Knesset softens title of motion on 'U.S. war crimes' to avoid altercation with Obama

[azurnoir]

The Knesset secretariat on Wednesday changed the title of an agenda motion on U.S. military documents recently leaked by the website WikiLeaks, to avoid damaging Israel's relations with the Obama administration.

The secretariat had initially accepted right-wing MK Michael Ben-Ari's proposal to discuss "U.S. war crimes", but took an unusual step and altered the name in the middle of deliberations on the motion.

Ben-Ari, who recently asked the United Nations to investigate "U.S. war criminals" had already taken to the podium and delivered a combative address regarding the behavior of the American government when the secretariat made its decision.

The move was prompted by Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon, who stood up after Ben-Ari and protested the title of the motion.

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"I don't know if you did this to be defiant or teasing or maybe even just out of black humor," Ayalon said to Ben-Ari when he took his place at the podium. "I just have no other way of looking at this."

http://www.haaretz.com/news/national/knesset-softens-title-of-motion-on-u-s-war-crimes-to-avoid-altercation-with-obama-1.321474