U.S. relationship with Israel: With friends like this...

While I am pleased with the initiatives of the Obama administration in regard to domestic issues, I am troubled by what I perceive to be the administration’s approach to the conflict between Israel and her neighbors. Statements made by the President and members of his administration seem to express the view that Israel’s policies are a primary impediment to peace between Israel and her neighbors and to American security. While a few of Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s remarks may, at times, reflect some rigidity, the Obama administration’s view of the conflict seems to be based upon a lack of understanding of the history of the conflict, the real situation today and the importance of Israel as an ally of the United States. President Obama’s speech in Cairo several months ago was a prime example of this troubling attitude. The only reason he gave for Israel’s right to exist was that Jews were victimized during the Nazi Holocaust. He focused primarily on the suffering inflicted upon Palestinian Arabs by the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza since 1967 and made no reference to the need for that occupation, namely security, and no reference to the past 90 years of Arab brutality toward Jews living in our people’s ancient homeland

The belligerent tone recently exhibited by the administration in its reaction toward a diplomatic error on Israel’s part for which the Israeli Prime Minister has now apologized, also concerns me. While Israel has exhibited its willingness to accept responsibility for an unfortunate error in timing, it appears that the Obama administration may be attempting to use the announcement while Vice President Joe Biden was in the country, to build 1,600 units of housing in an existing settlement adjacent to pre-1967 west Jerusalem which would have involved no displacement of Arabs, as a pretext to drive a wedge between the United States and Israel, an important, reliable, long-standing ally of the United States. Vice President Biden said that the United States “condemns” Israel’s decision. I do not recall our government condemning the action of an ally. That term is usually reserved for the actions of our enemies. Furthermore, the Israeli decision was referred to by our administration as an “insult and affront” to the United States and the Vice President.

All this leads me to question why Abbas’ refusal to accept the United States request and the Israeli offer for direct peace negotiations was not an “insult and affront” to the United States and the Vice President. It also leads me to wonder why Assad’s meeting with Ahmadinejad, the day after the U.S. announced we were sending an ambassador to Syria, was ignored by the State Department and not considered an “insult and affront” to our country. I also wonder why the Palestinian Authority’s incitement of rioters in Jerusalem and elsewhere was not condemned by this administration and why the naming of the main public square in Ramallah by Abbas in honor of Fatah terrorist Dalal Mughrabi, murderer of 38 Israelis, including 13 children, was not an “insult and affront” to the United States and Israel and an impediment to the peace process.

My colleague, Rabbi Stuart Weinblatt, of Potomac, MD, in a letter he wrote to his congregation urging them to communicate to their legislators and to the administration their displeasure over the administration’s handling of the Israel/Palestinian issue, points out that “Israel is being asked to make concessions just to get the other side to come to negotiations, (while no demands are being made of the Palestinians) and is being told she can trust assurances by this administration that they will support her.” Rabbi Weinblatt also raises the question, “In light of the apoplectic response over this issue, how can Israel have any faith that this administration understands the risks it is taking for peace or that it will support her in a time of trouble.” He also observes, “The administration’s response is doing little more than pander to and firm up the extremists and the rejectionists in the Arab world.”

I urge you to speak out and let President Obama, Secretary of State Clinton, members of this administration and our legislators know that this administration’s treatment of its ally Israel is inappropriate. As Rabbi Weinblatt pointed out, “Friends do not treat friends in this manner – unless are they are not interested in being friends anymore.”

The Rabbinically Speaking column is provided as a public service by the Jewish Press in cooperation with the Pinellas County Board of Rabbis. Columns are assigned, on a rotating basis by the board.