"Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and AIPAC supporters in Washington
remained nearly silent for weeks, even after evidence of Bashar
al-Assad's murderous chemical weapons attack on Syrian civilians outside
Damascus. And they remained quiet even after Obama indicated that he was
preparing a military strike. They did not want to be drawn into a political
melee in a deeply divided Congress, risking strains in the bipartisan support
for Israel that forms the bedrock of the U.S.-Israel relationship.
All
that has now changed. Responding to a full-court press by the Obama
administration -- a call to Netanyahu, a direct message to AIPAC, and messages
via congressional leaders -- AIPAC has weighed in fully in support of the president's
call for intervention." (thanks Nir)
