White House photo
The White House released a statement yesterday after President Obama’s chat with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The bottom line is that Obama’s not backing down:
The President and Prime Minister had a constructive, 20-minute conversation. The President reiterated the principal elements of his Cairo speech, including his commitment to Israel’s security. He indicated that he looked forward to hearing the Prime Minister’s upcoming speech outlining his views on peace and security. The President also noted that Senator Mitchell would be in Israel again tomorrow as he starts his fourth trip to the region as the Special Envoy for Middle East peace.
The reference to Israel’s security highlights why the substantive case for a focus on settlements is so strong. Many dovish people in the United States were inclined to question the wisdom and morality of Israel’s 2008 attack on the Gaza Strip or its 2006 attack on Lebanon. But the Israeli government clearly maintained that such actions were necessary for Israeli security, and many people were and are inclined to believe them. By contrast, absolutely nobody with any grip on reality believes that settlement expansion is necessary for Israeli security.
In terms of US domestic politics, nobody can plausibly say that Obama is jeopardizing Israeli security or the safety of Israel’s citizens. All he’s doing is trying to enforce longstanding, but always ignored, American policy.
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