Can we stop pretending that our political instittutions are capable of pursuing our own national interest when it comes to Israel/Palestine?
It has become crystal clear that, if an Israeli PM says "jump" the only disagreement between Democrats and Republicans in Congress will be who can jump higher.
Harry Reid is the latest example, and his lockstep support for Bibi Netanyahu should confirm for observers that President Obama's attempt to seize the initiative was a complete blunder.
Harry Reid Rebukes Obama Over Israel
Lovely.
The most powerful Democrat in Congress, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), on Monday night publicly rejected President Barack Obama’s decision to use a recent speech to lay out aspects of a potential peace deal between Israel and the Palestinians.
“The place where negotiating will happen must be at the negotiating table – and nowhere else,” Reid declared in a speech to an annual gathering in Washington of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC). “Those negotiations … will not happen – and their terms will not be set – through speeches, or in the streets, or in the media.”
When the Senate leader added, “No one should set premature parameters about borders, about building, or about anything else,” the lights quickly came up on the vast audience and most in the crowd at the Washington Convention Center rose to their feet and applauded.
Of course, unless we're talking about the Palestinians, who are expected to make many concessions before Bibi will do them the honor of pretending to negotiate with them.
Just to be clear: The most powerful Democrat on Capitol Hill just stabbed President Obama in the back in order to suck up to a foreign power led by an extreme rightwing Neocon.
And this should not be a surprise.
Because, President Obama committed the crime of insubordination, of stepping out of line. True, he gave the Palestinians nothing and made many demands of them. True, he promised to give Israel unconditional economic and diplomatic support.
But, he pushed for real negotiations. Which angered the Greater Israel crowd and its loyal followers in the United States. So, they responded with a fake controversy.
The result? The fundamental assumption of any peace deal--1967 lines plus land swaps--has been repudiated by both parties on Capitol Hill. The new rule is explicitly "whatever Israel wants is what we should support."
Obama is standing alone, having alienated everyone. He has no friends on this issue, no allies, no angle to play.
As Aaron David Miller said:
Right now the president has gotten the worst of all worlds: He's pissed off the Israelis, failed to satisfy and preempt Palestinians from their initiative and given the Republicans a ready-made issue to hammer him. And for what? Applause from the Europeans at the G-8? That's not smart.
AIPAC has also stepped in to reprimand the President of the United States for not knowing his place.
AIPAC chief: Obama should not be even-handed towards Israel and Palestinians.
That's right. Sit down, and shut up, Obama. You, the United States, have only one role to play here.
Give us money.
Give us diplomatic cover.
Do what we want.
Take our side no matter what.
We're in charge here. Your job is to obey, not think and solve problems.
Obama is a fool for thinking there is a constructive role for him to play here.
The path forward is clear: shut up until 2012. Do nothing. Say nothing.
Then, starting in 2013, lay the groundwork for a fundamental change in the US/Israel relationship, one based on two states with different interests, not one based on domestic political pressure.
Soaring speeches and high-minded motives are simply wasted on this mess. Walk away, slowly but surely.