(December 6, 2019)This Wednesday, Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli Prime Minister, and Mike Pompeo, the US Secretary of State met for an hour and 45 minutes working on the specifics of a planned US-Israel defense pact.
Meeting will be seen as an intervention in Israeli politics
Israeli probably intervenes quite often in US politics to try to advance its interests but this time it appears the US is intervening in Israeli politics. The pact is being negotiated with Netanyahu just after he has failed to form a government after two elections. The Trump administration has made it clear that it prefers Netanyahu over his primary rival Benny Gantz. Ganz on his part has made it clear he opposes the deal being negotiated.
Netanyahu noted that Ganz and his party were opposed to the deal but said:“We will do it with full cooperation with the IDF and security forces and ensure total freedom of action for the US and the IDF.” Relevant officials in Israel and the US have reviewed a draft of the agreement, which was originally proposed by the Jewish Institute for National Security of America. This is one of our important goals for the coming months and we decided to speed up the work on it,” he said. Netanyahu admittted that the lack of regular government caused some difficulties."
Netanyahu trying to use US connections to stay in power
Netanyahu is actually claiming that the deal shows he needs to stay in power because of his unique ties to the US. Details of the pact have not been released beyond the fact that it will commit the US to war to defend Israel. Those who know about the fact say that it in no way restricts Israel's practice of unilaterally attacking targets across the region. Israeli attacks on Syria and Iraq could continue.
The US has historically had good relations with whatever Israeli government came into power but this time clearly favors Netanyahu and the far right. This is in spite of Netanyahu facing charges of bribery, breach of trust, and fraud: "By formally sending the indictment to the legislature, after announcing charges of bribery, breach of trust and fraud on Nov. 21, Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit set the clock ticking on a 30-day period in which Netanyahu can seek parliamentary immunity from prosecution. Such protection seems unlikely, with Israeli politics in disarray after inconclusive elections in April and September and the failure of Netanyahu and his main challenger, Benny Gantz, to secure a ruling majority in the legislature. "
Previously published in the Digital Journal
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