New Phase in US-Israel Relations?

[IndianaGreen]

New Phase in US-Israel Relations?

Communist Party of Israel

The wave of pressures exercised by Washington on Israel could signal the beginning of a new era in the relations between the US and Israeli governments. The administration of US President Barack Obama has reiterated the requirement that a Palestinian state be created, a key issue, which is not supported by the new right-wing government of Benjamin Netanyahu.

"Israel has to work toward a two-state solution . . . not build more settlements, dismantle existing outposts and allow Palestinians freedom of movement," said US Vice President Joe Biden, at the same time urging the right-wing Netanyahu coalition to commit itself to a two-state solution to resolve the conflict with the Palestinians. These remarks came on top of Washington's demand that Israel adhere to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), the global pact that seeks to limit the spread of atomic weapons.

On the other hand, the aspirations of the new US president include an attempt at diplomatic rapprochement with Iran. This aspect is at least questionable for Israel because the Israeli government considers the possibility of a nuclear-armed Iran as a direct threat to its very existence.

A member of the Communist Party of Israel, Dr. Efraim Davidi, a lecturer of Tel Aviv University, however, says to Radio Nederland that the United States has not radically revised its policy towards the Middle East, Israel, and the yet-to-be-established Palestinian state and that the US statements of the last few days reflect only a difference of opinion between the two countries.

Radio Nederland: Only a few days are left before the first meeting between US President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and the pressure from the White House leaves no room for doubt. Doesn't it look as if a change in relations between the two countries is on the horizon?

Efraim Davidi: I think there is room for doubt because US policy has not changed yet if we look at the three main conflicts: the Israeli-Palestinian conflict; the Iraqi conflict with the occupation of Iraq; and the conflict due to the occupation of Afghanistan. President Obama has decided to reinforce the occupation in Afghanistan while preparing for some withdrawal from Iraq over a period of two to three years; and, as for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, there is only a series of statements that break with the previous policy of the Bush administration but that do not define a new policy.

RN: There are substantive differences between the strategic priorities of the two countries, although Israeli President Shimon Peres, who met with Obama on Tuesday, said that Israel should support Washington's strategy of rapprochement with Iran.

ED: The problem is the following: the United States has military and economic policy levers to influence the policy of Israel if it so desires. For the time being, all Washington is doing is to make statements. There are different views on the issues under discussion, but we must bear in mind that the United States has not pressed for or demanded anything so far. It's only a matter of difference of opinion, nothing more.

http://www.maki.org.il/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3284&Itemid=106