Obama, Netanyahu, andthe Sharing of Roles

The opinions and actions of Obama and Netanyahu regarding the management of the crisis in the Middle East differ in form and technique, but the two men are in alignment on the core of the issue. This is a realization not reached by most of the analysts and observers who study the Palestinian issue and its effects on both the Arab-Islamic world and international relations. In a strange paradox, Obama’s pragmatic ideology falls side by side with Netanyahu’s extreme right-wing ideology, both heading in the same direction toward the same goal!

Obama dodges and delays, prolonging negotiations in accordance with the desires of his Israeli ally and pressuring the weaker party (the Palestinian Authority) to accept the status quo and to submit to Israeli conditions. For his part, Netanyahu also dodges and delays, expanding settlements in Palestinian lands while continuing the politics of arm twisting. Just before Netanyahu’s last visit to Washington, Obama addressed the Israelis in a television interview in which he described Netanyahu as wise!! Then he addresses the Jews of the world, saying that he is not only a companion of the Jews, but also that he sympathizes with the Jews’ pain. He added that throughout his presidency, the USA has given Israel more support than any previous presidential term.

The two men race to earn the other’s affection, and each party avoids embarrassing the other. Just as the Israeli Fox (Netanyahu) allows his forces to penetrate Palestinian land, he uses the Jewish lobbyists in the USA to expand his influence in the American administration. Netanyahu can exert stronger pressure than his American ally, especially given that the mid-term congressional elections are around the corner; the Democrats, fearing a loss of popularity, are in need of the Jewish votes, funds and their powerful influence in the media. According to these electoral considerations and political influence, Netanyahu is considered the more powerful party in the balance, whether in “Israel” or in America. In the political lexicon, the stronger party is he who imposes his conditions on the weaker party. In reality, Netanyahu imposes his conditions on Obama and those who trust his policies in the Middle East. By this, I mean the Palestinian Authority, which is considered the weakest party in the balance, especially after committing itself to the imaginary choice of peace, betting on American administrations and ultimately forsaking the hope of the resistance!

There is no doubt that Obama and Netanyahu take advantage of two factors — time and the elections— in their respective countries to maintain the political situation in the region in order to cater to Israeli interests. However, they differ on the manner in which to continue a state of non-war and non-peace, which is considered embarrassing for Obama, who promised to solve the issue before the end of his presidency. While Obama sticks to the choice of peace and the establishment of the two states, Netanyahu, on his end, has renewed his adherence to the choice of peace without clearly stating his intentions specifically regarding the establishment of the Palestinian state, its borders, or even setting a time for the announcement of the country. However, in a statement made before the Conference of Jewish Organizations in New York, Netanyahu revealed his future view for this country: “We don’t want a Palestinian state threatening us”!

As for the American envoy, George Mitchell, he spent more than 20 years touring the region without realizing any progress in the peace process. From all of these tours, meetings and comments regarding direct and indirect talks, we can deduce the concealed American and Israeli hopes to realize important strategic goals serving the two parties in the long run and maintaining the Palestinian situation as is: a state of non-war and non-peace.