far more respect than John Kerry - or even our PRESIDENT - are given when speaking on Iran. In addition, the media made this a Netanyahu vs Obama issue -- when, as Kerry said in his Philadelphia speech on Iran there now had 100 countries that have publicly spoken in favor of the deal -- while one (which kerry left unnamed) is against. (Incidentally, I wish this speech had received the coverage of any of Trump's idiotic rants.)
Reading the English version Israeli media, there is an image of Netanyahu, completely different than the image in the US - of an intelligent, strong, almost soft spoken guy. He was willing to make outrageous anti Arab comments and say that the 2 state solution would never happen under a Netanyahu government when he was leaning right to steal votes from the far right party. The day after the election, he seemed surprised that anyone took any of that at face value. The surprise to me was the reaction of the media -which put down to Netanyahu being willing to say anything to get anything he wants and that he had the ability to lie easily.
This had happened before in 2014, when Israel was bombing the Gaza. Netanyahu was quite happy when the Palestinians rejected the first ceasefire deal that Egypt proposed, which he then scrambled to accept. When the West, including Kerry, met to try to develop a second ceasefire proposal, Netanyahu was furious - as some to his right in his government referred to it "they needed to cut the grass" and did not then want a ceasefire - especially as they were not the ones blamed for rejecting it. Given the strange rules that most countries will not speak directly to Hamas, the western powers had received, via Qatar, the proposal Hamas wanted. As in previous times, that proposal was then passed to Israel by the US, to get their counter proposal. Instead, Netanyahu took that proposal to an emergency meeting of the Knesset and labeled it the US plan - and argued that it be rejected, which it overwhelming was. Many of the RW Republican Jewish groups repeated the Netanyahu line as truth -- and blasted Obama. The US, of course denied it and defended Kerry and the others who had been involved.)
In stories about Netanyahu setting up his government, there were many many stories of him having reneged on promises made before the election and before he got pledges from other parties. Even in his own party, there were stories of people who were lied to and who absolutely hate the man. In stories of him as a person, he is very mean spirited, corrupt and a liar. Yet, because he is the Prime Minister of Israel, he is given more deference than I have seen for any foreign leader.
In contrast, both President Obama and Secretary Kerry are people of integrity. In the rest of the world, they are very very respected - as can be seen whenever they represent the US abroad. (or even in the UN sessions) Netanyahu, on the other hand, may be welcome JUST in Israel and the US. When he had a trip planned to the UK, there was a petition to Parliament that got 85,000 signature that he should be arrested as a war criminal. (http://www.newsweek.com/more-85000-sign-petition-benjamin-netanyahus-arrest-during-uk-visit-365972 ) The government response was that he was protected as head of state. What it shows though is that he has achieved Bush/Cheney like negatives in many normally friendly countries.
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