He wants to end US aid, therefore severing Israel's dependence when it is capable of funding itself. Israel can also try to develop more weapons indigenously and resurrect the IAI Lavi program (with modern improvements, of course).

...and I was always led to believe that Netanyahu (via AIPAC) wrote the rules by which the USA must abide

Next time the USA government ask to rely on it and that they are our friend we know what they really mean. Clarity is important to make the right decisions.

America can not be Israel's insurance policy. Israel must do what it takes to protect itself.

He doesn't think we should start another war in the Middle East? That's bad? Not enough soldiers have died? He has advocated direct, comprehensive negotiations with Iran's government, along with Hamas, Hezbollah and Syria instead of constantly talking to ourselves? That's bad? You make peace with enemies, you must suffer through with family and friends. He actually criticizes Israel for stealing Arab lands, for not bringing Jewish terrorists to justice, for lying to the US government, and for Israel's King Bibi and his active support for that loser Romney? He can't be all bad.

Bollocks to that .Israel needs nobodies permission to survive.

Come on seriously?? On the same issue? Haber should realize if Hagel was picked especially for Israel, such action would be quite obsessive and even more worrying. But I'd like to think that Americas defense concerns go beyond getting revenge against the all evil Netanyahu. Your letting your disdain for Netanyahu get the better of your articles.

If seem to remember a few months before the U.S election, the White House pleaded with Israel not to attack Iran before the election. Promises were given that they would 'take care' of Iran after the election. Well the appointment of Hagel is a clear message to the Israeli leadership that that ain't gonna happen. Time for Israeli leadership to go it alone and if the U.S. moan, flip them the bird.

israel launched successfully attacks against nuclear irak and syria without approbation odf the USA

Those smug Americans who think that Hagel's appointment would only be problematic for Israel shouldn't overlook the fact that Hagel has also pissed off the gay community. And then wait until it comes out that he claimed his role model was Strom Thurmond.

Your articles are generally rubbish, but the last paragraph of this one is gold - a dear friend who wants you to commit suicide for his friendship is no friend at all. Glad to see that after all those years the message has finally sunk.

That Israeli self-sufficiency is a must goes without saying. Israel should never have given up the strategic, resource-rich Sinai, but she did; should never have given up the Lavi, but she did. Giving up precious land is national suicide. Haber is right, America is changing. Get used to it and adjust accordingly.

The possible appointment of Hagel falls inline with what Bible expositors believe that there is no evidence that America is involved in the last days.. The Eagle wings in Daniel 7 are no longer evident in Rev 13...the eagle has been removed. In other words, when the enemies of Israel come against her, America is no where to be seen. Your only protector is _od.

Mr. Haber - Does your brain register what your pen writes.

Mr. Haber, If you believe that under Obama and Hagel: "America is changing...it can no longer be Israel's insurance policy" - why are you so happy? Hart Hasten Indianapolis

....does not American policy make. His opinions alone do not drive America's actions toward Israel. Let's not panic over the hype and try to keep our eyes on "facts on the ground".

That b.H.o.'s Agenda is counter intuitive to Israel's? Israel Should Look To Canada ? Israel Should Make Provisions TO ATTACK the persian arabs and have All contingencies in place Minus u.s. involvment! When b.H.o. comes calling for Israeli Technology Let Bibi kick the can down the road and keep kicking it until b.H.o. Is Out Of Office! Two can play this game, But It's Really NOT a game! BOMB, Bomb,bomb All nuclear sites in perisan arab land!

haber is a dzimmi like olmert. If Idf has to hit iran without usa, then it will do it and to hell with anyone else. haber like peres and olmert bend over for please US do it, perpetuating the image of the helpless haredi who harm israel. Look at haber, lapid, peres, olmert, livni, ramon, amir oren, kadman, beinart, all without any mililtary combat experience and yellow to the bone, absolute cowards running to Obama for help. The idf can handle itself with guys like landau and bennett Even bibi is a somewhat weak. Its 65 years since the holocaust, emancipate yourselves, get to the bloody gym. Haber: Rabin was wrong not to abrogate oslo since fatah was corrupt and rotten tot he core.

Reading almost neurotic obsession of Mr. Haber and much of the left in Israel with Netanyahu, one comes to the conclusion that Netanyahu is to blame for all the evils of Israel. That at the time that Netanyahu stop being prime minister, Israel will no longer have the threat of a nuclear Iran, or a tenant unfriendly in the Oval Office, not Netanyahu, but to Israel. Too bad for Mr. Heber, confirm the story cold, his neurosis Netanyahu. All the major wars of Israel, and which was at the edge of disappearance were before 1977, all previous governments may be considered leftist. I guess in the obsession with the power of the left in Israel, takes to make the mistake of believing that destroying Netanyahu, the taste of the electorate in Israel would see the left as a power option. Looking at the polls, it seems that Mr Haber will have the bitter disappointment discovering that Netanyahu is not the center of the problem.

Since when does Israel allow other nations to make decisions with respect to Israel's existential concerns? Especially a nation whose current administration is decidedly anti-Israel! Obama may not like whatever decisions Israel will take with respect to Iran, but he isn't going to stop us. The fact of the matter is -- he cannot. And he knows it. The part that galls him is that the United States Congress is solidly behind Israel, especially with respect to Iran. Sanctions are out of the question. Hagel's confirmation is far from assured, anyway. Congress could very well wish to send Obama a message. I really think that Netanyahu should extend a very public invitation to Obama to visit Israel. It is time that Obama is put on notice that there will be no more summoning Netanyahu to Washington. Embarrassment is a two-way street, and since Obama has no intention of visiting Israel, his refusal will be -- well -- embarrassing.

Excuse me, but the United States considers both Hamas and Hezbollah to be terrorist organizations. It is very clear to me that you are anti-Israel, but you are splitting a very fine hair -- you think it would be perfectly acceptable for the United States to chat with Hamas and Hezbollah -- both terrorist organizations sworn to the destruction of a United States ally -- do you also advocate that the United States chat with Al Qaeda? Israel hasn't stolen ANY Arab land. Judea and Samaria are nonsovereign territories which were reacquired by Israel in the course of fighting a DEFENSIVE war against Jordan. The land is Israel's to settle, retain and even annex. Notwithstanding the foregoing, perhaps you can enlighten me as to when the United States plans on restoring native American lands -- granted to a great many native American tribes via treaties which were promptly broken -- to the rightful owners? You live in a glass house; best not throw stones. You're far too ignorant to duck when they come right back at you ....

"As far as Israel is concerned, the main problem is that Hagel is nominated for one of the most important positions in the US government. The defense secretary is the oxygen tube of the State of Israel's security. Intelligence, weapons and billions of dollars in aide [sic] are transferred to the Jewish state with the defense secretary's approval." No, with the approval of the United States Congress. If the Secretary of Defense protests, Congress can -- and likely will -- punish the Pentagon by slashing its budget.

Right now we get $3 billion in weapons each year. so we quit the military aid and Obama cant blackmail us with it but we don't have it anyway so there are no benefits. If we give it up you think we would be buying the latest fighter jets and other top of the range American toys we do not make our own equivalent of? Israel's domestic arms industry is very small and specialist now so with or without aid we have to buy foreign weapons, we could buy them full price or get them free with aid, if we go with the buy full price option we have to cutback in other areas. Many in the political & military establishment consider submarines new rifles and even a next generation tank to be luxuries we can do without for now. No more aid no more luxuries because the shrinking defense budget is spent on essentials. The arabs get military aid & they won't give that up so what happens when they buy top of the range American weapons we can't afford anymore? How long would the balance of power be in our favour? We also rely on the US Security Council veto so thats another hold they got on us and that veto so we wouldn't have the extra freedoms Bennet thinks we will have.

No one who cares to protect our values should ever have considered voting for Barak Hussein Obama. He has a naive view of the world and perhaps can not perceive that some evil people need to be stopped at all cost. And hagel is even worse because he is an isolationist and we all know what that viewpoint led to in the 1930's.

That's true. The only thing which is true in this article. Obama can nominate anybody for any post in his cabinet, his nomination of Hagel came as no surprise, he has been surrounded by anti Israel/antisemitic people since day one. He's a conceited man whose only gift is deceitful speeches. In his pro muslim mind he believes he can dictate his obsolete ideas on everybody and every country, but he's not a successful man; he hasn't accomplished anything in his life and at the the day his political career will end in disgrace.

Some commentators really need to get over themselves. Every move in Washington is not connected to Israel.

only as act against Israel and BB.It is also stupid. I am no fan of Obama but Iran, Syria thinking by US Pres. more in line with Israel and Saudi Arabia. The US Senate must approve, or reject, the nomination. My guess is Hegel was chosen to help reduce military budget to lower expenditures and waste

Flip us the bird? Go right ahead and do what has to be done, however when the smoke clears there is only one country that gives Israel full support at the UN and unlimited military support. Israel and the US needs a new major war like I need a hole in my head. Personally I don't believe BIBI has the balls to attack Iran with or without US approval. I believe the "noise" he is making is all a bluff to get the big boys to do what he can't do. I don't believe the IDF has the "strategic" capability to strike Iran around the clock for weeks or months like the US Military can. A one and done strike by the IDF would be like sticking a needle in an elephant.