By Richard Edmondson
We have heard very little coming from Russia, certainly of late at any rate, concerning Israel—in terms of either its occupation of Palestinian land or its illegal settlement expansions. Correspondingly, Israel seems to be returning the favor by saying nothing about Russia’s actions in Ukraine.
In fact, a strange sort of pirouette seems to be in progress between the two countries.
Commentators at RT have mercilessly skewered the hypocrisy in US foreign policy (not a terribly difficult thing to accomplish these days), while also critiquing the role supposedly played by “corporate America” in manufacturing the crisis in Ukraine, but in both cases the writers carefully omit any mention of the enormous influence exerted by the Israeli lobby in determining US foreign policy.
Meanwhile, on April 14 Haaretz published a report describing the White House as “incensed” over Israel’s failure to publicly express support for NATO objectives in Ukraine.
On March 27, the UN General Assembly discussed the issue of Ukraine, with all the EU member states lining up obediently behind the US position. I commented on the debate at the time, noting that the anti-Russian resolution that was adopted—upholding the “territorial integrity” of Ukraine—passed by a vote of 100 in favor, 11 against, with 58 abstentions. I also noted that 24 nations failed to even show up for the vote that day, and that one of these no-shows, rather conspicuously, was Israel.
It seems that the Obama administration became terribly bent out of shape over the failure of its erstwhile ally to stand at her benefactor’s side and provide support in a crucial vote at the UN:
Haaretz reported on Sunday that Washington is incensed that Jerusalem has not come out openly against Russia’s takeover of the Crimean peninsula. A senior U.S. official said one of the reasons for the White House’s anger was Israel’s absence two weeks ago at a UN General Assembly vote to condemn the Russian invasion and support Ukraine’s territorial integrity.You can kind of see why the White House might become indignant. For more years than some people can even count, the US has been running interference for Israel at the UN, vetoing measures critical of the Jewish state, and in all that time, US officials have consistently spoken of the “special relationship” and gushed out their undying devotion to the apartheid state. Certainly the US State Department had every reason to be confident the favor would be returned. Ah, but suddenly, with the US in a tense, face-to-face confrontation with Russia, America’s bosom buddy heads for the back door and bails.
According to Haaretz:
The talks over the past two weeks, in which Israel explained its position on Ukraine and why it was absent from the vote, have been taking place both at the working diplomatic level on both sides, but also at a more senior rank. The Israeli official said that while both the U.S. State Department and Congress have shown understanding for Israel’s position, the White House remained unconvinced by the explanations.That last sentence—having Rice “listening” to Lieberman and expressing the US government’s “disappointment”—is probably putting it mildly. I’m guessing there was quite a bit of anger in the room at the time.
American dissatisfaction with Israel’s policy came up in a meeting last week in Washington between Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman and U.S. National Security Advisor Susan Rice. Leiberman explained that Israel had not attended the UN vote because of the Foreign Ministry employees’ strike. He said that during the last strike, three years ago, then-president of Russia Dmitry Medvedev had to call off a planned visit to Israel at the last minute, and the Russians had understood and not been angry. Rice listened to Lieberman, but stressed that the administration was disappointed in Israel’s conduct.
The story goes on to report that Lieberman and other Israeli officials have pointed out that even if their UN ambassador had shown up that day, his support would have been “only symbolic” insofar as it would not have changed the outcome of the vote. On the other hand, had Israel been there and supported the US measure “it could have meant real damage to Israel’s ties with Russia.”
One official from the Defense Ministry reportedly went on Israel Army Radio this past Sunday morning and averred that “Israel looks at the conflict in Ukraine and focuses on our present and our future…the United States is involved as it is involved, but we don’t have to define our interest as identical to the interest of another entity, even the United States.”
Gee, and all this time US leaders like Joe Biden have been saying “there is no space between the US and Israel,” and telling us that our own national interests and Israel’s interests are identical.
“We are close to the chemical weapons in Syria and the Iranian nuclear program, over which Russia has a decisive influence, and so a clash with Moscow could hurt our security,” the Israelis reportedly told their American counterparts in an effort to justify their absence on the day of the vote.
But I’m guessing that’s just a bit of chicanery. Syria’s chemical weapons are being shipped out of the country as we speak, while Iran would have no wish to start a nuclear war with Israel, even if it had an atomic bomb now or were to make one in the future.
On the other hand, the US is currently led by a hopeless gang of hypocrites and fools who clearly are charting their country on a course for disaster. Certainly the leaders of Israel realize this. Russia is about to sign a major gas deal with China, and the latter is set to become the number one economy in the world at some point over the next few years. BRICS countries are reportedly already setting up their own equivalent to the IMF.
Israel is planning ahead, or as the Defense ministry official put it, focusing “on our present and our future.” When the US empire collapses, the “special relationship,” you can be sure, will finally come to an end. The whore is simply anticipating the prospect, batting her eyelashes in a different direction.