With the elections of President Barack Obama and the Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, speculation on the future of the U.S.-Israel relationship swirled and captivated diplomatic circles throughout the world. Top officials said the relationship is strong, rooted in shared values and mutual interests that can transcend beyond changes in leadership. Leaders said the two countries would work together toward common goals, even when Obama twisted Netanyahu’s arm to meet with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas at the United Nations.
Well, the relationship continued to spiral downward, with U.S. pressure forcing concessions on settlements (albeit minimal) and criticism of the United States for not backing Israel’s policy on nuclear ambiguity and embarrassing Netanyahu at the White House. But, officials still publicly maintained the strength of the relationship, which remained intact regardless of the dispute and controversy.
It appears that officials from both countries actually think otherwise.
The top Israeli diplomat in the United States reportedly recently told associates that the Obama administration’s policies are starkly divergent from those of Bill Clinton and George Bush, warning that relations were quickly deteriorating. He reportedly said:
“Relations are in the state of a tectonic rift in which continents are drifting apart”
Similarly, U.S. officials are becoming increasingly frustrated with Israel and the PA’s inability to hold legitimate talks, even though discussions were recently rekindled. And, one of Obama’s top negotiators pinned the blame on Netanyahu.
So, the question still remains — are relations at a crisis point?
The basic answer is still no, although they are strained. Earlier this month, the U.S. military mobilized a fleet in the Gulf, presumably to deter an Iranian ship from reaching the Gaza Strip, an event that would have undoubtedly sparked war. The White House has also recently spearheaded sanctions on Iran, although the effect of the new penalties have yet to be fully realized. And, the U.S. Congress has time and time again expressed its support for Israel, backing Israel’s actions during the recent flotilla incident even though the rest of the world was up in arms.
The bottom line is that relations are not cozy, but there is undoubtedly a long way to go before the word ‘crisis’ is anywhere near accurate.
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