Commentary Magazine
- 03.27.2010 - 8:30 AMAIPAC, facing the greatest challenge in its history as the most anti-Israel administration in history makes hash out of the U.S.-Israel relationship, is touting its recent success in getting 326 House members to sign on to a letter to the White House:
In less than three days, three-quarters of the House of Representatives has come together to sign a bipartisan letter to the Obama Administration underscoring the importance of the U.S.-Israel relationship, and laying out the bedrock support that exists in the United States Congress for U.S.-Israel alliance.
The letter was drafted before the despicable White House treatment of Netanyahu and the revelation that a new round of concessions was being demanded of the Jewish state. Already the letter seems painfully out of date, if not irrelevant. It reads in part:
The United States and Israel are close allies whose people share a deep and abiding friendship based on a shared commitment to core values including democracy, human rights and freedom of the press and religion. Our two countries are partners in the fight against terrorism and share an important strategic relationship. . . .
A strong Israel is an asset to the national security of the United States and brings stability to the Middle East…Steadfast American backing has helped lead to Israeli peace treaties with Egypt and Jordan. And American involvement continues to be critical to the effort to achieve peace between Israel and the Palestinians. . . .
We recognize that, despite the extraordinary closeness between our country and Israel, there will be differences over issues both large and small. Our view is that such differences are best resolved quietly, in trust and confidence, as befits longstanding strategic allies. . . .
We hope and expect that, with mutual effort and good faith, the United States and Israel will move beyond this disruption quickly, to the lasting benefit of both nations. We believe, as President Obama said, that “Israel’s security is paramount” in our Middle East policy and that “it is in U.S. national security interests to assure that Israel’s security as an independent Jewish state is maintained.” In that spirit, we look forward to working with you to achieve the common objectives of the U.S. and Israel, especially regional security and peace.
Well, the problem is not whether the Obami do their bashing quietly or in a 43-minute dressing down by Hillary Clinton, repeated proudly for the press corps.the administration has adopted a policy to the Middle East antithetical to the interests and security of the Jewish state. The problem is that aside from the disingenuous platitudes that Clinton recited to a skeptical AIPAC crowd, If the letter were written today, would the signatories plead with the administration to cease being so patently rude to the prime minister? Would the letter rebuke the administration for attempting to bully the Israeli government into another round of unilateral concessions? Well, that’s what’s going on and is proving a source of great consternation as the depth of the Obami’s animus toward Israel is revealed. It is now obvious that the Biden-Clinton-Axelrod “condemn” offensive was only the start and the outward manifestation, but not the root of the problem.
What would be helpful, I think, is a new letter, demanding that the administration recognize and live up to the Bush administration’s agreement on settlements (permitting natural growth — “up” and “in” but not “out” – and leaving Jerusalem for final-status negotiations), end its rude-a-thon directed at the Israeli prime minister, cease demands for unilateral concessions by Israel, withdraw from the UN Human Rights Council, and reaffirm that the Palestinians must cease calls for and participation in violence. For good measure, such a letter would do well to assert that, if we really must have “peace” talks, then the Palestinians must come directly to the bargaining table, not hide behind George Mitchell’s skirt. Now that’d be a letter worth sending. And it sure would smoke out which Democrats are going through the motions and which are determined to halt the Obami’s assault on Israel.
