The Obama Administration finally realized its credibility was in tatters after the shenanigans of this week in Israel. With the President apparently sedated and the Vice President hoarse from crooning love songs to Israel, it was decided to have the top wimps step aside and let the only one in the Administration with any guts crack the whip.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton not only called Prime Minister Netanyahu today, she also had her spokesman P. J. Crowley inform reporters that for forty minutes she delivered "a stinging rebuke" to Netanyahu "to make clear that the United States considered the announcement [this week of new Jewish housing in East Jerusalem] to be a deeply negative signal about Israel’s approach to the bilateral relationship and counter to the spirit of the Vice President’s trip."
"The secretary said she could not understand how this happened, particularly in light of the United States’ strong commitment to Israel’s security and she made clear that the Israeli government needed to demonstrate not just through words but through specific actions that they are committed to this relationship and to the peace process."
Significantly, spokesman Crowley "stressed that the United States objected to both the content and timing of the announcement" and said Clinton had "reinforced that this action had undermined trust and confidence in the peace process and in America’s interests."
Considering Obama’s current political problems, it is hard to believe that this week’s events could be a tipping point in U.S. – Israeli relations. But considering the hole that the administration has dug for itself in the Mideast, it is not impossible that the Israeli slap in the face served as a wake-up call. The Quartet – which denounced the Israeli settlement announcement shortly after Clinton’s phone call was made known – is scheduled to meet next Friday in Moscow. What actions the Quartet takes will give a better indication whether this is a one week flap or an actual change in U.S. policy.
According to Roee Nahmias at Y-Net, "US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton sent a message to Beirut that Washington cannot prevent an Israeli strike in Lebanon as long as arms smuggling to Hezbollah continues."
Echoing an article in the London-based al-Hayat newspaper, Nahmias writes that "the message was conveyed via US Ambassador to Lebanon Michele Sison to Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri."
The al-Hayat report stated that Berri replied with his own message to Clinton, "that finding a solution to the arms smuggling issue is ‘not a problem’, but that the US must also stop arming Israel with weapons and equipment."
The situation between Hizbullah and Israel has been heating up lately, and the Lebanese government is openly expressing fear of an Israeli attack. Lebanon’s Daily Star notes that "Israel has repeatedly threatened to target all of Lebanon, including its infrastructure in any upcoming war given Hizbullah’s participation in the Cabinet."
Hizbullah’s leader, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, last month at a commemoration ceremony "warned his group would bomb Israel’s infrastructure, airport and refineries in response to any attack on Lebanese infrastructure. He stressed that the resistance did not seek war but was ready to face any aggressions."
More problematic for the Lebanese is what Hizbullah will do if Israel attacks Hizbullah’s ally, Iran. Defending Lebanese soil achieves a greater consensus than defending Iran’s nuclear program.
During the 2006 Israeli-Hizbullah war, current Prime Minister Saad Hariri was the leader of the Lebanese Parliament’s largest bloc, which dominated the government. Yet, he stayed out of the country during the entire war. Once Israeli bombing of Lebanon escalated out-of-control and the United States was unwilling or unable to enforce an Israeli ceasefire, Lebanese of all stripes turned against the Israeli aggression, and the government led by then Prime Minister Fouad Siniora found itself in a untenable position. Hariri and his allies – with US backing – won the 2009 election suggesting that Hizbullah still needed to be disarmed. But he eventually decided to form another unity government that again included Hizbullah.
Today Hariri is speaking much differently than in 2006. On a state visit to Qatar last Monday, he told reporters,
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