March 24, 2013
http://wordfromjerusalem.com/?p=4558
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Wishing all my readers a very Happy Passover
Chag Sameach,
Isi and Naomi Leibler
Both American and Israeli
leaders must have heaved sighs of relief as Air Force One departed from
Ben-Gurion Airport with President Obama’s visit culminating on a high
note for both parties.
Obama engaged in an
unprecedented charm offensive in order to overcome the intense Israeli
distrust towards him stemming from his initial efforts to appease the
Arabs by “providing daylight” between the US and Israel. To that end,
four years ago in Cairo, he groveled to the Moslem world and basically
endorsed the Palestinian narrative. Subsequently he demanded a
unilateral settlement freeze including the Jewish suburbs of East
Jerusalem, issued one-sided condemnations of Israel and repeatedly
snubbed Prime Minister Netanyahu.
What particularly rankled
Israelis in his Cairo speech was his attribution of the creation of
Israel to the Holocaust, effectively ignoring the Jewish links with
Eretz Israel for 3000 years.
His first speech on arrival at
the airport totally repudiated this. He related movingly “to the Jewish
homeland” in which Jews prayed and tended the land for 3000 years,
describing the rebirth of the Jewish state as an unparalleled historic
act of redemption. He subsequently said that Israel was the guarantor
that a future Holocaust would never recur. He reaffirmed that “the US is
proud to stand with you as your greatest ally and your greatest
friend”, describing the “unbreakable” US-Israel alliance as “eternal”.
He subsequently visited the
Israel Museum where he viewed the Dead Sea Scrolls –- evidence of the
historical linkage between Israel and the Jewish people. He also visited
the graves of Zionism’s patriarch, Theodor Herzl directly repudiating
Erdogan’s outrageous remarks against Zionism in order to facilitate
Netanyahu’s unsavory back down to Turkey which realpolitik demanded for
tangible strategic reasons.
Obama repeated his mantra
opposing settlement expansion and calling for implementing the two-state
solution. He irritated many Israelis by referring to Palestinian
suffering without relating it to terrorism and incitement as well as
praising the PA as a genuine peace partner. But for the first time he
explicitly urged the Palestinians to accept Israel’s offer of
negotiating without preconditions. He also made no demands on Israel for
further unilateral concessions and hinted but avoided explicitly
repeating his former demand that the indefensible 1949 armistice lines
with swaps serve as a benchmark for negotiations. Of course, that may be
resurrected at a future date.
Israelis remain somewhat queasy
as to Obama’s ultimate intentions regarding Iran. Whilst expressing
hope that diplomacy could still succeed, he reiterated that he was not
bluffing when he vowed as a last resort, to exercise all options to
prevent the Iranians from achieving nuclear status, but still declined
to set deadlines. There are also concerns that the US may agree to a
partial deal in which the Iranians would be permitted to develop medium
enriched uranium enabling them subsequently to create a bomb within a
very short time span.
Yet on the positive side, a
nuclear Iran is now recognized as a threat to the US and the West. And
for the first time, Obama stated explicitly that the US accepted and
respected Israel’s right to take whatever steps deemed necessary to
defend itself – a clear message to the Iranians that if they maintained
their current course, the US would not block an Israeli strike.
If after his repeated
undertakings, Obama fails to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear
bomb, he would lose enormous global credibility amongst friends and foes
alike and irretrievably tarnish his legacy.
It would however be premature
for Israelis to conclude that Obama’s intensively friendly statements
and hugs signify a reversal of his political approach.
Even on this visit, unlike
Presidents Clinton and Bush, he refused to address the Knesset – the
embodiment of Israel’s democratic ethos; declined to visit the Kotel and
the Temple Mount to avoid compromising US policy which stipulates that
these are disputed areas; and excluded Ariel University students from
his address.
American Jewish journalist,
Jeffery Goldberg, who is close to Obama, described his views on Israel
as being more akin to Israel’s far left newspaper, Ha’aretz, than the
political mainstream. His administration is thus likely to remain
isolationist and continue to appease rather than confront Islamist
regimes.
Some suggest that he seeks
popular support in order to renew pressure on Israel to make further
unilateral concessions and accept his formula based on the indefensible
pre-1967 borders. There is already talk of Secretary of State John Kerry
reintroducing the Arab League ‘peace initiative’ based on 1967 borders
and repatriation to Israel of Arab refugees.
But Obama is a pragmatist and
aware that opinion polls demonstrate that Americans today are more
supportive of Israel than ever before and that ongoing confrontation
with the Jewish state would create needless problems in Congress where
he faces crucial challenges. Indeed, on the eve of his visit over three
quarters of the Congress petitioned him to stand by Israel. He has
probably also concluded that one sided pressurizing of Israel has been
counterproductive.
Some Israelis will dismiss his
utterances as mere platitudes and warn against becoming bedazzled by a
false dawn. But the political gravitas of such statements should not be
underestimated. Never has an American president spoken out with such
commitment and passion about Israel and effectively identified himself
with the Zionist vision.
He also repudiated calls from
the far left, including Israeli so called “peaceniks” and Jews like J
Street, urging him to employ “tough love” and pressurize Israel. More
importantly he conveyed a powerful message to the Islamists.
Indeed, without suggesting that
Israelis were transformed overnight into fans, his unprecedented
passionate Zionist speeches and extraordinary efforts to overcome the
personal animus with Netanyahu did more than merely ease acute concerns.
At least symbolically, they represented a sea change and will
historically be recorded as the highlight of his visit.
Politicians must be judged by
their actions. Whilst the selection of Chuck Hagel as Secretary of
Defense, uncertainty over timing in relation to Iran, the
Administration’s infatuation with Abbas and the ongoing US “engagement”
with undemocratic Islamist regimes remain grounds for concern, the
powerful messages of friendship and support directed towards us by an
American President are of enormous significance.
Prime Minister Netanyahu, who
only days earlier succeeded in cobbling together a government, must be
immensely satisfied with Obama’s extraordinary public displays of
friendship. Netanyahu spoke for the entire nation when conveying
gratitude for US military support which despite the tensions, actually
expanded under the Obama administration.
However, most Israelis
appreciate that we cannot subcontract our security to any third party –
not even the United States - and must rely on our own defensive
capabilities.
In the short term, achieving a
peace settlement remains a mirage. However, transitory agreements can be
implemented which would improve the relationship between Palestinians
and Israelis.
The new Israeli government is
in an ideal position to move in this direction. If instead of pressuring
Israel to commit to final borders or make further unilateral
concessions, the Obama administration endorsed its efforts to create
interim or partial agreements providing the Palestinians with improved
quality of life, this would represent considerable progress. Over time,
it may even encourage the emergence of a moderate Palestinian leadership
willing to negotiate towards a comprehensive peace settlement.
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He may be contacted at ileibler@leibler.com
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