Tension between Israel and the Obama Administration has been a matter of considerable speculation in the past week, but President Obama doesn’t see the reason for it.
Speaking today Obama declared Israel “sacrosanct” and said that the “special relationship” between Israel and the United States was not going away. Speaking of the peace process he added “the actions that were taken by the interior minister in Israel weren’t helpful to that process. Prime Minister Netanyahu acknowledged as much and apologized for it.”
Other members of the Obama Administration were less forgiving, saying that the move was “insulting” and deliberately designed to ruin the indirect peace talks. The Palestinian Authority has said they will continue on with the peace talks only once Israel backs off the settlement expansion, something Israel has absolutely ruled out doing. The State Department says they have yet to hear back “formally” from Israel about the demand.
Though President Obama seems to be as conciliatory with Israel as ever, willing to accept the “apology” without the actual policy shift, he is taken growing criticism at home and abroad over the row. Congressmen are accusing him of “aiding the enemy,” while right wing Israeli protesters condemn him as an “agent of the PLO.” Prime Minister Netanyahu’s hawkish brother in law angrily condemned Obama as an “anti-Semite” today in a radio interview.
At the end of the day though, it seems that the tension is dying down, with or without any return to the peace process. Israel’s far right coalition government seems politically unable (not to mention unwilling) to back off the settlement expansion, and the Obama Administration likewise seems to have little to gain from continuing to criticize them.
The President is shrugging off this unpleasant truth: when push comes to shove, the US bows to Israel.
No level of Israeli intransigence or criminality ever interrupts with the unrivaled flow of US arms and aid to the Jewish State. Americans who complain about this are labeled "anti-Semitic". US Politicians who seek to change this arrangement are targeted for removal. America is a helpless giant.
Would any Israeli government be politically able to back off settlement expansion?
The previous Kadima government did not halt all construction, far from it, and Jerusalem is not really on the table even for the left of center politicians. Nnew elections in Israel will not produce a leftist pacifist government.
The great irony is that Israel's total intransigence and constant accusations of "Anti-Semitism" have the effect of turning non "Anti-Semites" into real "Anti-Semites".
This was expected. Obama is not just walking back from the confrontation, with Israeli spit all over his face – he is RUNNING back.
Expect him now to turn the conversation to even more savage and determined attacks on Iran.
That would definitely be the compensatory manoeuver to expect. When the the pimply-faced fat kid in the kicks your ass in front of the schoolyard audience, you absolutely need to beat up the scrawny transfer student to keep some standing. Yup.
No, there is nothing to gain by continuing to criticize the bastards, but there are other options……….
I was surprised anybody thought anything different would be in the off..
Sorry that was me
What is this so-called "special relationship" anyways? We give Israel 3 billion dollars a year and they take it. Some "special relationship"….