Israel's Ayalon: GOP victories won't affect US foreign policy
In an interview with Al-Monitor, former Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon discusses the effects of the US midterm elections.
“Obama was expected to lose to the Republicans, and it should not have any impact on the relationship between the United States and Israel,” said former Deputy Foreign Minister and former Ambassador to the United States Danny Ayalon in an interview with Al-Monitor. He was responding to the Republican Party’s sweeping victory in the midterm elections on Nov. 4.
Often considered one of the most admired Israeli ambassadors to serve in the US capital, Ayalon has been paying close attention to the deteriorating relationship between the White House and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He claims that while that relationship may have reached a new nadir, the alliance between the two countries is still strong. Nevertheless, he also believes that the lack of any intimate bond between Netanyahu and President Barack Obama could have implications on Israel’s ability to influence diplomatic initiatives in the Middle East and on the agreement emerging between Iran and the global superpowers.
The text of the interview follows:
Al-Monitor: It is well known that Netanyahu is close to the Republicans and that his good friend, Jewish billionaire Sheldon Adelson, supported them in the midterm elections. Does the prime minister have reason to celebrate, given his tenuous relationship with Obama?
