It was reported earlier this week that American-Jewish leaders have accused the Obama Administration of turning its back on Israel. American-Jewish leaders (and many Pro-Israel lawmakers) have written letters directly to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and letters to major American newspapers voicing their frustration at what they perceive to be a lack of support for Israel.
On Thursday the New York Times reported that Barack Obama’s strategy towards the Mideast has recently shifted towards balancing support for Israel against other American interests despite Obama Administration officials publicly claiming that the U.S.'s support for Israel is unwavering. This shift in Mideast strategy seems subtle at first glance, but it is significant when you consider that the U.S. has had a special relationship with Israel.
The U.S. has historically supported Israel even when Israel’s hostile neighbors have demanded that the U.S. stop their support of Israel. However, it now appears that Barack Obama is willing to use America’s support for Israel as a bargaining chip to get concessions from Middle Eastern countries. For example, we could soon see the U.S. refrain from vetoing a proposed UN resolution that condemns Israel in exchange for some benefit that advances the U.S.’s short-term interests in the Middle East.
Barack Obama’s job as the President of the United States is to advance America’s interests in the world (whether he’s actually doing that is another story) However, ruining America’s special relationship with Israel in exchange for any short-term benefits is not worth it and can be dangerous for both countries.
