Every American president has his own crisis with Israel. And Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has his own crises with the US. The alliance between Israel and the US doesn't appear to be fragile. Netanyahu has long since overcome former President Barack Obama's hostility toward him. Now, he must heal the rift created with American legislators, especially in the Democratic Party.
Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter
Anyone reading US news sites these past few days will conclude that Israel is being dealt harsh blow by congressional representatives, mostly Democrats. This should not be taken lightly: even Republican Sen. Marco Rubio, who is eagerly and successfully courting Jewish votes in Florida, voiced criticism (albeit mild) about Israel's decision to ban two Democratic congresswomen from the country. And if this is how a Republican senator is talking, it's no wonder that legislators from the rival party spokes much more harshly than Rubio. Israel also came in for criticism from former Sen. Joe Lieberman, who usually backs up its decisions. And these are just a few examples.
It should be stressed that the US Congress is a temple of American democracy. Any attack on it, or any member – real or imagined – is a personal insult to all American voters, no matter their party affiliation. The reason? A vote for a senator or a congressman is personal and reflects not only a leaning toward the left or right but also approval or rejection of the stances of that same legislator. Anyone who walks around Capitol Hill can spot groups of American tourists who came to Washington from distant states to meet with or at least have a photo op with their congressional representatives.
We might take comfort in the fact that while the waves of criticism are doing harm, Israel's many supporters in Congress still see it as the only democracy in the Middle East. Will that compliment reappear in US political discourse? We need to keep abreast of events.
Netanyahu's original willingness to allow the two congresswomen to visit went against US President Donald Trump's stance that doing so would show weakness on the part of Israel. Trump might have told himself that after relocating the US Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem; recognizing Israeli sovereignty on the Golan Heights; and siding with Israel when it came to Iran, he expected that Israel would refuse the two entry. But it's hard to assume that the president would have threatened Israel if Netanyahu had stuck to his original opinion.
It's unpleasant, to say the least, to be fighting with Congress. It's worse to fight with a US president like Trump. But when the heat dies down, whoever is prime minister after the election will need to renew the friendship on which Congress is turning its back. And that will require immense effort.
