Michael Oren, Israel’s ambassador to the US from 2009-2013 and current Knesset member (MK Kulanu), has ignited a firestorm in Washington & Jerusalem with a soon to be released behind the scenes tell-all titled Ally: My Journey Across the American – Israeli Divide (Random House). Excerpts were published in the press in advance of the June 23 release date. In excerpts as well as in an Op-ed penned by Oren, he accuses the Obama administration of a particular egregious attitude towards Israel. What makes this book so different than other tell-all’s is that Obama is still the president and Netanyahu is still the PM. Normally these books are released years after the parties are relevant.
Some highlights from the book:
1) In an encounter between Oren and then-UN Ambassador Susan Rice in New York, in which she threatened to drop support for Israel at the UN if the Netanyahu government did not “freeze all settlement activity”:
“If you don’t appreciate the fact that we defend you night and day, tell us,” Susan fumed, practically rapping her forehead. “We have other important things to do.”
2) Two core principles’ of U.S.-Israel alliance were violated by the Obama administration.
a) Keeping disagreements private – “Immediately after his first inauguration, Mr. Obama put daylight between Israel and America,” Oren said, referring to a July 2009 meeting with Jewish leaders in which Obama said that the policy of “no daylight” with Israel was detrimental to U.S. interests and to advancing the peace process. Obama in his remarks at that meeting was referring to the tendency of his two immediate predecessors, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton, of keeping differences with Israeli leaders out of the public eye, although there were instances in both presidencies of open disagreement with Israel.
b) “no surprises” between the countries.- “President Obama discarded it in his first meeting with Mr. Netanyahu, in May 2009, by abruptly demanding a settlement freeze and Israeli acceptance of the two-state solution”. One senior Israeli official characterized that meeting to The Jerusalem Post at the time as an “ambush”
3) In a statement by the president thanking countries for sending aid to Haiti, this is what Oren writes.
“Help continues to flow in, not just from the United States but from Brazil, Mexico, Canada, France, Colombia, and the Dominican Republic,” the president declared. Omitted from the list was Israel, the first state to arrive in Haiti and the first to reach the disaster fully prepared? I heard the president’s words and felt like I had been kicked in the chest.
The list goes on.
State Department spokesman John Kirby and US ambassador Dan Shapiro have both harshly criticized the book.
Kirby said that U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry believes Oren’s statements on Obama’s handling of Israel are “false” and “absolutely inaccurate,” claiming that Oren had “limited visibility” into the true workings of U.S.-Israel diplomatic relations during his time as envoy to Washington.
The problem for the Obama administration and by extension the entire Democratic Party, is that Michael Oren is not a Likud firebrand type that can be dismissed as an opportunist trying to sell books (as Ambassador Shapiro has stated). Oren, who has a Phd from Princeton, is a strong proponent of a 2 state solution, supported the Gaza disengagement, was highly critical of the Netanyahu pre-election speech and is generally considered a voice of reason that is respected by both parties in the US as well as in Israel. Even his demeanor seems to portray a man of thought and reason.
Why is this so revealing? We all knew this about Obama.
What makes this significant is that we now clearly see that the emperor is not wearing any clothes. For 6 painful years, Pro Israel Democrats have been insisting that Obama really does support Israel, “has Israel’s back”, and that if we really knew what was happening behind the scenes, we will know Obama is “OK enough” on Israel not to abandon him. Throw in a few lines here and there from the administration about “shared values” or “an unbreakable bond”, a joke in Yiddish by VP Biden and Pro Israel Dems will keep marching to the Obama beat. Criticism from the right was dismissed as partisan politics from people who are simply misinformed.
That will all change I believe once this book is released and fully digested. This book seems to show that the right in the US and Israel were not paranoid nor were they misinformed vis-a-vis Obama on Israel. The dislike towards Israel from the current president and the liberal wing of the Democratic Party is very real and not imagined.
How does this impact the 2016 Election?
This is a major issue now for Hillary Clinton. She simply cannot win the election without solid Jewish support in swing states such as Florida and Ohio. She is also banking on strong financial support from Jewish philanthropists, many who will want a strong Pro-Israel platform. In 2008, while there were persistent rumors regarding Obama, he was able to assuage them by giving a warm speech at AIPAC and repeating the standard talking points when addressing Pro Israel crowds.
Just like Obama in 2008, there will be serious question marks regarding Hillary Clintons pro-Israel credentials, based both on past statements as a senator as well as her stint as secretary of state under Obama .
The New York Times wrote that in 2009, following the White House’s demand for Israel to end new settlements, Clinton criticized the Israeli constructions “with a fervor that surprised Mr. Obama’s advisers.”
In 2012, during the Saban Forum opening gala dinner, Clinton blamed Israel for the stalled peace process with the Palestinians.
Here’s what she said:
“So, look, I’m not making excuses for the missed opportunities of the Israelis, or the lack of generosity, the lack of empathy that I think goes hand-in-hand with the suspicion. So, yes, there is more that the Israelis need to do to really demonstrate that they do understand the pain of an oppressed people in their minds, and they want to figure out, within the bounds of security and a Jewish democratic state, what can be accomplished”
During another interview with CNN in 2014, in which she again criticized Israel’s settlement activity, Clinton said it is her “biggest complaint with the Israeli government.” and then said the following.
“I am a strong supporter of Israel, a strong supporter of their right to defend themselves. But the continuing settlements which have been denounced by successive American administrations on both sides of the aisle are clearly a terrible signal to send, if at the same time you claim you’re looking for a two-state solution.”
It will be hard to find anything comparable from any of the major GOP candidates.
She of course is now forced to move away from those positions as a candidate but after Michael Orens insider account, will anyone still believe her? Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice shame on me. Barak Obama won 78% of the Jewish vote in 2008 and 69% in 2012. If she is looked as an extension of the Obama administration that number can still fall. In 1980 Jimmy carter only received 45% against Ronald Reagan. A shift in the Jewish vote in swing states such as Pennsylvania, Ohio and Florida can make the difference in a tight 2016 election.
Thank you, Dr. Oren.