America’s friendship with Israel is at risk, mainstream and Jewish media outlets are reporting, due to Israel’s announcement (made during Vice President Joe Biden’s visit, of all times) that it will build 1,600 more housing units for Jews in East Jerusalem — the proposed capital of the Palestinian state.

Despite rebukes and warnings from some U.S. officials and Jewish organizations, including a Huffington Post op-ed by the Anti-Defamation League’s Abe Foxman, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted today that the construction is not a matter for negotiation.

If friends don’t let friends drive drunk, NYT columnist Thomas Friedman writes, then America should not allow Israel to continue to behave in a way that indicates “sheer madness” regarding the peace process. He thinks Biden should have gone home when the construction plans were unveiled. What do you think?

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