Brooks: Netanyahu Address to Congress a ‘Political Disaster,’ ‘Substantive Disaster’ for Israel

On Friday’s “NewsHour” on PBS, New York Times columnist David Brooks was critical of the notion of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressing a joint session of Congress due to the politicization of the state of Israel.

“I think it’s a political disaster,” Brooks said. “It’s a substantive disaster for the state of Israel. I think it’s political disaster for Bibi Netanyahu back home, because they’re — most Israelis are really worried about the state of the relationship. It’s different than the past times, in part because it’s — as Mark said, it’s partisan now. Suddenly, Republicans are pro-Israel. And what are Democrats supposed to do?”

“Second, support for Israel, especially on the Democratic left, especially on college campuses, is more fragile than it’s ever been before,” he continued. “Third, the Iran situation is just this gigantically big issue, and existential for Israel, a serious issue for the United States. And to mess this up at a time when this issue is looming is cataclysmic, distracted the debate over the — what’s being settled between the U.S. and Iran into some sideshow. And I happen to think Netanyahu’s concerns about what — the deal we’re apparently getting close to with the Iranians are legitimate, but he has sidetracked that debate into something very self-destructive.”

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