Netanyahu: All White House contenders 'friends of Israel'



Netanyahu

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says President Barack Obama and his Republican challengers for the White House are all friends of Israel.

Appearing on NBC's "Meet the Press" Sunday, Netanyahu said he's not going to be "thrown under the bus of American politics." Of Republican front-runners Mitt Romney and Rick Perry, who each have said they will be stronger allies of Israel than has Obama, Netanyahu heaped praise on them all.

"They're all friends of Israel, equally representing the friendship with America," he said.



Last week, Netanyahu criticized an Israeli parliament member who appeared at a Perry event in New York City for meddling in the U.S. presidential campaign.

Netanyahu also said he disagrees with former President Bill Clinton's assessment that his government has "moved away" from the peace process and will never give up the West Bank to a Palestinian state. It was the Palestinians, he said, who abandoned peace talks.

"They didn't come," Netanyahu said. "They don't want to come."


Politico