As the Obama administration begins its engagement with the Netanyahu/Lieberman government, The Economist states the obvious – the new Israeli government is not an ally in Obama's vision for the Middle East. The magazine points out that Israel's ongoing colonization of the West Bank directly contradicts US policy in the region and they believe the US should cut aid to Israel accordingly. From the article "Israel's new government: Change your tune":
Until now, Barack Obama has been oddly shy of embroilment, partly
because of the lack of a solid Israeli government. That excuse no
longer holds. He and his secretary of state, Hillary Clinton, have
declared that securing two states, of Israel and Palestine, must be the
sole basis of a deal. America cannot give unstinting support to an
Israeli government that says it is resiling from the fundamental
principle of two states and will continue to colonise the West Bank. If
Mr Netanyahu does not change course, Mr Obama should reduce aid to
Israel.
