Forced to adopt Bush's posture
Photo: AP
Raanan Gissin
Photo: Moshe Milner (GPO)
Play ball with Obama
Op-ed: Bibi should take advantage of current situation to present creative initiative to US
Part 2 of analysis
President Obama knows that the strategic relationship between Israel and the US plays a central role both in deterrence and in safeguarding American interests vis-à-vis the radical Iranian coalition. However, more than anything else, and precisely against the backdrop of the growing Iranian threat, moderate Arab leaders are testing the president’s determination, commitment, and leadership daily through the prism of the strength of the informal Israel-US pact.
The growing radical Islamic terrorism of al-Qaeda also contributes to Israel’s growing importance in this battle, with Obama being forced to adopt President Bush’s posture as “the Free World’s leader in the fight against terror.” All of this creates a convenient backdrop for Netanyahu to arrive in Washington with his own diplomatic plan, which includes red lines (Jerusalem, the Jordan Rift Valley, settlement blocs, and secure borders) but also creative components that Obama can integrate into his bridging proposal.
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Restoring the trust and quiet understandings between Jerusalem and Washington is a must. Moreover, there is no doubt that should Netanyahu present such plan in Washington, supported by a broad coalition and solid public support, it will be easier for him to sell it to the White House not as the leader of Likud, but rather, as Israel’s leader. The importance of such initiative, where Netanyahu’s ideas are presented by Obama, is a major element in boosting the strategic coordination in vital issues for Israel such as the Iranian nuclear threat.
Such move is essential in order to prompt the US to grant Israel an umbrella and uncompromising commitment to curb the global de-legitimization campaign against it in the UN, at the International Court of Justice, in the legal system, and in Western European countries. In this battle, Israel has no substitute at this time for determined American action.
As we know, “there are no free lunches in Washington,” and especially when it comes to President Obama, yet this is the time to get the most for Israel at reasonable prices. The message is clear: President Obama’s success in coping with leadership challenges in changing times will reward Israel too.
In the next two years, Israel aspires not to have a president at the White House who is telling himself there is nothing to lose in the Middle East, but rather, a president who tells himself that he has something to gain from Israel in order to boost America’s status in the Middle East and worldwide.
In his prophetic song, Bob Dylan noted that times are indeed changing, yet he also said that whoever is willing to swim in the rough waters shall survive. For the American president, this is a question of leadership and both a domestic and international opportunity. For Israel, it’s an existential issue.
Both Netanyahu and Obama are well-known media whizzes. This precisely is the time to display a little less media savvy and utilize more personal diplomacy. The historic irony in the situation created for both these leaders is akin to the worn-out dictum: “If we don’t stick together, we’ll die together.” Any reasonable person realizes that in choosing between these options, the first one is better and healthier for Israel.
Dr. Raanan Gissin, a government and media expert, was former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s senior media and strategy advisor
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