Netanyahu returns to cheers, jeers

JERUSALEM, March 26 (UPI) -- Supporters and opponents greeted Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on his return to Jerusalem after a visit to the United States.

Netanyahu's visit, in part, was to smooth over a diplomatic uproar created by the revelation of new construction in East Jerusalem that overshadowed an announcement of indirect talks involving Israeli and Palestinian officials as a prelude to resuming face-to-face peace negotiations.

The construction announcement was made during U.S. Vice President Joe Biden's visit to Israel this month. President Barack Obama and others in his administration said Israel's actions harm both the peace process and U.S. national security interests in the region, The Washington Post reported Friday.

When Netanyahu returned to Israel Thursday night, he was greeted with signs reading "Obama, No You Can't" and "Netanyahu Stand Strong."

During the past year, Netanyahu "pushed the envelope with Obama," said Yossi Beilin, a former Israeli peace negotiator. But Obama's push-back has Netanyahu "worried and afraid," Beilin said.

Beilin said Netanyahu understands that even if he believes "he is 100 percent right and the world is 100 percent wrong" concerning Jerusalem, "he cannot go on and destroy the relationships with the whole world."

Netanyahu also faces problems within Israel's borders, the Post said. Demonstrators gathered in Tel Aviv to protest the government's decision to block construction of an underground hospital emergency room in Ashkelon. The Post said the action was taken to mollify an ultra-Orthodox coalition member who threatened to resign because the facility would be built on an ancient cemetery.

The underground facility was being built to protect patients from rockets fired from Gaza. The Health Ministry's director general resigned because of the decision to block construction.