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The Obama Administration and U.S.-Israel Relations

(Begin-Sadat Center for Strategic Studies-Bar-Ilan University) Maj.-Gen. (res.) Yaakov Amidror - Over the past eight years, Israel had a sympathetic ear in Washington with regard to its security needs. The $38 billion defense aid package and the fact that Israel was the first to receive the state-of-the-art F-35 fighter jet speak to the American commitment to the Jewish state's security for decades to come. The relationship between the Israeli and American intelligence agencies continues to be excellent, which would not be possible without direction from the White House. Israel has also received vital U.S. backing in the international arena more than once. Still, Washington and Jerusalem were at odds under Obama on important issues. The outgoing administration turned settlement construction in Judea and Samaria into nothing short of an obsession. Washington refrained from pressuring PA President Mahmoud Abbas in any way, even when he failed to agree to the 2014 U.S. framework to reignite the talks. With regard to the Iranian nuclear program, the White House made a conscious choice to deceive Israel and conceal the fact that it was holding intensive nuclear negotiations with Iran - an issue that has direct bearing on Israel's very existence. Some top officials within the administration thought it was wrong to hide the talks from Israel. Choosing this path cost the U.S. Israel's trust, good will, and, to an extent, professional assistance, which could have reduced the scope of error inherent in the agreement. As for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's speech to Congress in March 2015, perceived as an affront to Obama on his own turf, the new reality presented by the administration required Netanyahu to outline Israel's position in the clearest possible way, especially before the American public, which is Israel's most important friend. Issues pertaining directly to the fate of the Jewish people must be addressed out loud, and it is right to do so in the highest seats of power. As Kerry himself said, friends must tell each other the truth. Netanyahu had to consider that the bad deal inked between world powers and Iran might one day require Israel to use force to stop the Islamic Republic's nuclear program from developing military dimensions. He had to lay the moral groundwork that would justify such extreme measures. The writer is former National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister of Israel and former Head of Israel's National Security Council.
2017-01-18 00:00:00
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