If we needed yet another deeply symbolic picture of the dysfunctional nature of Israeli-American relations, then Benjamin Netanyahu’s appearance before the U.S. Congress provided it. What other foreign leader — particularly of a dwarf-state, dependent on U.S. support — can afford to alienate the president of the greatest world power, then subsequently be emphatically celebrated by the U.S. Congress? The scene really had the effect of the tail wagging the dog.
The standing ovations for Netanyahu can only be rationally explained by the fact that many of the congressional delegates do not wish to spoil their relationships with Jewish and evangelical pro-Israel groups, their voters and sponsors, before next year’s elections. Despite counter-currents, the ideological influence of this “Israel lobby” on U.S. policy remains large.
This is not a good sign for the Middle East. Netanyahu made it clear before Congress that he is not interested in a true peace with the Palestinians. He who denies nearly all their claims from the outset and instead builds new barriers — he is not honestly ready for “painful compromises,” as he claims to be.
Once again, Netanyahu presented himself as firm and unwavering to his constituents among settlers and the right-wing fringe in Israel. The future of his country apparently factors less into his view, since his successful PR stunt before Congress can be seen as a hollow victory. In the end, in fact, Obama is far less dependent on Israeli goodwill than the other way around. And if the cry for freedom, democracy and rule of law in the Arab world grows louder, it will not be possible to perpetually deny those liberties to Palestinians under Israel’s occupying government.
Despite the continued submission by America’s politicians to the demands of Israel, there is a growing recognition and resistance to the Israeli Lobby by American peace and human rights activists. Israeli Zionist expansionism is now exposed. Israel is being seen more and more as a rogue state, an outlaw, protected by the USA. But Israel’s aggression against defenseless civilians has meant that more and more Americans no longer accept the delusional grandiose fantasy of the Zionists as a “chosen” people with the self-declared right to rule the UnHoly Land no matter how many Palestinian lives are destroyed. Will Israel’s leaders be prosecuted by the International Criminal Court for crimes of aggression and crimes against humanity?