Following the public affairs of the United States, one notices the presence of mutual caution and the absence of mutual respect, love, and admiration between American President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. This seems stable and constant and has now reached a degree of certainty. The critical developments that caused this stem from instances in which Netanyahu rebuffed Obama. First, he rejected Obama’s proposal to freeze settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories. Secondly, he rejected Obama’s proposal to revert to the 1967 borders with modifications. Nevertheless, those who follow Washington’s relationship with Israel notice that this does not mean that the two leaders do not agree on a number of other issues. Rejecting the harsh boundaries of 1967, Netanyahu approached Israeli voters rather than the U.S. Congress, before whom he made a speech that many American Jews who applauded him did not want. Nevertheless, it goes without saying that there is goodwill between the United States and Israel and that most of their citizens defend Israel vigorously.
What are the issues on which Obama and Netanyahu agree?
One may summarize with five observations. First, Israel now sees itself in a strategically bad situation, the reasons for which are manifold, including the loss of Turkey as a strong Muslim ally in the Middle East. This also began following the loss of Egypt after the successful popular revolution that broke out last Jan. 25. Furthermore, the two leaders are convinced that their new Arab neighbors, who challenge their regimes while seeking to repair or overthrow them, are not sympathetic to Israel.
Secondly, American and Israeli leaders understand that the aforementioned bad situation requires negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian National Authority. These have been suspended for a long time.
Thirdly, the two leaders understand that the renewal of these negotiations requires acknowledgement from Islamic fundamentalists in Gaza and Hamas of the State of Israel’s right to exist and recognition of all agreements signed between Israel and the Palestinian “Authority” and the late leader of the PLO, Yasser Arafat.
Fourthly, the two leaders understand the need to search for the most effective means to prevent the Palestinian National Authority from appealing to the United Nations (the Security Council or General Assembly) in order to gain recognition of the State of Palestine. This has brought about the return of direct negotiations, as did the waving of the veto in the Security Council and the pressure in the Assembly to prevent a “State declaration” with the required majority. Note that the success of this may not be guaranteed.
Finally, U.S. and Israeli leaders agree upon the need to prevent Islamic Iran from continuing its creation of alleged nuclear weapons. In this respect, Obama explained to Netanyahu that he wants to support the “popular wave” and the new democracies that are sweeping in the Middle East. He’s convinced that it will be a viable alternative to Islamic fundamentalism, particularly those which are based on violence and restitution. He stressed that the resumption of negotiations between Israel and Palestine would be a catalyst for achieving these ends.
What do American President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu make of Syria’s Bashar al-Assad and the uprising triggered by violent and widespread oppression?
Observers will answer this for themselves. Americans believe that their Western allies must face the developments yet to come in the Syrian situation. Americans also believe that these allies want Bashar al-Assad to lead the reform process that the vast number of Syrians demand. Yet the allies realize now more than ever that he is incapable or unwilling to do so. The causes may be many and varied, but they are not unknown. As for the two leaders’ perspective on Syria, observers can confirm for themselves the existence of an understanding or agreement between them and their vision of the prospects of development. How is that?
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