President Obama is telling Democrats on Capitol Hill that, if Netanyahu continues in his opposition to negotiations, he is going to take him on.
It is essential that he do this because Prime Ministers of Israel tend to run to Congress if the US president deviates from, what the Prime Minister perceives as 100% support.
Netanyahu has done that in the past. During the Clinton years, he was an ex officio member of the Republican caucus, openly cavorting with Speaker Gingrich and dissing President Clinton. Clinton still prevailed because most Congressional Democrats stood with their President and push never came to shove.
Obama will likely prevail too but who knows? On Israel issues, Democrats are at least as lockstep behind the occupation as Republicans. Some of the most out- there House liberals (from New York, California, Maryland and Florida) are Likud on Israel at the same time that they were strong opponents of the Iraq war. Some of them are as rightwing as Netanyahu. Or, to be more precise, pretend to be.
That is why Obama needs to tell them. Hey, I know you don't want to get the lobby mad. I understand all about fundraising, But what I'm doing is best for the United States and Israel. And, guys, I'm your President, I expect your support and I'm taking names.
Here is another article from Ha'aretz in which various Congressional liberals sound off for Netanyahu. It is this type of thing Obama needs to respond to.