A so-called special relationship began in March 1948 when Harry Truman met secretly with Israel’s future first president Chaim Weizmann.
He pledged support for the future Jewish state. Minutes after midnight on May 15, 1948, America was the first country extending recognition.
A special relationship remains strong for strategic reasons. It developed politically, economically and militarily.
Leaders come and go. Names and faces change. Bumps in the road occasionally occur.
Obama put up with Netanyahu for over six years. Both leaders clearly dislike each other.
Geopolitics alone matters. Expect no substantive change in US/Israeli relations ahead.
Ignore rhetoric. It’s meaningless. It’s unrelated to policies. Politicians say one thing and do another with disturbing regularity.
On the stump campaigning, Netanyahu categorically rejected Palestinian self-determination.
“Whoever moves to establish a Palestinian state or intends to withdraw from territory is simply yielding territory for radical Islamic terrorist attacks against Israel,” he said.
Asked if he meant no Palestinian state on his watch, he responded: “Indeed.”
Reelected Netanyahu’s rhetoric changed. “I don’t want a one-state solution,” he said.
“I want a sustainable, peaceful two-state solution. But for that, circumstances have to change.”
He means unconditional Palestinian surrender to Israeli demands. His position is no different from all Israeli leaders preceding him.
Fact: In 1948, Israel stole 78% of historic Palestine.
Fact: In 1967, it stole the rest.
Fact: No government in Israeli history supported Palestinian self-determination.
Fact: None supported a so-called peace process.
Fact: No significant Israeli political party today supports granting Palestinians rights mattering most.
Fact: None favor treating Arabs and Jews equally.
Fact: None support Palestinian statehood.
Fact: None back ending militarized occupation harshness.
Fact: None endorse changing longstanding racist policies in place since 1948.
Fact: US/Israeli relations remain rock solid.
Fact: Personal relationships between leaders don’t matter.
Fact: Longterm strategic relations determine policies of mutual interest.
Washington is Israeli-occupied territory. AIPAC-led Israeli Lobby power owns Congress. No US president ever dared defy it.
Nothing politicians or their spokespersons say holds water. Netanyahu’s demagogic bluster matches Obama’s.
They say one thing. They do another. On Wednesday, State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said:
“Based on (Netanyahu’s) comments, the United States is in a position going forward where we will be evaluating our approach with regard to how best to achieve a two-state solution.”
“But that doesn’t mean that we’ve made a decision about changing our position with respect to the UN.”
Fact: Rhetoric aside, Washington never supported Palestinian statehood.
Fact: It never backed sustainable, durable, equitable Israeli/Palestinian peace.
Fact: It consistently vetoes Security Council resolutions inimical to Israeli interests.
Fact: Expect no change in longstanding US policy toward Israel ahead.
Foreign Policy magazine commented on what it called Netanyahu’s “flip flop flip.”
It said “US officials signaled a willingness to consider a UN resolution in the event that Netanyahu was reelected and formed a coalition government opposed to peace talks.”
An unnamed Western diplomat was quoted saying “(t)he more the new government veers to the right, the more you will see something in New York.”
Longterm Israeli governance is right of center. Most often it’s been hard-right – notably under Begin, Shamir, Sharon and Netanyahu.
Israel’s first prime minister, David Ben-Gurion, was notoriously racist. So were all Israeli leaders following him.
Netanyahu is the latest in a long line of rogue prime ministers. US/Israeli relations remain fundamentally unchanged.
Washington will continue generously funding its war machine. Both countries partner in each other’s high crimes against peace.
Palestinian rights don’t matter. The so-called peace process is pure fantasy. It’s been stillborn throughout decades of talks.
World public opinion and BDS-type initiatives are Palestinians’ best hope for change.
All Israeli leaders reflect its dark side. Netanyahu’s demagogic thuggishness does best.
His rhetoric, style, demeanor and policies reveal Israel’s true face better than any of his predecessors.
Palestinian BDS National Committee’s Mahmoud Nawajaa called his reelection “a victory for apartheid and colonialism.”
He urged “supporters of freedom and justice across the world to join us in intensifying our efforts to boycott Israel and to push governments to impose sanctions against Israeli apartheid, just as South African apartheid was isolated.”
BDS co-founder Omar Barghouti added:
“Israel, a belligerent nuclear power that completely disregards international law and basic human rights, will soon have its most fanatical government ever, with grave consequences for Palestinians as well as for world peace. Israel has dropped the mask.”
Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at [email protected]. His new book as editor and contributor is titled “Flashpoint in Ukraine: US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III.” http://www.claritypress.com/
