Relations between Israel and the U.S. have been worse off after Obama refused to meet Netanyahu. The recent incidents show the deterioration is not new, but has a background
The relations between Israel and the U.S. are in an unprecedented era as it has become visible that the two countries are disappointed with each other's some policies. "Relations with Israel have not always been excellent, but I think any observer would argue they've never been worse," said the Republican Arizona Senator John McCain on February 1 on CNN's "State of the Union." The harsh criticism by McCain has come after the White house announced that neither the U.S. President Barack Obama nor the Secretary of the State, John Kerry, will meet the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during his visit in March.
Benjamin Netanyahu accepted the invitation by the U.S. House Speaker, John Boehner, to address a joint meeting of the House and Senate with a speech on March 3, two weeks before the Israeli elections on March 17. However, neither Boehner nor Netanyahu consulted the White House about Boehner's invitation to Netanyahu to the joint meeting, where the possibility of new sanctions on Iran will be discussed, which was translated as a breach of the traditional diplomatic protocol.
Netanyahu's acceptance received criticism from the Obama administration, which accused him of putting politics before the relations of two strong allies, and furthering tensions in the already strained relationship. The White House has announced that President Obama will not meet the Israeli prime minister two weeks before the Israeli elections. "We want to avoid even the appearance of any kind of interference with a democratic election," said White House spokesman Josh Earnest according to Washington Post.
Netanyahu is expected to give a speech with a hard-liner attitude against Iran, as it is favored by the Republicans, however, such stance is not welcomed by Obama who has taken a softer position that avoids armed confrontation with Iran. Officials from the Obama administrations have also made strong comments criticizing the visit.
The rising tensions between the two historically allies' leaders, which have surfaced recently, has resulted from a series of diplomatic confrontations which has contributed to the souring of the relations. In addition, it is no secret that Netanyahu and Obama have not been the closest friends, as one would expect from the leaders of the states that are such strong allies.
In 2009, Obama's Cairo speech, which he gave during his Middle East tour in an attempt to build relations with the Muslim community, could be pointed to as the spark which ignited tensions between the U.S. President and Israeli PM. Obama said that the U.S. 'does not accept the legitimacy of the continued Israeli settlements' on the Palestinian lands that were occupied during the Six-Day-War in 1967. Such remarks were not received well by the Israelis, as the issue is one of the most sensitive in the region raising tensions specifically for the Israelis and also the Middle East in general.
After these remarks, Israel's decision to build settlements in East Jerusalem during the U.S. Vice President Joe Biden's visit in 2010, stirred the boiling pot even further. Joe Biden questioned the decision, but was left unanswered as Netanyahu refused to take the blame for the illegal settlements. The tension that had been prompted by the Cairo speech resurfaced during Netanyahu's visit in March 2011 when he tried to put forward his discomfort with Obama's comments on the 1967 borders, embarrassing the U.S. President.
The tension between the two allies continued to surface as Obama was overheard at the November 2011 G-20 summit in France commenting to French President Nicholas Sarkozy, "You're fed up with him, but I have to deal with him every day." Such remarks destroyed Obama's attempts to reestablish the relations with Netanyahu by voting against the Palestinian bid for statehood at the United Nations in September 2011.
Netanyahu's unwillingness to build relations with Obama reached a new level when he supported the Republican Mitt Romney election campaign against Obama during the 2012 presidency elections in United States.
Obama's re-election as the president was perceived as an opportunity to reset the relations, as he attempted to normalize relations by describing the criticism of their relations and disagreement on Iran issue as 'speculation' during his visit in March 2013. Israel's attacks on Hezbollah could also be analyzed as a resurfacing of Netanyahu's disagreement with Obama in his approach to Iran's nuclear program. Obama's willingness to reach agreements with Iran through diplomatic talks contrasts with Netanyahu's attempt to start an armed conflict against them, a country which Israel sees as its biggest rival in the Middle East.
Despite the U.S. efforts to launch peace talks between Israel and the Palestinian authority, Israel's attacks on Gaza in July 2014, which killed over 2,000 civilians, and the diplomatic crisis which emerged between Pentagon and the White House on sending arms to Israel, reheated the boiling waters.
In June 2014, three Israeli boys went missing and Israel attacked Gaza, blaming the Palestinians for their loss. The Obama administration condemned the losses and supported Israel's attempts to find the boys. However, they also condemned the burning of a Palestinian, Muhammad Abu Khudayr, as revenge by the far-right extremist Israelis. The ongoing Israeli forces' attack on the West Bank was responded to by Hamas. In July 2014, Israel launched a full fledge attack on Gaza, killing more than 2,000 civilians and destroying the city. Although the U.S. administration kept silent on Gaza attacks, the attack on a United Nations' school building was responded to with harsh criticism. Furthermore, the media revealed through senior Obama officials that the Pentagon had sent ammunition to Israel, which became a significant moment for the Gaza confrontation between Israel and Hamas. Furthermore, John Kerry's visit to the region to attempt to reach to a cease-fire, although not successful, showed the U.S. desire to reach a cease fire between Israel and Hamas. This attempt can also be translated as an attempt by the U.S. to get rid of the burden put on their shoulder, in front of the international community, by the Israelis.
John McCain's recent comments should not be taken lightly, as the current sour relations between the two leaders have a history. The nearing elections in Israel will play a determinant role in the relations between the two states, but Netanyahu's relations will Obama will also play a pivotal role in his re-election as Israeli prime minister. Furthermore, Obama's presidency will also be at stakes if the relations between two historically friendly states do not normalize.
About the author
Ph.D. holder in Political Science and International Relations, editorial coordinator at Daily Sabah
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