Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has arrived in Washington as a guest. There, he will be at home, more than he would be in Tel Aviv. In Tel Aviv, he is forced to offer concessions to this or that party, to guarantee its support in the Cabinet or the Knesset. In the American capital, all of the ruling political class supports him and its members outbid each other in their loyalty to Zionism. The head of a committee or a party leader in Congress does not dare oppose its policy. Everyone races to pressure the White House to increase military and financial assistance for the Jewish state. There cannot be any doubt about their loyalty to Israel. Whoever opposes what Israel wants becomes ostracized, and stops dreaming of a post once again and if the administration dares to this, the accusations of anti-Semitism are ready. Congress will hold it accountable, and will show no mercy. The loyalty of the Congress to the Jewish state is not ideological, despite the presence of some pro-Zionist ideologues. It is a case of financial interest, first and foremost. One of the journalists who exposed the Watergate scandal, Carl Bernstein (the other being Bob Woodward) says that a congressman from a big state, like California or New York, needs tens of millions of dollars to run for office a second time, which means that throughout his term he would be searching for money from the numerous lobbies, such as arms, oil and insurance companies (this is why it has been difficult to pass health care reform, which was proposed by President Barack Obama and whose success he considered revolutionary for domestic policy), and we cannot forget AIPAC, the strongest and most influential lobbying organization. Netenyahu relies on the support of the Congress and AIPAC, in addition to administration officials, in his confrontation with the White House. Senators and representatives need him, because is a leader of the strongest tribe and in the nineties, things went so far as to see him threaten Washington. It seems that the Obama administration, which kowtowed to him in the first confrontation a few months ago and legitimized his building of settlements after they were temporarily frozen, has become fed up with him. The administration was angered by his insult of Vice President Joe Biden (who first swallowed the insult and gave a Zionist speech par excellence). When the Obama administration is angry, the world is angry. It asked him to relent, and apologize. It set conditions for him to meet. It mobilized its diplomatic corps, the International Quartet, and the Secretary General of the United Nations. It set conditions for him to carry out. It began talking about the dangers of its unconditional support for Tel Aviv. General David Petraeus, the commander of CENTCOM, and the person responsible for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, said before the Congress that this support puts the lives of American soldiers in danger. The US is losing the trust of Arab regimes, after it lost the trust of Arab peoples a long time ago. Petraeus' comments appear to be a strategic change, in a decision taken by the White House. However, a calm reading of what he said confirms that it is a type of pressure on Netanyahu and his government, especially with repeated assurances by Obama and top US leaders that Israel's security is a priority, and that what God has brought together shall not be separated by interests, humans, or Arabs. It is a kind of pressure that is not expected to be more than a sop to Biden and the insulted administration. Thus, Netanyahu has gone to Washington reassured about its warm lap. This is after he reached an unannounced agreement with the US about building settlements, and after he met some conditions, such as easing the movement of Palestinians at roadblocks and agreeing to indirect negotiations, provided that the return of refugees, expansion in Jerusalem, or a return to the 1967 borders are not immediately discussed. Washington massed all of its local, international and Arab forces to pressure Israel. The result is that Netanyahu is showing insistance on building settlements in Jerusalem, “as previous governments have done” with the approval of America, as he said, and an angry Obama is now receiving him as an honored guest in the White House, after the storm blew over and the difference in points of view ended.
