Had it been any other nation, such meddling in American politics by a diplomat would have resulted in his expulsion. But the relationship between the United States and Israel is anything but normal. Both countries and both peoples are intertwined and entangled not only militarily, politically and economically with one another, but are closer psychologically and emotionally than any other sovereign states known to man. Israeli policy is always U.S. domestic policy.
As reported recently in The New York Times, Ron Dermer, Israel’s ambassador to Washington, orchestrated a highly controversial appearance for Netanyahu before the U.S. Congress. It was accomplished with a lot of Republican assistance — and without prior consultation with President Barack Obama.
It’s not uncommon for foreign heads of state to address Congress. Chancellor Angela Merkel has appeared there, and Netanyahu has done so repeatedly. But this secretive collusion behind the president’s back contradicts all diplomatic civility.
Why this insult? Because in March, the United States, Russia, France, the United Kingdom and Germany want to conclude a nuclear agreement with Iran. Netanyahu and the Republicans want to prevent that at all costs, because an agreement with the Tehran government — if it ever comes about — would mean compromise. As such, it would require not only the Iranian government to make concessions, but all five other partners to do so as well.
Election Issue: Negotiations with Iran
But Netanyahu is looking at something else by addressing Congress: On March 17, he wants to be reelected prime minister of Israel. Opposition to a nuclear agreement with Iran is his mission and his campaign platform. Nowhere can he more loudly and more effectively rail against a nuclear deal with Iran than before Congress. What he says on the world’s biggest stage will not only go viral globally, it will also penetrate into the most obscure corners of his own country.
The relationship between the U.S. and Israel has always been close but seldom free of tensions, not even with a Republican in the White House. Former Secretary of State James Baker under George H.W. Bush complained before Congress about Israel’s stubbornness and unyielding attitude in Middle East negotiations. He was reported to have departed Israel in a rage saying, “I have to tell you that everybody over there should know that the telephone number is 1-202-456-1414,” then added, ”When you’re serious about peace, call us.” Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was also constantly angry with the Israeli government.
Enmity between Obama and Netanyahu
But the relationship has never been worse than it is right now. When Obama and Netanyahu meet, their body language shows immediately that they can’t stand one another. It’s been reported that Obama got so frustrated with Netanyahu during a meeting a few years ago that he left his guest sitting alone in the White House.
In return, Netanyahu seems to delight in butting heads with Obama. When Obama gave a major Middle East speech in which he proposed a two-state solution with a return to the pre-1967 borders, Netanyahu waited literally until the last second before flooding the White House with telephone calls in an attempt to prevent passage of Obama’s proposal. And when Vice President Joe Biden was about to arrive in Israel for a visit last March, Netanyahu picked that moment to announce Israel’s intention to build an additional 1,600 homes for settlers in Arab East Jerusalem. Netanyahu also openly announced his support for Mitt Romney during the presidential election campaign in 2012.
Israel’s Ambassador as Election Worker
But Netanyahu’s planned speech to Congress is by far the greatest provocation thus far for America, because Netanyahu thereby aligns himself with the Republicans in opposing the president’s Middle East policies. Beyond that, the acting ambassador who set it all up is functioning not as someone acting in Israel’s best interests but as a partisan agent for Netanyahu and an election functionary.
Fortunately, this hostile act has angered not only many Israelis but a lot of American Jews as well. What so often gets lost in all the political wrangling is the fact that American voters gave Obama a second term by a large majority, and that three out of four American Jews voted for him in 2008 and again in 2012.
Completely ignored by our mainstream news media is the old fashioned liberal-humanist-socialist Jew, who no more idealizes Zionism than he or she idealized the old Soviet Union. The Jews gave to Western Civilization the gift of Monotheism-which rules out all forms of state worship.Has Israel become an IDOL for too many American Jews ? And Netanyahu a false god ?
( http://radicalrons.blogspot.com/ )