Members Of Congress Crticize White House For Condemnation Of Israel's Building In East Jerusalem, Netanyahu Ignores Criticism And Continues Project

The AP reports that the "Obama administration's fierce denunciation of Israel last week has ignited a firestorm in Congress and among powerful pro-Israel interest groups who say the criticism of America's top Mideast ally was misplaced. Since the controversy erupted, a bipartisan parade of influential lawmakers and interest groups has taken aim at the administration's decision to publicly condemn Israel for its announcement of new Jewish housing in east Jerusalem while Vice President Joe Biden was visiting on Tuesday and then openly vent bitter frustration on Friday. With diplomats from both countries referring to the situation as a crisis, the outpouring of anger in the United States, particularly from Capitol Hill, comes at a difficult time for the administration, which is now trying to win support from wary lawmakers - many of whom are up for re-election this year - for health care reform and other domestic issues."

"It might be well if our friends in the administration and other places in the United States could start refocusing our efforts on the peace process," Senator John McCain said Monday. "Now we've had our spat. We've had our family fight, and it's time for us now to stop and get our eye back on the goal, which is the commencement of the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks," he said.

"Let's cut the family fighting, the family feud," Senator Joe Lieberman said. "It's unnecessary; it's destructive of our shared national interest. It's time to lower voices, to get over the family feud between the U.S. and Israel. It just doesn't serve anybody's interests but our enemies."

"It's hard to see how spending a weekend condemning Israel for a zoning decision in its capital city amounts to a positive step towards peace," said Sen. Sam Brownback.

Abraham Foxman, director of the Anti-Defamation League, said he was "shocked and stunned at the administration's tone and public dressing down of Israel on the issue of future building in Jerusalem."

"We cannot remember an instance when such harsh language was directed at a friend and ally of the United States," Foxman said.

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has responded to the crticism in a speech to the Knesset by saying that "for the past 40 years, no Israeli government ever limited construction in the neighborhoods of Jerusalem." Tweet