FROM Barack Obama’s point of view, the timing could not have been worse. The administration has been pushing hard in the Security Council for new sanctions against Iran and had invested heavily in the Israeli-Palestinian “proximity talks” brokered by Mr Obama’s special envoy, George Mitchell. Both of these efforts are now in jeopardy. Moreover, the Israeli raid came soon after Mr Obama had decided to rescue America’s relations with Israel from the ditch into which they fell in March, when Israel announced plans for a Jewish suburb in occupied East Jerusalem just as the proximity talks were about to begin.
During that confrontation Mr Obama asked Binyamin Netanyahu to freeze Jewish settlement in Jerusalem, an undertaking the Israeli prime minister refused to give. Mr Netanyahu received a frosty reception at the White House in March. But for one reason or another the Obama administration decided several weeks ago that it was time to make up. Mr Netanyahu was invited back and was supposed to drop by this week. After the raid he flew directly home to Israel from a visit to Canada.
Whatever the private thoughts of Mr Obama, America has refused to join the international outcry against its wayward ally. In New York American diplomats ensured that a special meeting of the UN Security Council did not condemn Israel and called only for an impartial investigation of the facts. In a telephone call with Turkey’s enraged prime minister, Mr Obama was cautious. He expressed his condolences and affirmed the need to provide humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza—but, according to a White House summary of the conversation, “without undermining Israel’s security”.
As ever, domestic politics have played a part in shaping Mr Obama’s responses. Israel’s friends on Capitol Hill have pushed back hard since the March spat. A letter affirming the value of a close relationship with Israel was signed by 334 of the 435 members of the House, and a similar one by 76 of the 100 senators. Despite the emergence of J Street, a feisty and doveish pro-Israel lobby, AIPAC, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, has far more muscle and is not afraid to flex it.
Even in Congress, however, support for Israel is not rock solid, and is showing signs of change. Dan Senor, a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, noted recently that there were “real divisions” among congressional Democrats over Israel, “and those divisions are widening and cementing in ways not seen in decades”. For most Republicans, on the other hand, supporting the Jewish state remains, literally, an article of faith.
With mid-term congressional elections due in November and the Democrats braced for a drubbing, this would be a tricky time for Mr Obama to pick a fresh fight with Israel. That may be why, since early May, the White House has been labouring to correct what Rahm Emanuel, Mr Obama’s chief of staff, has described as the administration’s flawed “messaging”. A posse of senior officials have stressed that the ties to Israel are unbreakable.
That said, the influence of domestic politics can be exaggerated. Despite the pre-flotilla thaw, Mr Obama has made it abundantly clear in recent months that Israel can no longer take American support for granted. He seems genuinely to believe that the United States can and should bring about a two-state solution in Palestine. Mr Netanyahu says that is his aim too, but in his case there are strong reasons to doubt whether he is sincere. So long as both leaders remain in office, with their convictions unchanged, that will be a recipe for growing estrangement.
http://www.economist.com/node/16274273
It's amazing to see the change in attitudes among my peers as well. Some of my Jewish friends have taken to calling the Israelis "terrorists" and are asking others to support the peace movement and the Palestinians; for many, these sorts of attacks are leading to a new form of antisemitism based on dislike of Israeli actions toward Arabs.
What Obama *should* have done is scold Turkey's PM Erdogan for cynically undermining the peace talks with his backing of the "peace flotilla" organized by IHH- a Turkish organization with known ties to terrorists and fanatical clerics.
But I guess that would be expecting too much.
If the cowardly and criminal torpedoing of the Belgrano (sailing AWAY from the warzone) is an acceptable act in times of war, according to The Economist and Maggie Thatcher, what is the shooting of 9 palestinian terrorists sailing TOWARD Israel? These maggots were hiding behind the facade of humanitarian aid... same as Osama Bin Laden and his gang riding in a "Doctors Without Borders" airplane en route to the United States.
If Pres. Obama announced that all Jewish Israeli nationals who are professionals and speak English can legally immigrate to the U.S. The problem in the Middle East would be over, and the U.S. could benefit from a few million good people who would help boost it's economy. I suggest all anti-Israeli activists should lobby for this contingency.
Of course after most Israelis leave for the U.S. the Arab/Islamic world will immidiately pull itself out of the mire of poverty, violence and disorder.
I question why the average American accepts israeli aggression and colonialism in Palestine when the costs are so heavy in American lives and treasure? What exactly does America get out of that alliance?
How much does AIPAC pay to American politicians' "election campaigns" to get them to sacrifice the boys and girls of their nation for the sake of a failed apartheid state?
The biggest irony of the situation is that the American politicians are probably being paid with money that was sent by America to israel to help it develop - a blood money kickback if you will.
Does anyone have any marshmellows so we can cook them over the soon to be coming worthless comments that are burning with hatred for both sides?
It seems the brigade was waiting for this issue of the Economist to come out and are attempting to fill this comment section with their vile graffiti before anyone gets a word in edgewise...
It is hard to pick allies from the middle east. Every country there has a tainted history and mischievous intentions. Therefore, it is perfectly rational to choose the one whose lobby offers more short-term gains.
It's time for America to rethink its absurd and irrational unconditional support for the violent colonial regime of Israel.
An insightful analysis from William R. Polk about how America managed to breed a violent and arrogant brat as Israel through overseeing not only its crimes against others, but also against America itself!. As he concludes:
"[...] if the United States government did not react to attack on its installations and even on his Naval ships, in which numbers of serving, uniformed officers and men on official duty were wounded or killed, and does not protest damaging, lethal and potentially warlike espionage by Israel, why should Israel pay any attention to admonition over lesser issues?
I think we are hearing the answer today.
In conclusion, by treating Israel as a non-state, indeed above the laws and customs that govern international conduct -- a sort of inverse anti-Semitism -- American politicians are, I think it is fair to say, complicit in Israeli actions. Treating Israel as though it were not required to pay “decent respect to the opinions of mankind.,” American governments, with the active connivance of the Israeli government and the Zionist lobby, have perhaps set Israel up for a great fall."
http://snuffysmithsblog.blogspot.com/2010/06/william-polk-on-context-of-...
I specially recommend the account about the events that lead to the attack on the USS Liberty. Truly gruesome, depicting Israel's true nature. With friends like that...
Almost 1/3 of all foreign aid from the United States goes to Israel in the amount of $142,900,000,000; Israel has total population of 7.2 million people.
US also give Egypt $29,000,000,000 to keep peace with Israel. In addition, US pay Jordan $3,900,000,000 as well.
Almost half of foreign aid from United States is used to support Israel in some shape or form. The total amount is $185,800,000,00. That is almost the same amount of money used to bailout AIG so far.
Let us divide the $185,800,000,000 by the total population of Israel of 7,200,000 people.
That is USD $25,805 per person.
Furthermore, if US citizens donate money to the state of Israel, it is tax deductible. God knows how much money US citizen donate to the state of Israel.
Almost two dozen resolutions in UN condemn Israel and several times the United States is the only country cast a veto most of the time.
Have you wonder, how come the whole world is wrong almost two dozen times? Can Israel exist without unconditional US support? Economically? Military? Politically?
What benefits United States? How come 190 countries are wrong all the time?
U.S. is fighting two wars, do we undersatnd the real reason? someone said it is related to Israel? Why there is 9/11? someone said is it also related to Israel?
Why U.S. spends hundreds of billion in foreign aids to Israel? and Israel is the only country the U.S. government allows tax deductible if U.S. citizen donate money to Israel? Why U.S. send hundred of thousands young boys and girls to fight for Israel, if it is true?
Israel is the pirate of the Mediterranean, and U.S.A supports it. Who will respect the U.S.A now? The American foreign political is very bad.
Americans perception of the US-Israeli bond has been changing for some time, but that change does not reflect in our government’s actions & policies, nor does it reflect in our media coverage of events related to Israel. In fact, the Israeli and organized Jewry control of our government and our media is moving in the opposite direction of the increasing public awareness. No one could have put it more bluntly than A. Sharon who is reported to have said on an Israeli talk show, replying to Perez cautioning him to not undertake actions to force American pressure, “don’t worry about American pressure; I tell you, we, the Jewish people, control America and the American people know it!” Perhaps this will change when we start yet another war for Israel and cause an even greater damage to our economy than we did by invading Iraq.
On US-Israeli matters, the White House does not speak for me, nor do my two Jewish Senators from CA or my Jewish Congressman, Mr. Waxman. I think the word “Bondage” is more appropriate to describe the relationship between this country and Israel.
Israeli's need to look at the harsh political reality facing them. Their government is chiding their legitimacy and has made horrendous political and humanitarian blunders in the past few years. There is a clear path to peace and it must come from an even handed understanding of the plight of the Palestinian people. Israel must accept Palestinians as neighbors and equals, remove settlements from lands which do not belong to them, and begin the process of development. Israel cannot hide behind the curtain and continue to claim "anti-semitism" or moral legitimacy when they are attacking peaceful aid ships. Israel made a grave error - plain and simple - no need to defend it.
If the state of California got as much support in congress as the state of Israel does, they would not be in the budget mess they are in. California only has the support of 2 senators, and about 53 representatives, whereas Israel has the complete support of 100 senators, 435 representatives, as well as the Judicial and Executive branches of the US government. I wish California could hire AIPAC lobbyists instead of their congressional delegation. They are far more effective.
@ happyfish18:
check and you will see that in the past 20 years or so the purse strings are held tightly by the Arab/ Muslim world (at least the ruling elites). Look at who are the owners, shareholders and advertisers on international news channels, who controls oil prices, who donates money to western universities. The Arabs/Muslims have the world by the short and curlies, if not by money - then by the subtle threat of bringing violence to our peacful little western lives.
Reading some comments I feel really scared.The treatment of non-Jews prescribed by some foolish guys is extremely awful.
At the end of the day, US administration doesn't have to answer to anyone - except domestic public opinion. And support for Israel in US has never been higher: http://www.gallup.com/poll/126155/support-Israel-near-record-high.aspx
When's the last time 333 Congressmen & 70 Senators have come together to sign anything?
This incident will be news for a week & then on to the next story.
OK I listened to the US and Israeli Officials as well as the US mainstream media. Here's what happend!
Terrorists were trying to deliver goods including cement to the terrorist adults and babies in Gaza. The terrorist adults were going to use that cement as bunkers, thus theatening the survival of Israel.
The brave Israeli Commandos only wanted to inspect the flotillas the terrorists were floating in on in international waters, which is allowed since Israel's survival is at stake, so they peacefully landed on the ship in the dark of night, holding what looked like guns but were only paint ball guns. Instead of inviting them to tea, the evil terrorists actually picked up whatever blunt supplies they could find and went after the nice Commando visitors. Then, the poor Commandos had no choice but to take out their real guns and start killing the terrorists.
And that's all a good old American like me needs to know about this story.
Now, I will follow the advice of the Great Thomas Friedman and take this time to focus on the problems with Syrian Lebanese relations, and Iranian elections.
Call me Winston Smith!
Israel needs the US's support, but sadly this is a case of the tail wagging the dog. It's time for the US to finally crack the whip.
Israel has a right to exist and everybody needs to accept this. However I'm sick to the back teeth of the beligerant treatment that Israel dispenses to neighbouring countries and people in the occupied territories. Both Israel and the US need to change now, or they will both be out of support.
Isn’t it about time politicians stop pandering to Israel when it acts like a pariah state? Or is every politician in the U.S. beholden to the Israel lobby and forced to tolerate whatever their Taliban-like leaders choose to do. Any other country would be condemned outright for their actions. It’s time for a change. We ought to have some leverage because Israel is bought and paid for by the U.S. and without its support would cease to exist.