I confess I love Israel. Moments like this, reading Gideon Levy in Haaretz, remind me that the things I love about my Jewish culture–intellectual honesty and sensitivity–are alive in Israel, in the likes of writers like him. Why hasn't any American writer–why haven't I for that matter–said what was obvious about the Obama-Netanyahu meeting? Netanyahu looked like a thuggish oaf next to our brilliant presdent. Levy says it, in a column calling on Obama to push forward on a peace plan to save Israel:
Suddenly all of Israel's "friends" in Washington have
shed their skin. They, too, sense a rare opportunity in the Middle
East. They, too, are tired of what Netanyahu has tried to peddle. They,
too, understand that the Yitzhar settlement in the West Bank must
precede Iran's nuclear reactor in Bushehr. How pathetic and
heartrending was the sight of the Israeli prime minister, sitting tense
and sweaty, next to the new American president, confident, stylish, and
impressive, without all the jokes and back-patting of Ehud Olmert and
George W. Bush. The latter was in fact the least friendly president to
Israel – one who allowed it to carry out all its violent madness.
How pathetic was the sight, yet how encouraging; perhaps Netanyahu
learned something during his short and dramatic visit. The visit has
already made one contribution: Obama tore off the mask of so-called
peace-loving Israel. If Netanyahu really feared for the fate of the
country he would have immediately agreed, in the Oval Office, to all
the ideas put forth by this fantastic president. If Israel does not
respond, we, the Israelis, will know, the U.S. president will know and
the entire world will know that Israel does not want peace.
An Israeli refusal of Obama's efforts will reveal that there is no
peace partner in the Middle East. The absent partner is Israel.
