By Dovid Efune, ALGEMEINER
Prime Minister Netanyahu’s announcement this week that his trusted
aide Ron Dermer will replace Michael Oren as the Jewish State’s
ambassador to Washington is the latest statement of Israeli independence
from American designs in the region.
In 2008 when President Obama was first elected, following a campaign
in which he was sharply criticized by some members of the Jewish
community for his believed hostility to Israeli positions, two major
Jewish organizations made olive branch appointments.
AIPAC, the goliath pro-Israel lobby appointed Chicago entrepreneur
Lee “Rosy” Rosenberg as president. According to the Washington Post
Rosenberg was one of Obama’s “staunchest Jewish allies during his 2008
presidential campaign.”
“He advised the president on foreign policy in the Middle East and
Israel and delivered speeches to Jewish groups around the country,” the
Post added.
Similarly, the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish
Organizations appointed Chicago lawyer Alan Solow, another veteran Obama
supporter and campaign bundler, as its Chairman.
But the Israeli public has shown no such deference to the U.S.
administration. When Prime Minister Netanyahu was re-elected shortly
after Obama’s own re-election victory (as opposed to a leader whose
policies were more overtly aligned with the White House) it was a strong
statement of independence.
Netanyahu did not disappoint.
He followed Obama’s appointment of Chuck Hagel as U.S. Secretary of
Defense with the selection of Moshe Yaalon as Israel’s Defense Minister –
a man whose worldview appears to be almost diametrically opposed to
Hagel’s. As Yaalon’s deputy he appointed Danny Danon who has been a
vocal critic of the Obama administration since its very early days.
Although as Israeli Daily Ma’ariv reported, Dermer has visited with
and his appointment has been “approved” by U.S. administration officials
including John Kerry, this was done as a matter of courtesy. It is
unlikely that given the choice, Dermer would have been their first pick.
According to a JTA report, Dermer “is rumored to be the one
responsible for news stories about Obama’s supposed snub of Netanyahu
during his 2010 White House visit. And Obama administration officials
believe he was behind Netanyahu’s perceived tilt toward Mitt Romney in
last year’s presidential election.”
Mr. Dermer, “is credited with helping engineer a campaign visit by
Mr. Romney to Israel which featured a warm embrace with Mr. Netanyahu
while the Republican candidate attacked the Obama administration, say
analysts. He is also considered a liaison to influential Republican
campaign financiers like Sheldon Adelson,” the Wall Street Journal
reported.
“Here’s a guy that made sure the prime minister was close to Romney,”
the Journal cited an Israeli political analyst familiar with officials
at the prime minister’s office as saying. “If Romney was elected [Mr.
Dermer] would be the one you send right away. He’s got the right
demeanor as a Republican, he has neo-conservative credentials. He has
the full backing and confidence of the prime minister, which is
important. But for Obama, it’s not the right fit. There’s too much
baggage.”
“To me, it’s not an ideal choice as he’s seen as extremely political
and as someone who has repeatedly gone to the press with negative
stories,” a former Obama administration official told JTA. “You want
someone trusted and discreet to be your ambassador.”
As many have stressed, Dermer is exceedingly close to Netanyahu. In
many ways, the placement is as if Netanyahu wished a clone of himself to
be present on Capitol Hill. And while Netanyahu is an experienced
statesman who is well versed in the ways of diplomacy, he is known more
in his dealings with Washington for his verbal commitment to Israel’s
right to independence of action, especially on security related matters,
than for being a conciliatory yes man.
If the Israelis were expecting a time on the horizon in which the
Jewish State was forced to take action in Iran or elsewhere against the
will of the United States, Dermer would be the man best suited to stand
his ground in representing them to the White House.
Indeed, as the flames of the Middle East burn taller, with
Netanyahu’s selection of Dermer comes a concrete enactment of what the
Prime Minister has often stressed; that Israel reserves the right to
defend itself by itself at all times.
The author is the Editor-in-Chief of The Algemeiner and director of the GJCF and can be e-mailed at defune@gjcf.com.
Posted by Ted Belman
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