The Obibi Effect

Speculation about Benjamin “Bibi” Netanyahu’s ability to work with Barack Obama.

Herb Keinon wrote in The Jerusalem Post: “The so-called Obibi effect – the degree to which Netanyahu may or may not be able to deal with U.S. President Barack Obama – is coming into play in the Israeli election campaign.” (Israel’s general election is on February 10.)

According to Keinon, Netanyahu’s opponent, Tzipi Livni, has attempted to capitalize on perceptions that Netanyahu’s relationship with President Bill Clinton was strained by suggesting that the Netanyahu–Obama dynamic might prove unworkable. A.F.P. reported that “Livni charged that a government led by election favorite [Benjamin] Netanyahu could cause a ‘clash’ with the United States.”

(Benjamin Netanyahu is the chairman of the Likud Party and a former Israeli prime minister [1996–99]; Tzipi Livni is currently the Israeli foreign minister and leader of the governing Kadima party.)