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Dr. Aaron Lerner is co-founder of , Independent Media Review and Analysis, an Israel-based news organization which provides an extensive digest of media, polls and significant interviews and events relating to the Israeli-Arab conflict.
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By Dr. Aaron Lerner
December 8, 2006
It is common for Israeli politicians to blame a particular policy or action on American pressure.
In fact, at the start of Oslo, Shimon Peres flew to California to try and convince then US secretary of state Warren Christopher to claim that it was an American initiative so he could play the "American pressure" card in the ensuing domestic debate. Christopher refused.
But while Israel certainly has an interest in cooperating with the White House, that hardly means that the Jewish State, as any sovereign nation, must reply "how high?" when the president or secretary of state says "jump".
Such a relationship, if it existed, wouldn't be good for Israel and would be just as bad -- if not worse -- for America.
Because if Israel truly took its marching orders from Washington, that would mean that literally everything Israel did -- and didn't do -- was with the knowledge and consent of D.C.
America could then be blamed for every Israeli security operation, negotiating position and policy move -- or lack thereof.
And since the Arab appetite for Israeli concessions is insatiable (withdrawal to the '67 lines is only a way station in dealing with what they consider a temporary alien element in their neighborhood) whatever concessions Israel might make would only put America in the position of being expected to squeeze for even more.
But does Israel really say "how high?"
If it did, the Golan and eastern Jerusalem would never have been annexed. Ramat Eshkol and French Hill -- not to mention Har Homa, Gush Ezion and many more neighborhoods and communities would never have been built.
Israel wouldn't have bombed the Iraqi nuclear plant nor repeatedly invaded Lebanon over the years.
And the list goes on.
Yes. America's views do matter. But they are only part of the equation -- not the formula itself.
Views expressed by the author do not
necessarily reflect those of israelinsider.
 
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