One commentator likened what happened to vice-president Joe Biden in Israel to what president Bush endured during his visit to Iraq. This was the shoe moment for Mr. Biden, only this time, a “strategic ally” perpetrated the attack. We have had few days to contemplate and assess the damage of the “ insult” (as described by the foreign secretary Hillary Clinton) directed at VP Joe Biden during his visit to Israel. The insult being the announcement of the building of 1600 more homes in East Jerusalem, an occupied territory since 1967 and which is reserved as a possible capital to a Palestinian state. The announcement came also after Mr. Biden confirmed America’s commitment to Israel’s security.
As analysis of the incident continues, politicians and columnists are already directing the blame to one party or another. Today’s edition of the Washington Post editorial was critical of Mr. Obama’s management of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict since his early days. The editorial failed to highlight some historical and strategic facts. First, Mr. Obama’s engagement came after a decade of America’s disengagement and his overture to the Muslim World necessitated finding a lasting solution to the conflict. Second, Mr. Obama’s decision to demand a halt to Israel’s settlement building before negotiation could resume, came when he and his aides viewed Israel’s usurpation of Palestinian land will only lead to intractable problems for the U.S. regional policy.
The following paragraph of the editorial asks the president to review his strategy toward Israel, to reconsider how he is perceived among the Israeli public.
Last year Israelis rallied behind Mr. Netanyahu, while Mr. Obama’s poll ratings in Israel plunged to the single digits. The president is perceived by many Israelis as making unprecedented demands on their government while overlooking the intransigence of Palestinian and Arab leaders. If this episode reinforces that image, Mr. Obama will accomplish the opposite of what he intends.
The WP failed to recognize that President Obama was elected by the American people, to serve the interest of the American people, and his accountable only to the American people.
The WP editorial is lamentable. President Obama’s impartiality to the warring parties in the Middle East has been his guiding principle. President Obama views the American interest lies in furthering the peace process. Israel believes annexation of Palestinian neighborhood is of vital interest to the Jewish state. This misconception and almost unpatriotic view of some observers that president Obama is to sacrifice American interest for the sake of any other nation is unfathomable.
The current government of Israel led by Mr. Benjamin Netanyahu has been on a collision course with almost everyone expect the right wing in Israel. Few weeks ago the Israeli government enlisted Palestinian worship sites under Israeli Heritage. Yesterday, it decided to re-open Hurva synagogue in the old city. The synagogue, first built in 1694, was first destroyed in 1721 and then demolished during the 1948 Arab-Israeli war. The move is causing some anger on the Palestinian side. Some violent clashes have been taken place in the West Bank and East Jerusalem following the latest developments. It is not inconceivable that Israel could be facing a third Intifada
