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| Former Israeli Ambassador to the US, Michael Oren |
There is a lot of angst among supporters of The President
about comments made by Michael Oren in his new book, Ally: My Journey Across the American-Israeli Divide..
Michael Oren was Israel’s ambassador to the United
States during Prime Minister Netanyahu’s
first term in office (2009-2013). Oren is a rare breed of Israeli patriot. Raised in
America where his religious upbringing was in the Conservative movement, he
became so enamored with Israel that he made Aliyah. When he was asked by the
Prime Minister to be his ambassador to the US, he agreed but was saddened to
renounce his American citizenship, as is required by Israel law for its major public
servants.
This is usually the case with
American expatriates in Israel, They all love the country of where they were
raised and hate renouncing their citizenship. But as lovers of
Israel and wanting to serve their new country they did so.
Michael Oren is a respected historian. And I believe that
his tenure as the ambassador to the United States is seen by most observers as
well executed. That was my impression, too.
One of the things that added to his prestige was his honesty
in assessing events pertaining to Israel and the people in them. As such he received high praise in parting
company with his political mentor and his party, Likud - and joining Kulanu, a party more in
line with his political philosophy. He was widely praised by Obama administration
supporters for criticizing Netanyahu’s acceptance of House Speaker John Boehner’s
invitation to address congress. And then
later - criticizing him again for the way he conducted his political campaign
during the last election.
I therefore don’t believe Oren’s integrity can be
challenged. But, challenged it is because of what he revealed about Obama’s
change of America’s longstanding policy with respect to its relationship with
Israel. A revelation he saw ‘up close and personal’. One that should make
Netanyahu’s criticism of Obama more understandable if not totally acceptable –
even to his Netanyahu’s critics.
First it should be made clear that Oren did not accuse Obama
of hating Israel. He actually said the opposite and blames his changed policies
with Israel on his view that his new policy will result in peace. It should also not be
lost on anyone that it was the President that pushed for and got funding for
Israel’s ’Iron Dome’ protection system. And it was Obama that increased military
cooperation and intelligence sharing between the two countries. There should be
no mistake about that. Nor should that be underestimated and under appreciated.
What Oren is saying is that Obama’s the negative policy
shift with respect to Israel outweighs the aforementioned benefits.
The current relationship between the two countries is not Netanyahu’s
fault, says Oren. The fault lies almost exclusively with the President. Netanyahu
was just reacting to that. From the very beginning Obama seemed to turn away from
Israel and seek to improve relationships with Arab nations. Not that there was
anything wrong with that. But the way it was done was wrong. It was done
without consultation with America’s closest ally in the Middle East. Israel was
completely snubbed early in his Presidency when he chose to ignore her entirely
on a speaking tour to major Arab states. Netanyahu had nothing to do with that
decision. That was the first Obama snub… not of Netanyahu, but of Israel.
An important change – which Oren believes to be of fundamental
importance – is that Israel was not consulted when the United States went on a
mission that would have great – even existential significance to her: negotiations
with Iran over its nuclear program.
Again, this ‘snub’ had nothing to do with Netanyahu. The
President chose to ignore Israel and had no input from them despite what the
President must have known was an issue of great concern to them. Seven months of secret negotiations ensued without
Israel’s knowledge.
Another thing the Obama administration did that dismayed Israel was
in how he pursued the so-called peace process. He put immense pressure on
Israel to grant concessions to the Palestinians without asking a single
concession of them. It was always Israel that was criticized about actions it
took that Obama saw as counter to the peace process (like building in the
settlements) without ever criticizing the Palestinians about anything. He surely did this to increase his credibility
among the Arab States.
What many people forget is that under an agreement made with
then Prime Minister Ariel Sharon the
Bush administration agreed that major settlement blocs would be part of Israel
in any future agreement. And yet Obama insisted on a total freeze on
construction in those settlements. Obama also chose to ignore Israel’s numerous peace
offers to the Palestinians which they rejected.
The fear now is that the Obama administration will no longer
veto anti Israel resolutions at the UN. That would put Israel into a position
where it could be deemed an outlaw state with sanctions being against it being
honored by the entire world.
Those who say that this is all about a personality clash
between the two leaders, are not reading this correctly. It isn’t about
personalities. It is about policies. The two leaders have different visions of
how to go forward.
Predictably, Oren is now being discredited for parting from
the conventional wisdom that blames Netanyahu for the deteriorating
relationship between our two countries. But one has to be consistent. One
cannot say he has credibility when they like what he says and then say he doesn’t
when they don’t. And all the criticism coming out now reflects exactly that, in
my view.
I believe Oren. He was there. His critics were not. I trust
him. He is in a far better position to know the truth than all of his critics.
I don’t know how this will all play out during the rest of
the President’s tenure. Nor do I know what the next occupant of the White House
will do. But for the moment, I do not like what I see.
