How Obama handed Netanyahu victory

This reality helps explain how Netanyahu and his rightist Likud party pulled off an upset victory this week, despite opinion polls showing them trailing the main opposition Zionist Union heading into Tuesday’s election.

Clearly, it’s not all Obama’s fault. Netanyahu’s opponents also failed to address security issues, believing a focus on pocketbook matters would be enough. And Netanyahu is a skilled, articulate and shrewd politician.

But Obama, like it or not, was one of the reasons for Likud’s success.