Fresh from the BBC:
Israel's ambassador to the US has said that relations between the two countries are at their lowest point for 35 years, Israeli media have reported.
Last week Israeli officials announced the building of 1,600 new homes in occupied East Jerusalem while US Vice-President Joe Biden was visiting.
The move was seen as an insult to the US. Palestinian leaders say indirect talks with Israel are now "doubtful".
But Israel's PM said Jewish settlements did "not hurt" Arabs in East Jerusalem.
And now with AIPAC's letter tearing into Obama and the most fervent pro-Israeli Senators and Representatives are being goaded into taking on the Administration, it looks like we've got a buildup for one hell of a showdown. And let's be honest, there's not much that would be BETTER for peace in the middle east than a fractured US/Israel relationship.
There's another great diary mentioning Biden and Petraeus' admission that Israeli actions are hurting US troops because the region sees the US & Israel as so closely aligned.
But there's more going on. So much more. For example, the diary I had a few weeks ago in which the Dubai government is accusing Mossad of faking passports and identities and sneaking into their country to assassinate a HAMAS leader.
While the US steams at the settlements rebuke, let's just say that the UK, Ireland, Australia and France haven't forgotten about having their nation's passports faked for an assassination. No, Israel is not very popular at all in Europe (I can only really speak for the UK, but I'm highly skeptical any other nations are terribly fond of them).
The US' relationship with Israel is 100% what gives Israel the power to do as they want. Yet they do nothing for the US and continually rebuke US efforts to keep Israel under control and build actual peace in the region. Why do we put up with that?
So AFAIC, there's not much better for the region than Israel continuing to bite the hand that feeds it. I'd love to see them push a popular President and his Administration too far, an actual fracturing of this relationship would be great for the US and for the Middle East.