Is Israel’s lobby in the US too powerful?

Eyeball to eyeball?

Hi, Dan Damon here. I present World Update.

The longstanding friendship between Israel and the United States is under strain.  Last week, Israel’s ambassador to the US said relations were at a 35 year low.

On air: Should Sweden apologise to Israel ?

“It is regrettable that the Swedish foreign ministry does not intervene when it comes to a blood libel against Jews, [This] reminds one of Sweden’s conduct during World War II, when it also did not intervene.”  – Israeli FM Avigdor Lieberman.

“No one can ask the Swedish government to violate its own constitution. Freedom of speech is an inalienable part of Swedish society”

Swedish PM Fredrik Reinfeldt.

Why won’t Israel stop the settlements ?

President Obama is very clear :

“The United States does not accept the legitimacy of continued Israeli settlements. This construction violates previous agreements and undermines efforts to achieve peace. It is time for these settlements to stop. “

Benjamin Netanyahu is equally clear : (according to a spokesman)                         ” I have no intention to construct new settlements, but it makes no sense to ask us not to answer to the needs of natural growth and to stop all construction, there is no way that we are going to tell people not to have children or to force young people to move away from their families”.