Middle East security

Netanyahu speech called 'political theater' by NY Times; Wash. Post demands serious Obama response

The reaction to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech to the US Congress Tuesday has proved to be as divisive as ever in the American media.

A Tuesday editorial in The New York Times referred to the prime minister’s speech as theater and claimed it was an election campaign ploy.

“Even Washington doesn’t often see this level of exploitative political theater; it was made worse because it was so obviously intended to challenge President Obama’s foreign policy,” the Times wrote. “Mr. Netanyahu’s speech offered nothing of substance that was new, making it clear that this performance was all about proving his toughness on security issues ahead of the parliamentary election he faces on March 17.”