Leaning on Israel?
Put simply, he’s in Israel to try to dissuade the Israelis from bombing Iran.
There remains a strong thread of opinion inside the Israeli cabinet that argues that Iran is building a nuclear bomb and needs to be stopped in its tracks. Reportedly, Israel does not have a supply of the American developed deep bunker busting bomb required to penetrate the storage chambers in Natanz where, beneath some 55ft of reinforced concrete, Iran keeps her enriched uranium.
But the US Vice President, Joe Biden is not alone in his mission.
It is rare for so senior a US official to commit himself to six days in the region. He’s there with President Obama’s chief Middle East negotiator George Mitchell. In truth, Mitchell, the abidingly decent, patient and ultimately successful negotiator of the Northern Ireland pace has got effectively nowhere thus far in his attempts to negotiate a breakthrough in the Middle East.
Many who study the region are saying now that the option for what George Bush became the first president to enunciate – a two state solution – has passed.
Despite America’s very public support of the UN call for a cessation of work on new Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, the building work continues apace. The Obama administration has discovered what the world already knew, no one is prepared to do anything about it.
As one former UK envoy to the UN put it to me the other day, “Were Israel any other state, it is hard to imagine that her actions in the occupied territories would by now have secured a UN sanctions regime”.
Despite the reality that the 2009 presidential victory secured by Barack Obama was less dependent upon donations from the pro-Israel lobby than any in recent history – owing to the sheer mass and diversity of the small donations that swelled his electoral war chest – Obama does not appear to observers to be running an administration that is going to get tough with Prime Minister Netanyahu’s government any time soon.
The strangling of Gaza, the settlement building programme, and the flouting of years of UN resolutions have never secured anything more than the occasional American finger wag.
So, does Joe Biden’s arrival in the region signal change? Don’t hold your breath – and yet could there be something afoot?
Obama has in his first year made no serious personal investment in the peace process. Is Biden perhaps his ‘John the Baptist’ in this regard? Many will hope so. The conflict remains the greatest single fuel source for Muslim discontent from Indonesia to the East End of London.
Incidentally, it wasn’t until I saw that Mr Biden would not be seeing Egypt’s President Mubarak, that I discovered that the octogenarian leader is in a hospital bed in Germany after a gallbladder op last Saturday.
But then peace in the Middle East has, of late, rarely depended upon Egypt. She operates at least as draconian a border operation against the Palestinians as Israel administers.
Related posts:
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- CIA contact reveals Israel-Iran fears
- Gaza through the eyes of Israel and the UN
- Israel's workforce reflects security fears
- Behind the Nobel Peace Prize
There are 36 comments on this post
It’s time someone stood up to Israel and said enough is enough.
Despite their protests, they go much further than just protecting themeselves and they get away with things no one else would be allowed to do.Palestinians must have some rights.
All the time the west is so un-even handed, terrorsits are provided with more excuses for their horrific acts.
Obama’s presedential campaign was funded mainly by pro-israeli donators.
The U.S. is going to back Israel’s wishes which are to continue taking more and more land away from another nation. The non-peace process with Palestine, is definitely a major cause for hate. I was always taught not to use the word hate but that is what many in the east feel towards the west.
With regards to Iran, if western nations plus India and Pakistan rely on a military nuclear deterrent why shouldn’t Iran?That is the Iranian argument and can’t blame them. The only way, is for the world to comletely rid itself of nuclear fire power, for us then to have a real argument against developing nations wanting their own nuclear arsenal. Unfortunately for us, that will not happen any time soon leading the wheel to just keep going round and round as it was invented to do many millenia ago.
adzmundo CND
Am inclined to agree with Jon about the funding, adz, but agree with all your other points. Best.
Mr Snow, it’s clear that you have stuck with the time old wonderment re how could Israel continue to get away with things. Mr Obama and his team come in to office, the powerful pro-Israeli lobby seemed weaker, as they must be in control of US foreign policy, and so the view continues. Putting aside Israel being one of the only democracies in the ME, putting aside the US interest in Israeli produced intelligence on global terrorism, and putting aside the strange omission in your article about the probably more powerful Arab Oil lobby in the US, what are you left with? Indeed those living in Gaza and parts of the West Bank are not in the best of shape. But dont forget, Israel, against a significant list of its own interests, left Gaza to fend for itself. The result was an elected terrorist government sworn to Israel’s destruction. Literally destruction – not just to its buildings, but also to its people. So with a whole people moved and educated to that end inc in the West Bank, why not criticise Israel, introduce sanctions against Israel, promote the giving of land without the destruction of aims to annihilate Israel. Could it be that the US just sees another side you dont?
Given that non Jewish citizens have fewer rights, Israel is only barely a democratic state. The Palestinian Territories had democratic elections ignored by Israel and the US. Egypt and Jordan which are both client states of the US are not democratic.
I don’t think there is an “Arab Oil lobby” in the sense of Arab countries making donations to the Democrats.
Would that Israel have left Gaza fend for itself. Israel unilaterally withdrew, sabotaging the greenhouses and maintained its air, land and sea blockade which was tightened after Hamas’ election victory. Israel is therefore the de-facto occupying power. Today’s Hamas leaders have not adopted the Charter and have agreed the Palestinians have a right to self determination under the Arab peace initiative. There is no need for Israel to steal more land or demolish more Arab homes in East of Jerusalem. How many Arab Israelis or Palestinians have been allowed to build in their homes in West Jerusalem from which they were ejected in 1948?
Wasn’t John the Baptist supposedly beheaded? bit of a grim similie there Snowy!
incidentally, today marks 1000 days of Israel’s illegal Gaza siege. Still no water, no food no aid & no condemnation any more.
Well that isn,t bad .The palestinians do not need help if they can last 1000 days without water food or aid.Should Israel provide such aid to a peoples vowed on its destruction.Not only that, but a country if it had not listened to Arafat and been prepared to live in peace and with an acceptance of Israels legitimacy.could now be thriving.Who in this country would accept their neighbour , trying to destroy them and refusing their right to live in a house next door in peace.It is easy to be hypocritical when it isn’t in your back yard
If you actually believe a siege (that is illegal under international law and inhumane at the very least of ethical reasoning) is a justified ‘foreign policy’ for Israel to ‘deal’ with its neighbours, then I am not the one to be accused of hypocracy. Try living 100, even 10 days, with no access to clean water, adequate food or medicines you require. Just because Palestinians continue to ‘exist’ does not make it a living, and certainly does not make it ok.
It may not be my back door, but it happens in my world. As a human being, injustice and inhumanity is being committed in my name. And no one, within our political ranks, is speaking up against it.
Adrian-The Zionists got Palestine by terrorism – which led to a UN partition of Pakestine – you speak as if the Israelis were the rightful owners of Plaestine . They terrorise still the Westbank and Gaza at will – out of all proportion to Palestinian actions . Their sanctions against Gaza are totally inhumane – and they also are committed to the elemiantion of all plaestinins from Palestine .
You have given me some homework to do on this one. I know little about Biden other than a name.
The world still has holocaust guilt which is just one of the reasons Israel is allowed to get on with the job.
Will this man baptise or lose his capita.?
Whilst doing a little’ factual’ reading this a.m ,I will think of those folks being eyeless in Gaza as the image of them being strangled strengthens.
Perhaps Mr Mubarak has lost his cholic gravel, but I cannot see Egypt losing ground on anything even if their impact isn’t as obvious as it was, but then again I am not too informed. Reading time.!
From a quick read there seems to be duplicity in this visit. Whilst the neocons and neoliberals are redrawing a map of the middle east with oil in mind, diplomacy continues so The US can get access to the stuff.
BJ, if you think the history of ownership and settlement began after the Holocaust, you’ve got a lot more homework to do than you thought. Any simple text book will inform you of ownership, control and settlement well before the Holocaust. Do you think Palestine pre-48 was run by those seeking to establish a state in Gaza and the West Bank. Search for British Empire, Ottomans, Old Testament, Romans, and so i could go on.
And where is the middle east envoy Blair in all this? He seems less interested in the West Bank than in his own bank account. He has been useless.
No doubt he’s polishing his self-serving memoirs to ensure a few more million get tucked away
I do feel the occupied people’s need to somehow throw off the corrupt Fatah funded by us! and the nihilism of Hamas. They really have to accept the reality of their position and get some inspired leadership. The rights and wrongs arguments are getting them nowhere at present.
Might is right was the real message of the New World Order Brown talked about* and Obama has done nothing to stop
* Shocked no one picked up on that where he suggested a small clique in Washington and London decided on a New World Order and invaded Iraq to show off. It failed mercifully.
I must be no one.
A quip can reveal peoples true nature and intention to do harm. That speaks of the real world where own agenda’s take priority, to an overall cause.
Relating that small but peevish example of behaviour, to Cameron’s hypothetical society, without State intervention gives us insight into what morals will rule.The three arms of the State may not be as clean as it could be but alternatives could be futile to our Country .The hate to rule stance displays itself in in every section of society from the underhanded worms to the self adulatory oinks of this world.
Thank god for our state and a degree of control for GB.
The New World Oreder is well on track – and we will be the big time losers . I think Obama – or more likely an aide phones up Brown – and ” suggests ” he should make a statement on whatever – and like a true lapdog –.
The amount of lying coming out of the govt of Israel is really disgusting. About the only thing one knows for sure when some pro-Israel shill mouths off is – that’s not the truth. Nor justice or reason.
Good argument. Lots of opinion backed up with no facts at all.
In support of McMaster’s comment I’d cite any appearance on C4 news of an Israeli government member or representative and sadly all foreseeable future appearances. Given the treatment of the Jewish people and culture by Christian societies (which disturbingly continues) there is every case to be made for their needing their own nation and a well defended on what at, but they are not the underdog of the region and not a victim when dropping phosphorus and driving Bradley tanks thru the occupied homes of innocent Palestinians whose best defense was throwing rocks (and not even large ones).
As “imperfect” though the UK government has been with counter terrorism in the past 10 years they never seriously threatened to follow the Israeli approach. It’s past time for the Israeli government to grow-up.
Exactly Peter. Israel needs to grow up. It is now the local bully. As the fifth or sixth strongest military in the world, it is under no existential threat and does not need the land it steals. Israel does need to steal water and also has its eyes on Gaza’s offshore gas. Tony Blair was instrumental in making sure that this wouldn’t be brought ashore in Egypt.
Margaret , have i missed something?There is no oil in Israel or the gaza strip,and if all the locations where there is oil are arabs and support the palestinians i can not see where the US supporting Israel helps them.Saltaire i ticked and agreed with your Blair observation .Perhaps he is just supporting Israel as the strongest party in the region .For those anti Israelis isnt it strange Egypt is still friendly with them
Saltaire Sam were you refering to Tony Blair? Oh yes sorry, it almost slipped my mind, TB is an ambassador for peace in the middle east and has been for quite some wasted time now…
If TB does write a book, we must boycott it…
adzmundo CND
Probably.. When one looks at the religious and economic divisions in the whole of the middle east , where the main oil feilds are and necessary links that need to be maintained to acquire either overall power or at least a tap into that area, then it is a larger game of chess we are talking about. Go on to a website look at the oil fields distribution look at where religious territory is marked, relate it to the religious struggle for power in Gaza and palestine the US’s interest and think about chains of power. We are ever more into globalisation .The gaza strip and surrounding religion claimed territory is not an island . Its ripples are world wide.
No if you look at the way the sentence is structured and its content you will see there isn’t any inference to the historical evolutionary process from time dot. In fact I just mention the holocaust as causing a guilt trip.Brush up on your comprehension.. English Language Darren.
Deena, do you not think Israel is more beseiged than the palestinians .It is surrounded , except for the coast by Arab countries , not only hostile to it but intent and avowed to destroy it.There are Jordan ,Amman,Egypt Syria and Palestine.Palestine has coastal access and a border with Egypt so it is not besieged as you put it.If it dropped its beligerence and made peace with its neighbours(even Egypt does not support them) then it could well have a fruitful existance
Adrian, you can do better than that.
Firstly, Israel has two sea coasts and a very sophisticated navy. Secondly, Israel in on friendly terms with US client states Egypt and Jordan. Gaza’s coast is blockaded. Fishermen are not allowed to go further that 3nm despite the Oslo agreement which said 20nm. Israel has also a say over Rafah (under a US-EU-Israel-Egypt agreement).
Israel is hostile to Syria because she occupies the Golan Heights. Syria has offered a peace deal for its return Israel has refused. To the north, Israel has invaded Lebanon and is in dispute over Sheeba farms (and most importantly water resources near the Litani river).
Land for peace works. It worked with Egypt ad has been offered. Israel has refused to make peace when it can steal more land without any penalty.
Without getting tied up in the depth of the wider Middle East question, let us hypothesise about how the Iran-Nuclear issue may come to a head (as it surely must within the next 12 months).
As the Iranians continue to string-out and side-step diplomacy, and a resource hungry China shies away from further economic sanctions, could this come down to an Israeli strike? I truly hope not and cannot begin to contemplate the future and dynamics of the region, but it certainly is a distinct possibility.
Now consider the geographical distances such an attack would need to cover, not to mention the dispersion and number of targets or the how deeply the Iranians will have been sure to bury them. Even with the full-fat American ‘bunker-busters’ could such attack actually succeed? Unlikely. How about if the Israelis use their own nuclear weapons instead?
I am fearful of the lengths Israel will most certainly go to defend their position in the region. I am most certainly fearful of just how this may pan out.
Quite Richard, it seems to be” hubble bubble toil and trouble”.We need diplomats of the highest quality to calm some of the waters ,so nations can cross over to other sides in peace.
Mark you are technically right, but the peaceful states of Jordan and Egypt were only won by force.Jordon was the home of the PLO but was forced to disown them when they became a threat to their own security .Egypt , had it not been for the United Nations would have been an occupied homeland of Israel, after twice being soundly whupped and Cairo threatened with being over run .As for comments like Jims that Israel was won by terroism he is partially correct .Israel , (Judea) was Jewish before being conquered by the Romans IT has had a chequered history but was not Arab until the dark ages.After the WW1 Palestine,Jordan,Iraq were all uner British rule technically until 1948.Many of the Jews there now, fled persecution from the surrounding Arab states, so i have little sympathy with the Gaza Arabs who were the PLO and even shunned by their own kind and the surrounding Arab states .As for Iran i believe Israel could make a pre emptive strike if they thought that their land was threatened.There is precedence ,they destroyed Iraq’s nuclear reactor in 1981 ,which was being built with French help
Dear Mr. Snow
Israel is in breach of no UN resolution that it is required to obey.
OK?
Geoffrey Alderman
Peace between Israel and the palestinians is imposible, the palestinians cannot give anymore, Israel wants the lot.
[...] Author: Jon Snow|Posted: 6:57 am on 10/03/10 Category: Snowblog | Tags: Darjeeling/ India/ Israel An intriguing PS to my Biden blog. [...]
The avuncular Mr Mitchell has endured derision and scorn during his tenure thus far in the Middle East chiefly at the hands of Israel. Initially all seemed to auger well for some movement towards a resolution concerning the 2 state proposal and a final settlement in Jerusalem. Ms Clinton’s appearance on the scene seemed to enhance such hopes. But back home after his magnificent Cairo address , Obama seemed to shut down and lost his enthusiasm for reining in Israel or even amelriorating her hegemony in Palestine .
The building of settlements in Jerusalem not only breaches UN decree every day- it is a betrayal of the deal struck by Clinton with both sides.- remember that famous photo shot of both sides shaking hands on the White House Lawn ?
If he can not stay the hand of Israel regarding a preemptive nuclear strike on Iran – Obama could introduce the MAD deterrent by giving a bomb to the Iranians – Or the Palestinians for that matter.
The world will not criticize Israel for her repeated land grabs on the Palestinians for fear of the Israelis playing the Holocaust card – and how effective a silencer that is..
My parents risked their lives ( and my life ) by taking in a german jewish girl of 15 in 1939. If Hitler had invaded and won in 1940 we would all have paid the price. But it was still the right thing to do.
If they were alive today they would be supporting the Palestinians. Those 1600 houses are most needed in Gaza.