialistically, as if an old friend had asked for an inconvenient favor, before switching back to the political drama of the government shutdown in Washington. Netanyahu, suddenly, was the wrong man, at the wrong time, with the wrong message.
The cruel irony, of course, is that Netanyahu was being relegated to the sidelines at the very minute that he was arguably marking his greatest victory, his historic vindication.
It was he, after all, who started warning the West 30 years ago about the Iranian threat; he, who wrote in his book “A Place Among the Nations” two decades ago that only American leadership and tough international sanctions could stop the nuclear drive of Iranian fundamentalism, a “cancerous tumor that threatens Western civilization.” He, who at a chance meeting seven years ago in the VIP lounge at Reagan International Airport in Washington DC convinced then-senator Barack Obama – according to Netanyahu’s aides – to sponsor a bill toughening sanctions against Tehran; he, who campaigned against Iran’s nuclear program from his first day as prime minister; he, who enlisted the U.S. Congress and American Jewry to his side; he, who was the driving force, in many ways, behind the toughest sanctions regime the world has ever seen, the one that is now bringing Tehran, possibly on its knees, to seek an accommodation.
This was the moment that Netanyahu could have smugly said “I told you so,” but his triumph was also the instrument of his undoing, an affliction in disguise, the sweet taste of victory that turned bitter in his mouth. He was entangled in the internal contradiction of having to express grudging support for a diplomatic solution in which he hardly believes, a process of negotiations that he himself had engineered but which now rendered him largely irrelevant.
Netanyahu, who does nothing to discourage sycophants who place him on a pedestal with his hero, Winston Churchill, could have been compared this week to the Churchill of July, 1945, after his astonishing thrashing by Labour’s Clement Atlee in the general elections, when the Brits saluted the British bulldog’s triumph over Nazi Germany but decided it was time for something completely different.
Suddenly, Netanyahu found himself recast once again as that annoying killjoy of yesteryear, the self-anointed prophet of doom, the obsessive pessimist who can’t see a ray of light, even when it is shining in his eyes – who “can’t take ‘yes’ for an answer,” just like the Republicans on Capitol Hill.
His tough and uncompromising speech at the UN may have been appreciated by most Israelis – including this one – but it was less favorably received, when it wasn’t being ignored, by American officials and opinion-makers. Even Jewish leaders who tend to agree with Netanyahu’s overall analysis of Iran’s sinister designs told me later that his speech was too black, too dire, too eager to erase any hope. The additional two days that Netanyahu spent in New York, they said, only poured fat on the fire, driving home his somewhat insulting view that naïve Americans were being duped by the sweet but empty words of Rohani.
Netanyahu, in fact, may have overstayed his welcome. By Thursday, when he was slated to leave, some Administration officials were already grumbling that he had gone back to his bad old ways, drumming up public opinion against the Administration in its own back yard. In unusually blunt diplomatese, Secretary of State John Kerry said that refraining from pursuing talks with Iran would be “diplomatic malpractice of the worst kind” – not that Netanyahu was suggesting anything of the kind, of course.
In the next weeks, as he travels to Asia and deals with the government shutdown and debt ceiling crises, President Obama will formulate the principles of U.S. engagement that Kerry will carry with him to the October 15 P5+1 round of talks in Geneva, in which Iran is expected to submit its opening offer to resolve the nuclear standoff. Netanyahu will have to mark time as a kibitzer on the sidelines and to play second fiddle. as Rohani takes center stage in a play that Netanyahu, at least by his own account, largely wrote on his own.
Of course, it’s too early to tell, if one may borrow from Dickens, whether we are approaching an age of wisdom or foolishness, a season of Light or a season of Darkness, a spring of hope or a winter of despair.
Though he may be shunned now, Netanyahu has once again put his money on the worst possible scenario. In the Middle East, of course, that usually turns out to be to be the safest bet of all.
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WarSclerotic 
October 5, 2013 at 11:08 AM
The damage done to Israel by its unreliable ally USA is considerable – but the damage to the USA itself is much, much bigger .
Already now, the USA is a society falling apart in every way – the price for wanting to throw Israel before the bus will make the damage for the USA bigger every day.In the end, Israel will survive, but I doubt that the USA will….What a tragedy for this once great nation….But like old Rome, the USA pushed it just over the top and also ignored the scripture that says : ”He who blesses Israel will be blessed – he who curses Israel will be cursed”.
October 5, 2013 at 2:57 PM
Sweet Jesus, what an article. One needs nerves of steel to make it to the end of those lines. In a condescending mode and yet somehow defeatist style, this piece of …paper, which is Ha’aretz, is daring to laugh – in the best Iranian style – at the Israeli PM efforts to explain the Israeli position regarding the Iranians nuclear plans.
We wont say more because we surely don’t want to abuse the proverbial patience of our learned readers. However, one last thing must be said, for the protocol: if Netanyahu will fail and Israel will not act, in a distant future even the dumb heads from Ha’aretz wont be here anymore and, in any case, nobody will remain here to read their idiotic articles.
October 5, 2013 at 3:18 PM
Even in Israel are the new world order forces at work
The Frankfurter Schule has done his work in Isarel to
a new dialectic process from what was to what is, whit a new security and that conform the indoctrinated new meme, but will it be an improvement ?
It is so much bigger than Israel alone .
call me a 6 pack joe nut case, i do not mind it at ll
Read my comment October 5, 2013 at 3:00 PM here.
https://warsclerotic.wordpress.com/2013/10/02/u-s-romance-with-iran-terrifies-arab-allies-commentary-magazine/#comments
October 5, 2013 at 3:25 PM
In mine humble opinion the best time for Israel to act was one day after obama was chosen for his first term.
After that the window for action closed by the day.
And now, completely shut.
October 5, 2013 at 4:18 PM
I really, really, don’t like to contradict you – because you are a so talented commenter and I mean it – but you are so wrong on this one…that even I – hehe, am I humble or what?! – cannot develop here all the reasons for explaining why did you get that totally wrong. However, for the record I’ll say only that: don’t be surprise if tomorrow afternoon you’ll hear that from the same morning Iran is not what it has used to be, anymore. It can happen in every minute.
It can happen in a week from now. Such things already happened in the past and surely I tell you they will happen in the future.
October 5, 2013 at 4:21 PM
Indeed, Luis….
The operative phrase applicable:
“Stay tuned….”
October 5, 2013 at 4:38 PM
Luis perhaps i,am not clear enough.
Military Actions by Israel is possible, but the political consequences will be severe, even loosing independence will be a possibility,
The window for a independent state of Israel is closed whatever Israel decided to do.
Believe me i hate it to say this.
DEEPLY !
October 5, 2013 at 4:48 PM
Just an opinion, like a bare naked ass, everybody has one.(Joop Klepzeiger)
October 5, 2013 at 4:51 PM
Hehe…insanely funny.
October 5, 2013 at 5:00 PM
You are right for once, just my opinion.
October 5, 2013 at 5:09 PM
Only once? You sound like the kind of man who he thinks only he is right. He He.
October 5, 2013 at 4:50 PM
Joop, you ”have to” explain ”this” in detail, if you please. ”This” means ” … but the political consequences will be severe, even loosing independence will be a possibility,…”. (of course, you don’t have to explain anything, its not an obliged, but I still want to hear you developing that ”loosing of independence” thing after a decisive and successful operation in Iran. May be you are right, may be you are wrong. Lets see.)
October 5, 2013 at 4:58 PM
As i told you read my comment here
https://warsclerotic.wordpress.com/2013/10/02/u-s-romance-with-iran-terrifies-arab-allies-commentary-magazine/#comments
at October 5, 2013 at 3:00 PM
October 5, 2013 at 5:06 PM
I cannot find anything in your notes to link between the Iranian operation and ”loosing the independence” for Israel. Of course, you don’t have to explain that, but making such a statement may put you in a situation to justify your own words. You know, for that ”opinion” thing.
October 5, 2013 at 3:32 PM
Is there a possibility that BIBI understand the , mm, lets say the forces , so he will go whit the flow, only to let Israel survive ?
October 5, 2013 at 4:12 PM
OK, for all the columns I’ve read like this one, throwing cold water on the UN speech, saying the hall was half empty, the Americans are distracted by the government shutdown, it’s too late because the new Iranian president already has a deal, etc…
All of that stuff doesn’t mean s**t. The goal of Netanyahu’s speech was NOT to convince diplomats who are no longer listening to strengthen sanctions which have never worked to begin with. We are way past that phase now. The goal was to give Iran a FINAL WARNING and to put the world on notice that war is on the horizon. Time is far too short now for anything else.
If Iran is too foolish to take up Netanyahu’s offer to dismantle their nuclear bomb program than they are the ones to blame – not Netanyahu. The Israeli leader did what he set out to do, and those with their ears open in Iran as well as around the world got the message.
October 5, 2013 at 4:16 PM
That message is going around now or 10 / 15 Years,
For me this is biased positive thinking.
October 5, 2013 at 4:31 PM
”The goal of Netanyahu’s speech was NOT to convince diplomats who are no longer listening to strengthen sanctions which have never worked to begin with. We are way past that phase now. The goal was to give Iran a FINAL WARNING and to put the world on notice that war is on the horizon.”(quoting Mark)
Masterful formulation. And, unfortunately, painful right. We’ll have indeed war in the region, a war that nobody wants and yet a war that everybody is doing all the possible mistakes for it to take place.
(Israel cannot live with a nuclear weaponed Iran and no matter how I am right or not, smart or not or anybody else, for that reason.)
The world and the Shiites got their final warning, as Mark put it so simply and yet, masterful.
” Brothers, grey clouds ahead and a fine storm is coming, too.”
October 5, 2013 at 4:40 PM
Israel cannot live with a nuclear weaponed Iran
I agree completly
October 5, 2013 at 5:03 PM
But do you see BIBI going to obama to beck him to resupply Israel and what will be the answer from obama.-
October 5, 2013 at 5:14 PM
Obama vetoing Israel resupply? That is what you are saying to us, here, my respectable and learned man, Joop? ”Say no more!, Say no more!”.
October 5, 2013 at 5:47 PM
Nonsense….
The congress won’t allow it. End of sentence.
October 5, 2013 at 5:59 PM
Exactly.
October 5, 2013 at 6:04 PM
I,am trying 2 to give a comment and there are not here , oke for the 3 time.
New in politics Luis, of course no vetoing but delaying and delaying.
I can remember bunker busters and refueling planes and a very tough lady who hat to go to Washington to bag for resupply,s initially refused by the USA in a much better political climate than at the moment, she got it otherwise Israel has lost the war.
If you think that obama will appreciate the bombing of iran by Israel while he is on the negotiating table whit iran .
And would he be happy if it happens after a deal is made .
I think otherwise
And a deal whit russia is according the new thinking much more important than supporting Israel, and in mine second term i have a lot more freedom.
I,am not a learned man just a Joe six pack, but thanks anyway for the compliment
October 5, 2013 at 6:08 PM
It will be ok, Joop, I can assure you from here, where Israel is.
And you are a learned and very educated man. You can fool no one here in this regard, hehe….
October 5, 2013 at 6:14 PM
I,am missing my answer to Luis about that independent thing also, so again for the second time.
Luis in my comment i stated that we initially headed to a 4 power block situation, and how will Israel fit as an independent state in this situation.
a new dialectic process from what was to what is, whit a new security and that conform the indoctrinated new meme, but will it be an improvement ?
October 5, 2013 at 6:20 PM
Will not affect the Israeli independence. Israel wont be ”less” independent than now if it will be victorious in Iran. The opposite will be in place: ”every body wants to be my baby…” and its Beatles all over again. Oh, my…
October 5, 2013 at 6:31 PM
Everything has his price , also supply,s
October 5, 2013 at 6:26 PM
JW In the congress are a lot of new thinkers, by the republicans and democrats.
You really do no see how they are transforming the USA ?
Do you realize what is happening in Europe ?
@ Luis
You are wrong a low formal education, technical at engineers level.
That is the truth and the whole truth
But friend do not think writing this give me pleasure, but reality demands it.
October 5, 2013 at 6:32 PM
As I said, everything will be ok. Pollyanna said that to me.
October 5, 2013 at 6:41 PM
Again, I hope whit everything in me that i,am wrong.
Complete and utterly wrong , it will be a feast to me.
But i know i,am not
Nice dualism like i stand between 2 mirrors.
Smile.
October 5, 2013 at 6:46 PM
You are looking at the infinity when you stand between two mirrors.
And be careful when you are smiling in that situation. Because is the abyss that you are smiling at.
October 5, 2013 at 6:56 PM
Only if you are loosing yourself in ¨self¨ inflicted sub realty,s to comprehend the picture you see in the mirrors instead of the reality of the 2 mirrors.
October 5, 2013 at 7:14 PM
Philosophy at its best! Because of little gems like these – even though they are completely off topic – especially because those little and still charming moments, the closure of this site will be a very hard blow to all of us.
October 5, 2013 at 7:18 PM
I completely agree with Mark.
Netanyahus speech was not intended to convince the US. Obavez has chosen the path of appeasement.
That ship has sailed.
Neither was it intended to convince the Europeans. They cannot be convinced anyway. They will go the road of appeasement anyway.
He had two messages for the world and especially Iran.
– Israel will not allow Iran to get nukes.
– If Israel has to stand alone, it will stand alone.
The second point was of particular importance because it makes clear that Israel will act no matter if the US, Europe and the rest of the world want to dance the appeasement tango and no matter if Israel will be diplomatically isolated or not and no matter if the USA is opposed to it or not.
This speech marks a clear schisma between Obavez and Bibi.
If we take the meeting between them the previous day into account the speech of Netanyahu makes this schisma obvious.
The US and Israel will go different ways. The US will follow the path of appeasement while Israel makes itself ready to strike at the right moment.
To illustrate this point I want to first quote from his ‘cartoon’-speech in 2012 and then from his 2013 speech.
The difference is obvious and telling. While 2012 he mentioned obavez and America several times and highlited the importance of obavez and America in his 2013 speech Obavez and America was almost completely absent. Just once obavez is mentioned in passing.
From his 2012 speech:
“For over seven years, the international community has tried sanctions with Iran. Under the leadership of President Obama, the international community has passed some of the strongest sanctions to date.”
“Two days ago, from this podium, President Obama reiterated that the threat of a nuclear-armed Iran cannot be contained.
I very much appreciate the President’s position as does everyone in my country. We share the goal of stopping Iran’s nuclear weapons program. This goal unites the people of Israel. It unites Americans, Democrats and Republicans alike and it is shared by important leaders throughout the world.
What I have said today will help ensure that this common goal is achieved.
Israel is in discussions with the United States over this issue, and I am confident that we can chart a path forward together.”
From his 2013 speech:
“President Obama rightly said that Iran’s conciliatory words must be matched by transparent, verifiable and meaningful action. And to be meaningful, a diplomatic solution would require Iran to do four things. First, cease all uranium enrichment. This is called for by several Security Council resolutions. Second, remove from Iran’s territory the stockpiles of enriched uranium. Third, dismantle the infrastructure for nuclear breakout capability, including the underground facility at Qom and the advanced centrifuges in Natanz.”
October 5, 2013 at 7:25 PM
Artaxes….
Don’t forger:
“I want there to be no confusion on this point. Israel will not allow Iran to get nuclear weapons. If Israel is forced to stand alone, Israel will stand alone. Yet, in standing alone, Israel will know that we will be defending many, many others.”
October 5, 2013 at 7:37 PM
Forger or forget?
I said:
– Israel will not allow Iran to get nukes.
– If Israel has to stand alone, it will stand alone.
I don’t get where I misrepresented it. Maybe you can tell me.
October 5, 2013 at 7:53 PM
No, no…. I was just adding in the language in your quote which illustrates the deep difference between Netanyahu 2012 and 2013.
Makes an even stronger case, no?
October 5, 2013 at 8:13 PM
Yes, it makes a stronger case. It tells another fundamental truth.
Eventually we all will be thankful (Americans, Europeans, Arabs, Turks and many others) that Israel ended the Iranian nightmare.
Many, while condemning Israel in public will thank you in private and maybe someday in future years the thanks will be spoken out publicly as it happened when Dick Cheney thanked you for destroying Ossirak when the US invaded Irak while the US were pretty much pissed off when they heared that Israel bombed the reactor.
why does it always have to come to this?
Why do they not see that you are fighting an enemy that is as much our enemy as your enemy and that is as much a danger to you as to us?
I know that sometime in the future the Europeans will realize this.
I hope that it won’t be too late.
October 5, 2013 at 7:33 PM
The ”schism” – as you very picturally described the rift between our PM and the man in the white House – was already there, from the very moment that O. was elected. We cannot forget their first press conference, when the Israeli PM lectured O. in the ’67 borders issues. So, there were only words, all along The Road of Deception and Deceiving that Mr. O. walked on from the beginning. He is on that road even now, but ”I have a feeling” that the People are starting to wake up and see him for who he is:
Mr. 0 (read zero).
October 5, 2013 at 7:41 PM
Yes the schism was there much earlier but this was the first time that there were no more pretentions. It became ‘official’
October 5, 2013 at 7:48 PM
Right, because the decision moment is here. No more gloves and no more roses. May be only ”Guns And Roses”.
October 5, 2013 at 7:56 PM
One way or another. The next months will be very interesting.
Eventually the Iranians will force a decision.
I like the rhyme btw.
October 5, 2013 at 8:02 PM
Hehe, thanks.