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The end of Israel's special relationship?

Posted: Monday, May 18, 2009 10:28 AM
Filed Under:

By Martin Fletcher, NBC News Correspondent 

TEL AVIV – America has always related to Israel with the carrot, but now Israelis fear the stick will be President Barack Obama’s implement of choice. Maybe not right away, but soon.

As Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (also known as "Bibi") and Obama meet on Monday for the first time since each assumed office, Israel’s media, fed by government sources, are reaching a crescendo of hysteria: Is this the end of Israel’s special relationship with America?

One analyst hoped so – writing that the only American president who really helped Israel was, the now much reviled here, Jimmy Carter.

He helped cobbled together Israel’s peace treaty with Egypt by brow-beating then-Prime Minister Menachem Begin into giving up on his promises not to cede an inch of land. As a result of the Camp David Accords, Begin eventually gave up all of Sinai – winning a peace agreement with Egypt that stands firm today and is in no serious jeopardy.

So there are mixed feelings in Israel. On the one hand, nobody likes or wants to be bullied by America; while on the other many analysts accept that it is only by having its figurative head knocked together with the Palestinians’ that any progress towards peace is likely.

However, the 30-minister right-wing Israeli government is in no mood to compromise. They do not want Netanyahu to accept a two-state solution and they do not want to give up any settlements in the West Bank – while both issues appear to be near the top of Obama’s agenda.

Netanyahu will have to somehow ride out American pressure without ruining relations with Obama, while also satisfying his Israeli electorate that he hasn’t caved in like Begin.

Will Barack like Bibi?
The most immediate issue, however, is what kind of personal chemistry will the two men have? Or put even more simply, will Barack like Bibi?

On this the Israeli media have little faith.

Netanyahu is widely dismissed as, to summarize the local press, a lying schemer, and insiders have been saying for days that Obama’s advisors are as attuned to Netanyahu’s ways as the Israelis themselves.

The only clear dissidents, the only group that sees things differently, who are convinced that all is well between Barack and Bibi and that nothing will change, are the Arabs.

Israeli Arabs, as well as Palestinians, are convinced that nothing will change as a result of the new U.S. administration and that America continues to be as beholden to Israel and the Jewish lobby as it ever was. Their analysts expect no American pressure on Israel.

For once, Israeli leaders are listening to the Palestinians and hope that they are right.

Related links:
Iran looms large as Obama, Netanyahu meet
Analysis: Israeli angst over Iran intensifies
Israel urges Syria to join direct peace talks

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Comments

Israel is America's most faithful and dependable ally. We have stood together on the same side of every struggle since the birth of the modern state of Israel in 1948. The world today would be a very dangerous and oppressive place without America and Israel. The fact that our president would throw Israel under the bus in order to court terrorists and tyrants who are irredentist enemies of both of our nations, is politically irresponsible and morally reprehensible. Radical Islam wants us both dead and buried, so they can dominate and enslave the earth. When America and tiny Israel are standing shoulder to shoulder we help protect a large portion of mankind from the forces of evil. This is all being jeopardized. Hopefully our administration will wake up before it's too late.

Douglas Miller, Detroit, Michigan (Sent Monday, May 18, 2009 12:09 PM)

Martin Fletcher has in the past betrayed his left wing sympathies regarding Israel.  What he chooses to ignore is that the Likud party with Bibi as it's head and other like-minded political parties won an overwhelming majority of Israel's voters in the last election. Therefore, his assertion that "Netanyahu is widely dismissed as, to summarize the local press, a lying schemer" is itself a lie and is intended to smear the character of Israel's chosen leader.

Norman G, Htgn. WV., USA (Sent Monday, May 18, 2009 12:53 PM)

Netanyahu doesn't seem to get it.  The only way the Israelis's will have peace is when the Palestinians have peace. The two-state solution is the only way.  The other conflicts in the region would also improve, i.e. with Syria and Iran, with a two-state solution. With construction of more settlements and the barrier wall, this leads me to believe he doesn't want peace, only occupation.

The Israelis's were given a homeland.  The Palestinians also have a right to a homeland.  

Mary    

Mary Flynn, Metairie, LA (Sent Monday, May 18, 2009 1:17 PM)

before Obama thinks to change things in Middle East he should remember John Kennedy. No that I Do not want a change in US aproach to Isreal.
Andrey K.

Qatar. (Sent Monday, May 18, 2009 1:28 PM)

  Bibi is a "lying schemer"? How about..."A man who wants to keep his country safe"? Careful,Martin Fletcher. Your colors are showing.

Tracey, Columbus, Ohio (Sent Monday, May 18, 2009 1:32 PM)

Martin Fletcher has in the past betrayed his left wing sympathies regarding Israel.  What he chooses to ignore is that the Likud party with Bibi as it's head and other like-minded political parties won an overwhelming majority of Israel's voters in the last election. Therefore, his assertion that "Netanyahu is widely dismissed as, to summarize the local press, a lying schemer" is itself a lie and is intended to smear the character of Israel's democratically chosen leader.

Norman Glass, Huntington, WV, USA (Sent Monday, May 18, 2009 1:52 PM)

America paid a heavy price for blindly supporting Israel.  Al Qaida attacked us on 9/11 killing 3000 Americans mainly due to our support of Israel's brutal occupation of Palestinian land.  Jewish neocons pushed war on Iraq for benfit of Israel, which resulted in the death of 4000 US troops.  Obama needs to cut off all aid to Israel and threaten to withdraw our support and this criminal country will tuck its tail and withdraw from all occupied territories.  If Obama stands up to this parasite Jewish lobby, he will get overwhelming support of the American people.  

Brad (Sent Monday, May 18, 2009 2:34 PM)

Any discussion regarding Israel and the so called Palestinians is always an exercise in futility.  The goal of all Palestinian Muslim Arabs is to get rid of Israel and the Jews.  Any territory gained by the Palestinians will be used (as was Gaza) to hit Israel with rockets etc., and then blame everything on Israel.  They (the Palestinians) want everything, and the Jews can live under them as dhimmi or leave. This is the reality of it!  The only reason the U.S. government kisses Palestinian b--t is because it is afraid of another terrorist attack, and is being held hostage by Arab oil interests.  Also, the Palestinians have always been a political football used by other Muslim Arab countries to keep the conflict going and divert any close looks at their corrupt countries.  Take a look at the standard of living in Israel and compare it with Muslim Arab countries whose corrupt leaders cannot even provide their people with clean drinking water.  Pi-- on peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians.  Let Israel keep the West Bank and anything else it needs to survive in a hostile sea of Islam. If the United States is going to support Israel then support it all the way and stop living in a fantasy world.  That refried Nazi the Pope also needs to shutup.  What a worthless character he is. We would all like to know what is still in those unopened Vatican archives concerning World War II and the Holocaust.  Finally, don't forget that the real hero of Palestinian Muslims is still the late Yasir Arafat whose greatest hero was Haj Amin Husseini (various spellings), who colluded with Hitler and the SS in World War II to organize Bosnian Muslim SS units in the Balkans for the express purpose of hunting down Jews.  The U.S. government needs to wake up.  Time to give full support to Israel and bite the bullet by facing whatever comes.    

Ray Manhattan, Kansas (Sent Monday, May 18, 2009 2:36 PM)

God's Word in the Holy Bible makes it very clear the land Israel occupies was given to Abraham in a blood covenant between God and Abraham and no man has the authority to defy it.  The creation of a Palestinian state within the nation of Israel could very well be the false peace brokered by the antichrist mentioned in the Bible and at very least, it's outside the will of God.  Regarding Isreal's "special relationship" with the U.S. - again, God is very clear, those who bless Israel will be blessed - those who curse Israel will be cursed - as this nationi has been since it initiated the "Road to peace in the Middle East" and we're now reaping the fruits of that ill begotten labor.  By placing Israel on the same plane as Syria and Iran, we are cursing them yet more.....may God have mercy on His children that reside in the United States, for without it we won't survive the actions of this anti-Christian, anti-Jew, pro-Arab fool the looney liberals have elected as president.

Patrick, KY (Sent Monday, May 18, 2009 2:42 PM)

I won't hold my breath that Obama really puts pressure on Netanyahu. If anything, we'll just see some minor agreements that sound nice in the short-term, but don't actually add up to change.

The US-Israeli 'special relationship' is ridiculous. There will never be a peace agreement that both sides can be happy with until the U.S. deals with them on an even playing field. Of course, attacks against Israel by militants associated with the various organizations that take part in such activity are despicable - but the Israeli settlement policy is a middle finger in the face of every international agreement on the Israeli-Palestinian issue and tends towards ethnic cleansing (I mean ethnic cleansing not in the sense of mass murder, but as an attempt to force a certain group off of a specific territory).

I hope that Obama puts pressure on BOTH sides to come to some sort of fair solution that both the Israelis and Palestinians can live with - but after more than sixty years of this, I'm really not sure if either side is capable right now of agreeing on anything significant... I hope that I'll be pleasantly surprised over the next few years...

expatMATT, abroad, in another country (Sent Monday, May 18, 2009 2:43 PM)

Is President Obama really serious and interested in a Fair peace between Israelis and Palestinians? Yes he is and without any doubt because he is very American and he is very smart, therefore he knows we all need a fair peace in order to last. A fair peace like the one signed between Egyptians and Israelis guided by President Carter and not the peace proposed by president Clinton. Are the Israelis, on the other hand, interested in peace? Not at all. They want the Arabs to recognize the right of Israel to exist in peace and security but do not want to recognize the same right to the Palestinians. How can anybody have a peace treaty under these premises? Unfortunately willingness is not enough here. Does president Obama have the political strenght to make the Israelis accept a fair peace with the Palestinians? The next few days will probably give the aswer to this vital question.

ugo natale`, little ferry, nj (Sent Monday, May 18, 2009 3:18 PM)

The article is completely out of reality - Why the U.S. Supports Israel:
http://www.new-angle.org/WhyUSsupportsIsrael.htm

Albert Talker (Sent Monday, May 18, 2009 3:25 PM)

Americas relationship with Israel must remain strong and trusworthy without threat or any waiver of our goverment. But I fear our Muslim President will cave to his roots and attempt to throw Isreal to the (Wolves) wind.
We as Americans must stand up to our Goverment Grab of our freedoms and disregard for the people by whatever means that is required before his spending and control of the private center drives us over the edge and into total socialism.
Gene

Euegene Pfennig, Sun Valley, NV (Sent Monday, May 18, 2009 3:28 PM)

i think that israel is taking a bad decision leaving there ralationship with the USA because there is no other nation to help them out but the messhia.

omar hernandez Anaheim CA (Sent Monday, May 18, 2009 3:35 PM)

WHERE WERE THESE ISRAELI PACEMAKERS WHEN ISRAEL WAS BEGGING FRENCH TO DEVELOP NUKES FOR THEM??? THE ARMS BALANCE WAS DISTURBED THEN AND ISRAEL IS IN BIG TRUBLE NOW. WITH HAVING NO FRIENDS IN THE WORLD AND WEAKENING SUPPORT IN THE USA, WHAT ARE GOING TO DO NOW?

PITTSBURGH (Sent Monday, May 18, 2009 3:39 PM)

.Let the parasitic relationship of Israel on American taxpayers end and request Israel to return the trillion plus dollars they have extorted from us by their  lobby in Washington--namely AIPAC.We can thank them for the Iraq war and the loss of thousands of aMERICANS--THANKS again to AIPAC,and Msrs Perle and Wolfowicz.

J.Cordaro--Rock Hill,SC (Sent Monday, May 18, 2009 4:10 PM)

The US must eliminate the 5-6 billion dollars given to Israel. Israel is a terrorist to all Middle East countries. The past and future government is a corruption of the future.

The U S must attack Israel if it attacks Iran.

R R Woelfel (Sent Monday, May 18, 2009 4:40 PM)

Israel must accept the two state solution and stop further settlement. It is not in Israel's interest to have young Palestinians and other Arabs become radical because of deep frustration with ever achieving a normal life. Obama is correct, we need to listen to the Israeli narrative but also the Palestinian one. This is the only way to avoid the repetitive bloodletting we have had for decades. Israel needs us to have an even hand in this dispute.

Kevin E. Somerville (Sent Monday, May 18, 2009 4:41 PM)

In the words of Joe the plumber, a vote for Obama is a vote against Israel.  Let's hope he's wrong. If a Palestinian state is created, it should be created from Arab land.  Everyone who has followed history knows the arab neighbors refused to let the Palestinians assimilate and kept them in camps purposely to be a thorn in Israel's side.    

John Doe (Sent Monday, May 18, 2009 5:06 PM)

I AM MR,SMALL,IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT WE CONTINUE THE RELATIONSHIP WE HAVE WITH ISRAEL,WITH GREAT INTENSITY,GREAT LOVE,AND ADMIRATION.FOR THE HAULACAUST AND SLAVERY ARE ONE IN THE SAME,UNDER GODS WATCHFUL EYE..AMERICA NEEDS ISRAEL,JUST AS THEY NEED US..

DWAYNE SMALL,ROCKY MOUNT,N.C. (Sent Monday, May 18, 2009 7:30 PM)

as soon as all of Israel accepts Jesus as the Messiah then they won't need any ones approval for any thing.

gene terenzio (Sent Monday, May 18, 2009 7:41 PM)

It is unfortunate that Martin Fletcher placed all the onus on Israel. Since when has the Arab world been committed to a two-state solution? For 60 years, it  has launched wars to destroy a tiny Jewish state. Last year, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas rejected a generous offer of the West Bank and Gaza from Israeli PM Olmert, just as his predecessor Arafat rejected President Clinton's 2001 plan. Combined with 10 000 rockets from Hamas controlled Gaza, that led to the election of the more cautious Netanyahu.

Abbas' real attitude to Israel is made clear by his refusal to recognize it as a Jewish state, and his stance on refugees. He demands resettlement of Arab refugees in pre-1967 Israel, not the West Bank. This denies the rights of the similar number of Jewish refugees from Arab lands, and sidesteps Arab responsibility for the wars that initiated both refugee issues. Why is Israel punished for uplifting Jewish refugees from Arab lands, yet the Arab League is rewarded with sympathy for refusing to do the same for Arab refugees?

Would it matter if the Dalai Lama were Israel's PM, or Israel was  just Tel Aviv? The Arab League would quickly find a new pretext for attack. The much vaunted Arab Peace Plan is widely punted within the Arab world as a means to force Israel back to the 1967 borders, which can be followed by further military and political pressure.

One-sided Israeli concessions are not going to bting peace. There can be only peace when the Arab world genuinely accepts Israel and ends indoctrination against it. For their part, the vast majority of Israelis are sick of the conflict and would be delighted with a peaceful two state solution.

Dorn L, Atlanta (Sent Monday, May 18, 2009 9:52 PM)

Why hasn't the media HAMMERED Israeli agreements to cease building new settlements as a basic, THE basic signal that they are serious about peace. The two-state solution has also already been approved by past Israeli governments.
Why does the American media continue to give a free ride to the Israeli intransigense and broken promises.
In George W, Bush's impotent "road map" with then Prime Minister Sharon, the ineffectual American president made it clear that assassinating Yassir Arafat and expanding settlements would lose the trust of Americans in Israel's committment to peace.
Well ,Arafat died of a mysterious illness that remains undiagnosed.Is this common when ANYONE dies, let alone a controversial head of the Palestinian provisional government.
But with the settlements, there is no mystery. President Bush was symbolically slapped around by Sharon when the bulldozers resumed one day after the agreement to stop. And not one slap on the wrists by America. One report even mentioned Sharon overheard scolding Shimon Peres on the wisdom of resuming settlemnt expansion, alledgedly saying, "The Americans will go along with whatever we do, as always."
he reason this is so beleivable is because of the factual nature of Sharon's comment.
I repeat, when will the American media start reporting on Israel's carte blanche to do what it wants in the reason at the expense of the peace process, and at the expense of the legitimate views of the Arab states that the United States is committed soley to Israel's welfare and not to a just settlement with Palestine. Most of the world already knows this and are anxiously awaiting the Obama administrations committment to fairness among all parties.

Marc Hendler New York, NY (Sent Monday, May 18, 2009 10:47 PM)

Proud of my Jewish ancestry.
Ashamed of Zionist greed and pride.

Catholic with a Jewish name (Sent Monday, May 18, 2009 11:14 PM)

Don't trust the Israelis. They will stall until all the Palestinian orchards are bulldozed and they have pushed the remaining Palestinians into the Mediterranean. Bibi's goal is "ONE ISRAEL" which means total control from the Jordan to the sea, and death to all Arabs.
Don't trust the Israelis. Don't trust Bibi.

don joaquin, Santa Barbara, CA (Sent Monday, May 18, 2009 11:33 PM)

i dont trust obama as he is wanting a socialist american which is deadly like a communist and a danger to christians and jews, all he wants is domination over the world control and money control and to pressure israel into a two state solution the answer is NO NO!! god gave the land to the jewish people first given to abraham then to the israelites not the arabs!!!!! this madness has to be eliminated somehow people need to go out there and show support for israel ONLY... so they can hear our voice and keep america/israel relationship intact forever thats what should be done now

bobby harris, honolulu hawaii (Sent Tuesday, May 19, 2009 12:32 AM)

President Obama needs to have the courage of his own convictions.  If he seriously advocates listening before acting, then he has to also listen to Israelis not currently  in power.  More importantly, he needs to listen to the Palestinian people, not only Abbas, for theirs is a story that is rarely heard either in the Western press or in the halls of Western power.  If the US is to assume the role of an honest broker in a peaceful settlement of the Israeli-Palestininan conflict, then Obama must understand in depth all historical, legal and social issues of both peoples without bias to any side.  

On this point, President Obama must also be true to his campaign promise of not allowing lobbyists to influence policy.  So far, with respect to the most powerful lobby in Washington, AIPAC, he has completely failed in that regard.  His first public appearance after winning the nomination was at AIPAC where he promised Israel more than it thought it could ask for.  Since then, AIPAC demands and policies seem to steer US policy or, at least, set the boundaries within which Obama can navigate in his attempt to understand the issues, examine differing points of view and propose then advocate innovative steps towards achieving a just and sustainable peace.  If he doesn't extricate himself from AIPAC's influence, he will never be able to resolve this intransigent conflict.

Amal Shamma M.D., Kuwait (Sent Tuesday, May 19, 2009 5:37 AM)

Bennie is not to be trusted and Obama hopefully has his number. Bennie is a lair, a killer and should be put in jail and hung for war crimes. He has blood on his hands for Gaza and more.How dare he come to this country and demand that we talk about Iran.Iran is not Palestine and hopefully Obama sees this for what it is, one more big fat stall from big fat lying Bennie Boy. Bennie does not want peace, he doe snot want 2 states, he wants to cloud the issues and stall, so he can expand more illegal settlements, so Obama this is your big chance to show you have true guts and are not part of the lobby machine dictated by Israel, stand up and be strong to Bennie. Cut Israel off once and for all, tell them to get rid of their nukes, make peace , 2 states now, not 2016 or no more Us funds. Let Israel pay their own way. Enough

truthrules (Sent Tuesday, May 19, 2009 8:42 AM)



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