AP
A bipartisan parade of influential lawmakers and interest groups has taken aim at the Obama administration’s decision to publicly condemn Israel for its housing announcement.
Mar. 9: Vice President Joe Biden sits with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu before a dinner in Jerusalem. - Reuters
WASHINGTON — The Obama administration’s fierce denunciation of Israel last week has ignited a firestorm in Congress and among powerful pro-Israel interest groups who say the criticism of America’s top Mideast ally was misplaced.
Since the controversy erupted, a bipartisan parade of influential lawmakers and interest groups has taken aim at the administration’s decision to publicly condemn Israel for its announcement of new Jewish housing in east Jerusalem while Vice President Joe Biden was visiting on Tuesday and then openly vent bitter frustration on Friday.
With diplomats from both countries referring to the situation as a crisis, the outpouring of anger in the United States, particularly from Capitol Hill, comes at a difficult time for the administration, which is now trying to win support from wary lawmakers — many of whom are up for re-election this year — for health care reform and other domestic issues. (cont)
