The Obama Administration’s Mideast policy is looking worse and worse for Israel:
- The ‘special relationship’ between the US and Israel in which Israel was informed in advance about American actions or even consulted seems to be ended.
- The US seems to be treating Israel more like a possible adversary than an ally, as illustrated by the new X-band radar installation in the Negev which is off-limits to Israeli personnel, the refusal to sell certain weapons and equipment to Israel, and the proposed sale of the F-35 aircraft without allowing Israeli access to the flight computer.
- US officials have begun to make unpleasant noises about Israel’s nuclear capability. Caroline Glick explains,
Speaking at a UN forum, US Assistant Secretary of State Rose Gottemoeller said, “Universal adherence to the [Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty] NPT itself, including by India, Israel, Pakistan and North Korea… remains a fundamental objective of the United States.”
As Eli Lake from The Washington Times demonstrated convincingly, by speaking as she did, Gottemoeller effectively abrogated a 40-year-old US-Israeli understanding that the US would remain silent about Israel’s nuclear program because it understood that it was defensive, not offensive in nature.
- Secretary of State Clinton, Vice President Biden, Rahm Emanuel and others have proclaimed the administrations adherence to an illogical linkage theory that calls for the creation of a Palestinian state as a prerequisite for action against Iranian aggression and nuclear weapons development.
- The administration is pushing a form of two-state solution based on the Saudi Initiative, while expecting to get Arab support for ‘Zionising’ the initiative by eliminating elements — like a return of Arab ‘refugees’ to Israel or strict pre-1967 borders — that are unacceptable to Israel. But even if this were possible, what about Hamas? The deal is worthless if Hamas is excluded, and disastrous if it is.
- Although construction of homes in existing settlements and East Jerusalem in no way makes an agreement more difficult, Israel will almost certainly be forced to freeze such construction. Other limitations of sovereignty outside the Green Line — including concessions dangerous to security — will likely follow, despite the fact that no peace agreement is in the offing.
Prime Minister Netanyahu is going to meet with President Obama shortly. Advice for him ranges from “be cooperative” to “tell him to go to hell”. My advice is this:
Be pro-active. Present an Israeli peace plan for the region which begins with an end to Iranian proxy aggression by means of Hamas and Hezbollah. Make clear that the Palestinian problem cannot be solved until this happens, and until the Palestinians themselves are prepared to recognize Israel as a Jewish state. Remember that the Sunni Arab states too want something done about Iran, preferably before they get the bomb.
Technorati Tags: Israel, Obama Administration
All these signs are extremely worrisome. The Bush Administration did not keep its promise in relation to stopping Iran. It also made a major negative move in insisting on a future Palestinian Arab state. But it did coordinate on security matters with Israel. And it did show understanding regarding Israel’s actions against Palestinian terror.
All the signs listed here, including the loss of mutual consultation are signs of worse to come. I suppose given the character of the personnel Obama appointed to deal with Israel this was to be expected.
What is also worrisome is the collapse of the Republicans and the possible loss of Congressional support for Israel in any future confrontation with the Administration.
The American Diaspora had better start making some serious noise in Washington or begin packing up assets and children to head back home to Israel. Fight the Islamists there, or here; it looks horribly possible that it will soon be an either/or proposition. And then, how well will American Jews fare under a barely concealed Islamists American State? I have regretted my vote over and over again. Never in my life have I felt that I made such a mistake in judgment as I have over the last election. Like many, I felt it was time for a leadership change, but like many, I thought I was doing the right thing, voting a black man into power and doing my part in alleviating 200-plus years of racial abuse. Again, I hope I was correct in another posting that what is happening is a ruse, but, it is also painfully apparent to me that I may have helped elect Israel’s greatest enemy of all. G-d, I hope not. G-d, forgive me.