Netanyahu's empty seats address
Op-ed: The American public and media debate will likely focus on the half empty chamber at the US Congress during the Israeli PM's speech, diverting the attention from the important issue he arrived in Washington for: The Iranian nuclear program.
The public and media debate will focus on the empty seats and the internal American discussion, and as a result, the Israeli prime minister could lose the focus on the important issue he arrived in Washington for: The Iranian nuclear program.
A first sign of the great absence was provided by US Vice President Joe Biden, who also serves as president of the Senate. Biden, who presumably does not miss particularly festive Senate sessions, and who usually plans his trips abroad well in advance, decided to announce over the weekend that he had a trip planned on the exact day that Netanyahu would address the Senate and House of Representatives.
Where is he going? Don't worry, his assistants will find a proper place for him that day. His empty seat behind the platform on Capitol Hill will be photographed from every possible angle. The American media will likely refer to the event as "the empty seats' session."
Here are a few words about what takes place in that chamber, from personal experience: It is usually an exciting and impressive event. Capitol Hill knows how to honor the guests invited to address the nation. The seats are packed with guests and "all of America" – intellectuals, heads of industries – is invited.
America, which knows how to honor its guests, showers them with respect and applauds following every line and every sentence made by the speaker. The speechwriters for these impressive events are focused on these standing ovations, and the speakers compete against each other over who received more rounds of applause, and often the main headline in the next day's newspapers as well.
The empty seats scenario, if it does take place, will diminish the important issue Netanyahu plans to address. It should be clear to everyone that the Iranian issue is too important for us to give up on. It conceals the State of Israel's future in the Middle East, against Iran and vis-à-vis the entire world.
Israel's status in the past 50 years, especially in our region, stems from its nuclear ability, if it indeed has one. Undermining the balance of horror in the region could largely undermine Israel's status in the entire world, and first and foremost cause the Arab world to stop being intimidated by Israel.
The person who came up with the idea that the prime minister should address the two houses of Congress created a situation of a confrontation with an American president. The person who came up with the idea sought to embarrass the US president in front of the American public and the entire world. The person who came up with the idea is delusional. We have no chance in a battle against the US and an incumbent president. The Americans will always win. That's the difference between a world power and a state the size of New Jersey.
Other prime ministers, had they gotten caught in a situation in which they had to persuade Congress representatives to step up sanctions against Iran, would have walked through the corridors on Capitol Hill, gone from room to room, from one Congress member to another, and tried to convince them in personal meetings. The senators and House of Representative members stand for election too, they also seek respect, and a meeting with an Israeli prime minister could help them among their Jewish voters.
An Israeli prime minister has another chance at the AIPAC conference, as there is hardly a single American official who misses out on the opportunity to be there.
But it all seems hopeless now. Netanyahu, before the elections, will not give up the "national dignity." Obama will not give up his dignity as president. Come what may, but what have we Israelis done to deserve this?
