Tensions between the United States and Israel that were temporarily put aside after Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait have resurfaced in the aftermath of last week’s violent riots on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.
Because of their common interest in thwarting Iraqi aggression, the Bush administration and the Likud-led government of Israel had tacitly agreed to put on hold their sharp differences over the Middle East peace process and Jewish settlements in the administered territories.
The United States, in effect, eased up the pressure on Israel to negotiate with a Palestinian delegation, and Israel agreed to Washington’s request that it maintain a “low profile” in the Persian Gulf crisis.
But that cooperation was shattered last week, when the United States actively supported a U.N. Security Council resolution sharply criticizing Israel for its handling of the violent riots on the Temple Mount on Oct. 8, in which 21 Arabs were killed and some 150 wounded.
Israel responded by saying it would refuse to cooperate with the U.N. investigation mandated in the resolution. And Housing Minister Ariel Sharon announced plans to construct 15,000 new apartments in East Jerusalem, despite strong objections from the United States.
In the organized American Jewish community, too, the U.S. vote has been greeted with almost unanimous dismay. Jewish groups see the resolution as a one-side condemnation of Israel that overlooks what many believe was a premeditated riot by Arabs on Judaism’s holiest site.
A WILLINGNESS TO ENDANGER ISRAEL
Washington’s support for the resolution has only increased the growing concern in the Jewish community that the Bush administration is willing to endanger Israel’s interests in order to keep intact the international coalition against Iraqi President Saddam Hussein.
The Bush administration, on the other hand, appears to have expected plaudits for what it believes was a success in thwarting an attempt by Hussein’s supporters, including the Palestine Liberation Organization, to link the Palestinian issue to Iraq’s seizure of Kuwait.
“The administration feels they did an excellent job keeping the resolution from being one-sided and even more critical of Israel,” said Jess Hordes, Washington representative of the Anti-Defamation League of B’nai B’rith.
But Hordes said the resolution did not take into account the “murderous incitement” of the Arab mob that threw rocks down from the Temple Mount onto worshipers at the Western Wall.
“I don’t think we can be successful in our policy approaches if we are not willing to recognize realities and simply play to expediency,” he said.
“The administration engaged in a fairly cynical pre-emptive strategy” said Martin Indyk, executive director of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, a pro-Israel think tank.
But he said that as long as the Gulf crisis continues, “it is inevitable Washington is going to take their (Arab) views more into account, giving their sensitivities higher priority.”
He said the United States should remember that it is “risking our soldiers to protect Saudi Arabia and Kuwait,” countries that “may not survive without our help.”
‘CATERING’ TO THE ARABS
In trying to protect Arab countries from Iraqi aggression, “we are catering to them, instead of the other way around,” said Robert Lifton, president of the American Jewish Congress.
Most observers expect U.S.-Israeli relations to suffer while the Gulf crisis continues, although no real break is expected.
Hordes pointed out that the U.N. vote was only one of a number of events that have increased tensions between the two countries. Another is the proposed massive arms sale to Saudi Arabia and the administration’s “inability to keep its rhetorical commitment to maintain Israel’s qualitative (military) edge.”
Lifton of AJCongress took the most optimistic view. He said if the Israeli commission investigating the Temple Mount incident comes up with an unbiased and honest report, “that will take the issue off the table.”
He said it would also remove the need for U.N. investigation, which he said would be prejudiced, since the Security Council has already made its judgment.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
