Israel treating Trump stupidly

Dr. Norman Bailey

Unilateral moves sponsored by rightist politicians are liable to wreck Israel's relationship with the notoriously prickly new US president.

Less than a month after taking office, President Trump is rapidly back-tracking on his campaign promises concerning Israel, including moving the American embassy to Jerusalem, approving settlement expansion in the West Bank and abandoning the two-state "solution." Why?

 The inauguration of the Trump administration in Washington on January 20th was followed by euphoria on the part of Israelis in general and a massive display of hubris on the part of the government in Jerusalem. Without giving the administration even the courtesy of waiting until the prime minister had met with Trump, a meeting scheduled for this coming Wednesday, one measure after another was taken by the government and the Knesset with reference to the settlements with no coordination with or even prior notification of Washington. Rightist politicians such as Naftali Bennett are exacerbating the folly by threatening Netanyahu with violent retribution if he retreats even one centimeter from those premature measures.

Such behavior would seriously annoy even a new president less prickly than Trump, who is notoriously sensitive to perceived slights. Undoubtedly intending to change fundamentally the relationship with Israel enjoyed (if that is the right word) by the Obama crowd, Trump was faced with responding to preemptive actions taken on the assumption that he would approve them despite not even knowing about them in advance.

It may be that the PM is trying to divert attention from what may be an impending indictment for corruption, as well as protecting his right flank. But the motive doesn't matter. What matters is that such behavior is incredibly stupid and counter-productive and is a terrible start for what looked like what was going to be an excellent bilateral relationship for the next four or eight years.

It is to be profoundly hoped that such arrogant, thoughtless behavior will not be manifested during the impending meeting and that constant consultation with the new administration will be promised. It is also to be hoped that the Israeli right will see the necessity for such a promise and not react in a knee-jerk fashion to punish Netanyahu if he in fact follows the suggested path.

It is early days and all is not yet lost by any means. But such thoughtlessness must not continue to characterize government and Knesset actions or a time will come when a glorious opportunity is actually missed. Should that happen the old saying that the Palestinian Authority never misses an opportunity to miss an opportunity can be applied to Israel instead. We must fervently hope not.

Norman A. Bailey, Ph.D., is Professor of Economics and National Security, The National Security Studies Center, University of Haifa, and Adjunct Professor of Economic Statecraft, The Institute of World Politics, Washington, DC. He was formerly with the US National Security Council and the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on February 12, 2017

© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2017

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