Many U.S. Democrats skeptical on chances to reset Netanyahu tiesWASHINGTON (Reuters) - Benjamin Netanyahu’s first Trump-era Washington visit offers a chance to repair ties to Democrats that frayed during years of chilly relations under the Obama administration, but many party members said they do not expect much improvement given the Israeli prime minister’s close alignment with Republicans. “There’s a lot of mending of fences that has to happen between the Netanyahu government and a lot of Democrats who feel like he unnecessarily politicized the U.S.-Israeli relationship,” Democratic Senator Chris Murphy, a Senate Foreign Relations Committee member, said in a telephone interview.     The low point came in March 2015 when Netanyahu sidestepped the White House and State Department to arrange a speech to the Republican-led Congress opposing the international nuclear deal with Iran then being negotiated by President Barack Obama. Led by the Congressional Black Caucus, more than 55 Democratic members of the Senate and House of Representatives skipped the speech to protest what they viewed as an attack on Obama, the first African-American U.S. president. Tensions between Netanyahu and congressional Democrats have remained despite nearly seven decades of bipartisan support for Israel in Congress, which has used its spending authority to make Israel the largest recipient of annual U.S. military aid. After Trump took office last month, Netanyahu tweeted his applause for Trump’s plan to build a wall to keep out people from Mexico, which Democrats consider an expensive and racially tinged insult to a U.S. neighbor and ally. Many Democrats also are wary of Netanyahu’s support for building new settlements on land claimed by the Palestinians, and worry about statements from some in his government opposing the possibility of a Palestinian state. Democrats faulted congressional Republicans for using Israel as a wedge issue, despite strong Democratic support for initiatives such as a $38 billion military aid package the Obama administration signed in September. “It doesn’t look good or feel right when one party says, ‘Well, we’re better on Israel than the other party,’ or if one party is trying to work in lock-step with Israeli officials,” Representative Eliot Engel, the top House Foreign Affairs Committee Democrat, told Reuters. Israeli officials said Netanyahu’s aides have been aware of the need to re-establish a semblance of bipartisan even-handedness, even as the prime minister works to create a personal bond with Trump. Aides traveling with Netanyahu did not respond to requests for comment on Tuesday. But as he left for Washington, Netanyahu made a point of saying he would meet with congressional leaders from both parties, signaling something of a rebalancing. “The alliance between Israel and America has always been extremely strong. It’s about to get even stronger,” Netanyahu told reporters. politicsNews
many democrats skeptical chances reset netanyahu tieswashington reuters benjamin netanyahu first washington visit offers chance repair ties democrats framed years philly relations obama administration many party members said expect much improvement given israeli prime minister close alignment republicans there lot ending fences happen netanyahu government lot democrats feel like unnecessarily politicized relationship democratic senator chris murphy senate foreign relations committee member said telephone interview the low point came march netanyahu sidestepped white house state department arrange speech congress opposing international nuclear deal iran negotiated president barack obama led congressional black caucus democratic members senate house representatives skipped speech protest viewed attack obama first president tensions netanyahu congressional democrats remained despite nearly seven decades bipartisan support israel congress used spending authority make israel largest recipient annual military aid after trump took office last month netanyahu tweeted applause trump plan build wall keep people mexico democrats consider expensive racially tinged insult neighbor ally many democrats also wary netanyahu support building new settlements land claimed palestinians worry statements government opposing possibility palestinian state democrats vaulted congressional republicans using israel wedge issue despite strong democratic support initiatives billion military aid package obama administration signed september it look good feel right one party says well better israel party one party trying work israeli officials representative elliot ngel top house foreign affairs committee democrat told reuters israeli officials said netanyahu aides aware need semblance bipartisan even prime minister works create personal bond trump aides traveling netanyahu respond requests comment tuesday but left washington netanyahu made point saying would meet congressional leaders parties signaling something balancing the alliance israel america always extremely strong it get even stronger netanyahu told reporters politicsnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: Many U.S. Democrats skeptical on chances to reset Netanyahu tiesWASHINGTON (Reuters) - Benjamin Netanyahu’s first Trump-era Washington visit offers a chance to repair ties to Democrats that frayed during years of chilly relations under the Obama administration, but many party members said they do not expect much improvement given the Israeli prime minister’s close alignment with Republicans. “There’s a lot of mending of fences that has to happen between the Netanyahu government and a lot of Democrats who feel like he unnecessarily politicized the U.S.-Israeli relationship,” Democratic Senator Chris Murphy, a Senate Foreign Relations Committee member, said in a telephone interview.     The low point came in March 2015 when Netanyahu sidestepped the White House and State Department to arrange a speech to the Republican-led Congress opposing the international nuclear deal with Iran then being negotiated by President Barack Obama. Led by the Congressional Black Caucus, more than 55 Democratic members of the Senate and House of Representatives skipped the speech to protest what they viewed as an attack on Obama, the first African-American U.S. president. Tensions between Netanyahu and congressional Democrats have remained despite nearly seven decades of bipartisan support for Israel in Congress, which has used its spending authority to make Israel the largest recipient of annual U.S. military aid. After Trump took office last month, Netanyahu tweeted his applause for Trump’s plan to build a wall to keep out people from Mexico, which Democrats consider an expensive and racially tinged insult to a U.S. neighbor and ally. Many Democrats also are wary of Netanyahu’s support for building new settlements on land claimed by the Palestinians, and worry about statements from some in his government opposing the possibility of a Palestinian state. Democrats faulted congressional Republicans for using Israel as a wedge issue, despite strong Democratic support for initiatives such as a $38 billion military aid package the Obama administration signed in September. “It doesn’t look good or feel right when one party says, ‘Well, we’re better on Israel than the other party,’ or if one party is trying to work in lock-step with Israeli officials,” Representative Eliot Engel, the top House Foreign Affairs Committee Democrat, told Reuters. Israeli officials said Netanyahu’s aides have been aware of the need to re-establish a semblance of bipartisan even-handedness, even as the prime minister works to create a personal bond with Trump. Aides traveling with Netanyahu did not respond to requests for comment on Tuesday. But as he left for Washington, Netanyahu made a point of saying he would meet with congressional leaders from both parties, signaling something of a rebalancing. “The alliance between Israel and America has always been extremely strong. It’s about to get even stronger,” Netanyahu told reporters. politicsNews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: many democrats skeptical chances reset netanyahu tieswashington reuters benjamin netanyahu first washington visit offers chance repair ties democrats framed years philly relations obama administration many party members said expect much improvement given israeli prime minister close alignment republicans there lot ending fences happen netanyahu government lot democrats feel like unnecessarily politicized relationship democratic senator chris murphy senate foreign relations committee member said telephone interview the low point came march netanyahu sidestepped white house state department arrange speech congress opposing international nuclear deal iran negotiated president barack obama led congressional black caucus democratic members senate house representatives skipped speech protest viewed attack obama first president tensions netanyahu congressional democrats remained despite nearly seven decades bipartisan support israel congress used spending authority make israel largest recipient annual military aid after trump took office last month netanyahu tweeted applause trump plan build wall keep people mexico democrats consider expensive racially tinged insult neighbor ally many democrats also wary netanyahu support building new settlements land claimed palestinians worry statements government opposing possibility palestinian state democrats vaulted congressional republicans using israel wedge issue despite strong democratic support initiatives billion military aid package obama administration signed september it look good feel right one party says well better israel party one party trying work israeli officials representative elliot ngel top house foreign affairs committee democrat told reuters israeli officials said netanyahu aides aware need semblance bipartisan even prime minister works create personal bond trump aides traveling netanyahu respond requests comment tuesday but left washington netanyahu made point saying would meet congressional leaders parties signaling something balancing the alliance israel america always extremely strong it get even stronger netanyahu told reporters politicsnews