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Last update - 15:02 01/06/2009
What will happen if Israel 'defeats' Obama?
By Akiva Eldar
Tags: U.S., settlements 

You had to read it twice to believe it: "Criticism of the United States in Jerusalem." A senior Israeli official warns: "We are disappointed." The fly hovering about is complaining that the elephant is not obeying its orders. What chutzpah on the part of Barack Obama. He just entered the White House and already has something to say - about how many new houses we are building in Ofra, and about when we will dismantle the walls in the "illegal outposts," which are already beginning to disintegrate because of old age.

Instead of dismantling settlements, he would do better to dismantle the Iranian nuclear program. Otherwise Jerusalem will reassess its special relationship with Washington, and will reconsider its commitment to ensuring the qualitative advantage of the United States. If this situation continues, we may even stop vetoing anti-American decisions in the United Nations Security Council.

Let's assume that there is some point to the criticism of the U.S. president's determined insistence on petty details when it comes to Jewish construction in the territories. Let's agree that Obama in his naivete really has become preoccupied with inconsequential matters, such as a handful of pathetic outposts. Should the State of Israel risk a crisis with the most important power in the world because of what it considers "inconsequential matters"? Does Israel have a greater existential strategic asset than its relations with the U.S. and its neighbors' understanding that these intimate relations are unshakable?
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Is this the way to keep "all options open," including receiving American approval to fly over the skies of Iraq, on the way to attacking Iran's nuclear installations? And what will we do when the Iranians launch missiles at Tel Aviv? Will we send the new Abba Eban, Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, to Washington to ask Obama to declare war on Tehran? At the same time, the settler from Nokdim can reprimand the president for refusing to take his "natural growth" into account.

Does Israel really have an interest in winning the battle over the settlements? What will happen if we destroy the prestige of the strongest man in the world and portray him as an empty vessel, incapable of halting the settlement program of a U.S. protege? Will an Israeli "victory" strengthen the status of the U.S. in the international campaign against Iran?

A partial answer to these questions can be found in the address last week by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu before members of the Likud faction, regarding the necessity of evacuating the outposts. The right believes that the more they fatten this bastard goat, the more its removal will be considered to be what former prime minister Ariel Sharon called a "painful concession."

However, even Netanyahu knows that Obama does not intend to participate in these goat games. The U.S. president is not a political amateur, as Defense Minister Ehud Barak implied when he said that dismantling the outposts would not stop the Iranian nuclear program. Obama will be visiting Riyadh and Cairo this week, in an attempt to revive the Madrid conference coalition, which president Bush, Sr. formed after the first Gulf War, in October 1991. Incidentally, then too, the Likud, led by Yitzhak Shamir, "leveled harsh criticism" against the U.S. administration and "expressed disappointment" at its refusal to recognize the natural growth of the settler population. We can assume that Obama has also heard the news that its number (without East Jerusalem) has grown since then, from fewer than 100,000 to almost 300,000. Enviable fertility indeed.

The new-old Arab-Israeli-American coalition is Obama's answer to the Iran-Hamas-Hezbollah one. It is based on the peace initiative of the Arab League, which was adopted by the Organization of Islamic States, including Iran. An Israeli decision to adopt its principles - all the territories in return for a general peace - will remove the Shi'ite-Iranian minority from the Arab and Muslim consensus. As far as the latter are concerned, let Israel nurture the outposts, expand the settlements, clip the wings of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. It will help pave a shortcut for Iran from Gaza to Ramallah.

Israel itself, the Israel that does not understand the connection between the settlement of Yizhar and the reactor in Bushehr, claims that Hamastan is nothing more than a subsidiary of Iran.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will not shed a tear if Israel blows off Obama with his two-state solution. The sharper the conflict between the Jews and the Americans on "inconsequential matters," the greater the joy of Shushan/Iran.
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  1.   The USA 04:39  |  Jim 01/06/09
  2.   Eldar: Egypt already contradicted Arab League. 04:59  |  Fortuna Benmayor 01/06/09
  3.   US should swat Israel for comments like this 05:20  |  ID 01/06/09
  4.   Very well said 05:32  |  Jacob 01/06/09
  5.   What happens? Israel survives, that`s what. 05:46  |  Morris Valentine 01/06/09
  6.   U.S has brought one disaster after another on to Israel 05:47  |  jason 01/06/09
  7.   IT IS NOT GOING TO WORK 08:24  |  indrajaya 01/06/09
  8.   "prestige" 08:26  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 01/06/09
  9.   Is the USA committed to Israel?s survival? 08:37  |  Mario Sala 01/06/09
  10.   An Jews will pay the price for his inexperience 08:45  |  Gilad 01/06/09
  11.   Israel will compromise and buy time 08:53  |  Mark Leaman 01/06/09
  12.   Its even more important for the USA than Obama himself 08:58  |  Bruce 01/06/09
  13.   Who cares about the US (or economy, or democracy) 09:02  |  Uri 01/06/09
  14.   #5 Interesting retort, Morris 09:06  |  Johnboy 01/06/09
  15.   Let us nurture the outposts 10:23  |  zeev 01/06/09
  16.   Let´s get rid of the burden of the Settlements 10:38  |  Joe 01/06/09
  17.   Words of David Ben-Gurion!! 10:47  |  Tarzan 01/06/09
  18.   #16 Joe 12:06  |  Jim 01/06/09
  19.   to Gilad #10 12:09  |  zeev 01/06/09
  20.   Obama vs Israel 12:33  |  Hilda 01/06/09
  21.   troubleshooter 12:36  |  oz 01/06/09
  22.   For poor, naive Zeev in Beersheva 12:43  |  Nemesis 01/06/09
  23.   chess 14:18  |  oz 01/06/09
  24.   Israel should defeat the US 14:19  |  ronda finkelstein 01/06/09
  25.   #20 ...who was brought up as a moslem ... 14:34  |  Ardi 01/06/09
  26.   Stop the two faced standards... 15:19  |  Steve 01/06/09
  27.   Israel VS. US 15:31  |  Jeff 01/06/09
  28.   We have no Choice but to follow Obama to Peace. 15:31  |  Razi 01/06/09
  29.   answer to Uri 15:43  |  Obama mamma 01/06/09
  30.   LIEBERMAN FOR PRIME MINISTER (LOL) 15:56  |  indrajaya 01/06/09
  31.   The question is, will Obama realism prevail. 16:07  |  Stephen. 01/06/09
  32.   Criticism of the United States 16:11  |  Sarah 01/06/09
  33.   Americans Support Israel 16:49  |  Real American 01/06/09
  34.   #24 Steve 16:50  |  Brenna 01/06/09
  35.   What will happen if Israel `defeats` Obama? 16:59  |  Tawiran 01/06/09
  36.   Not a Suicide Pact 17:03  |  KenB 01/06/09
  37.   Obama needs to "succeed" at something 17:06  |  Realist 01/06/09
  38.   # 31, REAL AMERICAN 17:18  |  indrajaya 01/06/09
  39.   A shortcut from Gaza to Ramallah? 17:22  |  sandra chitayat 01/06/09
  40.   To Jason from Eilat 17:26  |  sandra chitayat 01/06/09
  41.   Her mistake 17:39  |  American 01/06/09
  42.   There are sensible people in Israel. 17:43  |  UK 01/06/09
  43.   REMEMBER THAT 17:49  |  oz 01/06/09
  44.   US - Israel 17:53  |  John 01/06/09
  45.   To Nemesis 17:58  |  Sam Soul 01/06/09
  46.   remember 1968?? 18:02  |  bri 01/06/09
  47.   To Jason 18:02  |  Sam Soul 01/06/09
  48.   Well said #24! 18:07  |  american taxpayer 01/06/09
  49.   You forget that with out the US, Israel is doomed 18:09  |  American 01/06/09
  50.   Brenna... stating the obvious??? 18:13  |  Steve 01/06/09
  51.   # 32 real american 18:42  |  Axel 01/06/09
  52.   to Real American 18:48  |  jade 01/06/09
  53.   Who decides US policy? 18:49  |  zoot 01/06/09
  54.   Netanayhu Habayta!!! 18:59  |  me 01/06/09
  55.   Defeating Obama 19:02  |  I Schaffer 01/06/09
  56.   Real American 71 % of Americans oppose taking sides in Israeli 19:09  |  American in NY 01/06/09
  57.   Settlements, the U.S. and Iran 19:16  |  Mark 01/06/09
  58.   This can NEVER be a DEFEAT for Obama 19:30  |  Sunday 01/06/09
  59.   Jim # 1 from Oregon 19:36  |  Eaglebeak 01/06/09
  60.   AHNYONE CAN HAVE A DREAM! 19:43  |  Cesare 01/06/09
  61.   Dont blame US, Blame Bush and his ideologues 19:47  |  Sunday 01/06/09
  62.   To #13; Israel-Russia is the dumbest coalition ever 19:52  |  Sunday 01/06/09
  63.   To #33; 60% of Americans support Obama 19:59  |  Sunday 01/06/09
  64.   What will happen if Israel `defeats` Obama? 20:04  |  Observer 01/06/09
  65.   What two-state solution? 20:07  |  John 01/06/09
  66.   Sunday...Brooklyn,NY 21:18  |  Malone 01/06/09
  67.   the Israel-bashers rise in the west 21:33  |  a voice 01/06/09
  68.   #8..Cipora 21:50  |  Malone 01/06/09
  69.   indrajaya is right. US/israel do not respect the UN !! 21:57  |  Antonio da Silva 01/06/09
  70.   If you do want Obama wants there will be no Israel 22:17  |  Gee 01/06/09
  71.   Bibi burning through all of Israel`s politcal capitol 23:05  |  binny 01/06/09
  72.   Standing strong 01:53  |  John 02/06/09
  73.   Obama ask to be defeat 02:20  |  Jason 02/06/09
  74.   Peace Advocate 02:43  |  Bazmann 02/06/09
  75.   No so new 03:17  |  Truth 02/06/09
  76.   binny, your lose our gain; Bibi is helping America 03:45  |  American in NY 02/06/09
  77.   71% of Americans 04:41  |  Gary AndrewS 02/06/09
  78.   #50 Sunday - Brooklyn 06:25  |  *BEN JABO 02/06/09
  79.   #26 Steve - Chicago 06:28  |  *BEN JABO 02/06/09
  80.   Most American Jews voted for Hussein Obama all Israelis will pay 06:39  |  Richard Goldblum 02/06/09
  81.   Obama is naive! 08:32  |  Gloria Beil-Phillips 02/06/09
  82.   To 62: do I really have to tell I was ironic, 09:26  |  Uri 02/06/09
  83.   Akiva, The trouble with Israeli criticism of Obama 09:28  |  Dutch 02/06/09
  84.   #64 Observer 11:11  |  Richelle David 02/06/09
  85.   #64 Observer 11:14  |  Richelle 02/06/09
  86.   #74 11:33  |  Reza 02/06/09
  87.   Gilad # 10 America shouldn?t pay price for Israels policy mistaks 13:33  |  American in NY 02/06/09
  88.   Richard Goldblum 13:58  |  American in NY 02/06/09
  89.   American in NY - Try using a more current poll 16:29  |  *BEN JABO 02/06/09
  90.   #83 american in n.y. 17:13  |  bri 02/06/09
  91.   to Richard Goldblum..... and who is your Bibi? 17:38  |  Antonio da Silva 02/06/09
  92.   To: American in NY 18:52  |  Good 02/06/09
  93.   To: Dutch 19:08  |  Good 02/06/09
  94.   Israeli`s need to stand on their own 19:18  |  Vince 02/06/09
  95.   To: Bruce 19:37  |  Good 02/06/09
  96.   Hay Joe from VA 19:40  |  Yochanan 02/06/09
  97.   Morris Valentine--a bone to pick with you 20:22  |  Labhras 02/06/09
  98.   chutzpah indeed 20:34  |  Leah 02/06/09
  99.   # 68 Cipora....... well said 20:38  |  Yochanan 02/06/09
  100.   #85 Richelle say it again and again. 20:43  |  Labhras 02/06/09
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