How clear the conflict between the Netanyahu government and the Obama administration are, is unclear at this point. That doesn’t stop Glenn Kessler from emphasizing the differences.
Aides to Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said this week that the Israeli government will not move ahead on the core issues of peace talks with the Palestinians until it sees progress in U.S. efforts to stop Iran’s suspected pursuit of a nuclear weapon and limit Tehran’s rising influence in the region. Netanyahu, who is skeptical of efforts to create a Palestinian state, plans to visit Washington next month; aides said he was preparing to outline his emerging policy to President Obama.
Asked about those comments during an appearance before a panel of the House Appropriations Committee, Clinton said she did not want to “prejudge the Israeli position until we’ve had face-to-face talks.” But she then cautioned that Israel was unlikely to gain support for thwarting Iran unless there were visible efforts to achieve Palestinian statehood.
Achieving statehood for the Palestinians is dependent at least as much on the Palesitnians as on the Israelis. It isn’t even clear that the Palestinian leadership wants a state. So leaning on Israel to work for such a state and making that a condition for taking a stand against Iran is likely to be counterproductive. Even without Israel in consideration the administration should want to prevent Tehran from gaining influence in the Middle East.
At the end of the article Kessler writes:
Clinton took flak from some lawmakers about the administration’s efforts to keep its options open regarding the creation of a Palestinian unity government. The government is split between Fatah, which controls the West Bank, and Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip. Hamas, which the State Department considers a terrorist group, won Palestinian legislative elections in 2006, but the United States has refused to deal with the group until it meets conditions, including recognition of Israel.
Clinton indicated that if a unity government is formed, the administration would be willing to deal with that government, even if it contained Hamas ministers, as long as the government agreed to those conditions, much as the United States currently deals with the elected Lebanese government in which the militant group Hezbollah controls 11 out of 30 cabinet seats. But several lawmakers, including Rep. Nita M. Lowey (D-N.Y.), chair of the foreign operations subcommittee, and Rep. Mark Steven Kirk (R-Ill.) indicated that the House may seek to restrict aid to the Palestinian Authority, which would limit the administration’s flexibility.
First of all, the State Department doesn’t merely consider Hamas a terrorist group. Hamas is a terrorist group and the State Department correctly lists it as such. Maybe Kessler and some in the administration dispute that, but Hamas is a terrorist group because of its actions, not because of bureaucratic definition.
It’s reasonable for the administration to set conditions for dealing with Hamas. Hamas will, of course, never meet those conditions. So it’s hard to see how limiting funds to the PA – which have flowed to Hamas for years anyway – will limit the administration’s flexibility. Either the administration is serious about the conditions it set, or it isn’t. If it isn’t, then it will finesse Hamas’s non-compliance much as the Secretary of State’s husband finessed Arafat’s non-compliance during his administration. If the administration is serious about its conditions on Hamas, then limiting money to the less open terrorists of Fatah should hardly limit its options.
UPDATE: Two additional points: The Arab states want American protection from Iran. That’s independent of any movement towards a Palestinian state. Of course they’ll ask for American pressure on Israel. But that’s no reason for the United States to treat that request seriously. Also, some of Israel’s moves towards “peace” have strengthened Iran’s proxies, Hamas and Hezbollah. Actions that strengthen Iran’s allies, embolden Iran. So pushing for a Palestinian state that would likely strengthen Hamas and hurt American efforts to contain Iran.
Crossposted on Soccer Dad.
