Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu went all-out to sink the Iran nuclear deal, most famously giving a fiery speech against the deal before the U.S. Congress but also by personally lobbying groups of lawmakers. The deal officially survived on Thursday afternoon, when 42 Senate Democrats prevented a bill of disapproval from leaving the Senate, but it has been clear for a week the accord wouldn't die in Congress.
And starting about a week ago, Netanyahu has basically stopped talking about the Iran deal, The New York Times reports. "He is not particularly interested in playing up the fact that a deal he bitterly opposed is going through," said David Horovitz, editor of The Times of Israel. "Although he's not saying that the cause is lost, if he hammers away at the same level, he reminds everybody that it's been lost."
Netanyahu did briefly mention Iran in public remarks after meeting with British Prime Minister David Cameron, but not the nuclear deal, and only in between a plug for Israeli innovation and stating his willingness to restart talks with the Palestinians. "I'm willing right now, without any preconditions, any preconditions whatsoever, to sit down with President Abbas and negotiate this peace," Netanyahu said. "I'm willing to go to Ramallah.... Anytime, anywhere, now, without preconditions."
Oddly enough, Netanyahu's "stinging loss on Iran may actually remove a headache," notes The New York Times' Jodi Rudoren, "as many American leaders are wary of seeming to pile on by pressuring him on Palestinian statehood."