by Yoram Ettinger
President Obama’s
criticism of Prime Minister Netanyahu — on the eve of the Jan. 22, 2013
Israeli elections — underlines the secondary role played by the
Palestinian issue in shaping U.S.-Israel strategic cooperation.
Since March 2009, Obama
has systematically scorned Netanyahu’s policies on the Arab-Israeli
conflict in general and the Palestinian issue, Jerusalem and the
construction of Jewish communities in Judea and Samaria, in particular.
However, since March 2009, irrespective of harsh disagreements over the
Palestinian issue, the mutually-beneficial U.S.-Israel strategic
cooperation has expanded, especially in areas which feature the
distinctive Israeli added-value: intelligence-sharing,
counter-terrorism, homeland security, missile defense, training, battle
tactics, joint exercises, pre-positioning of military hardware, medical
treatment of soldiers and civilians, research and development, space,
commercial and defense industries and high-tech in general. Neither
Israel nor the U.S. intends to subordinate primary interests to
secondary issues by cutting off their noses to spite their faces.
The volcanic eruption
of the Arab Winter since 2010 — independent of the Palestinian issue —
has exposed the unpredictable nature, instability, violent volatility,
unreliability, inefficiency, intolerance and anti-U.S. terrorism and
hostility on the Arab Street. It has highlighted Israel’s unique
features as the only stable, predictable, reliable, capable, democratic
and unconditional ally of the U.S.
Mutual threats to the
U.S. and Israel — such as nuclear Iran, Islamic terrorism, the
proliferation of advanced missiles and nuclear technologies, and the
clear and present radical menace to pro-U.S. Arab regimes — transcend
the Palestinian issue. Moreover, pro (and anti) U.S. Arab leaders have
never considered the Palestinian issue a cardinal matter on their
agenda. They are currently traumatized by the lethal Iranian nuclear
threat, raging Arab Winter, emboldened Islamic terrorism and the
erupting Iraqi, Syrian and Muslim Brotherhood lava, which might trigger
their downfall.
Notwithstanding Obama’s
distrust of Israel’s Palestinian policy, U.S. defense and high-tech
establishments trust Israel’s unique contributions to U.S. national
security and the economy as a matchless source of cutting-edge
technologies, a sterling beachhead in a vital region, a battle-tested
laboratory, and the largest U.S. aircraft carrier which does not require
U.S. boots on board. Such attributes are doubly crucial while the U.S.
reduces its power projection and severely cuts its defense budget.
Obama’s criticism of
Netanyahu is not unprecedented. Prime Minister Shamir’s policy on the
Arab-Israeli conflict, including the Palestinian issue, was ruthlessly
criticized by the U.S. administration. However, in April 1988, at the
height of President Reagan’s brutal criticism of Shamir’s handling of
the First Palestinian Intifadah, Israel was elevated to the status of a
major non-NATO ally. A Memorandum of Understanding was concluded,
enhancing U.S.-Israel strategic cooperation in an unprecedented manner.
It aimed at leveraging Israeli capabilities in the face of joint
regional and global challenges, which superseded the Palestinian issue.
In fact, from 1948
until 1992, all Israeli Prime Ministers faced rough U.S. pressure on
Arab and Palestinian-related issues. In most cases, the pressure was
repelled, criticism was sharpened, but strategic cooperation surged
beyond expectations. Middle East reality overpowered oversimplified
policy and moral-equivalency.
While President Obama
rebukes Israeli policymakers, the U.S. constituency demonstrates its
overwhelming support for the Jewish state. A Dec. 2012 poll, conducted
by the Pew Research Center shows that Americans support Israel over
Palestinians by a 5:1 ratio, similar to a 59 percent:13% ratio
documented by a Nov. 2012 CNN poll. While the executive branch of
government is in the habit of criticizing Israel, the coequal,
co-determining Legislature — the most authentic representative of the
American people — has been a bastion of support for Israel since 1948
and for the idea of a Jewish state since 1776.
President Obama’s preoccupation with the Palestinian issue, and criticism of Israel, is out of the American mainstream.
Yoram Ettinger
Source: http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_opinion.php?id=3261
Copyright - Original materials copyright (c) by the authors.
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