by John M. Curtis
(310) 204-8700

Copyright March 19, 2015
All Rights Reserved.

                Creating a cacophony of sour grapes from the White House inviting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to speak to a joint session of Congress March 3, House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) got the last laugh at the White House.  When Republicans trounced Democrats Nov. 4, 2014 in the Midterm Election handing the Senate to Republicans, President Barack Obama became even more irrelevant during his last two years in office.  Whether admitted to or not, the election was a referendum on Obama, revealing the country’s deep discontent with his foreign and domestic policy.  While the White House can certainly claim the country’s better off than it was under former President George W. Bush, there’s too much chaos in foreign policy and too uneven economic recovery for Barack to thump his chest.  Recent reports of a slowing U.S. Gross Domestic Product raise eyebrows.

             Boehner’s decision to invite Netanyahu to address Congress generated a chorus of whining from Democrats mirroring painful losses in the Midterm Election, returning the Senate to the GOP.  White House officials continue to complain about the executive branch’s presumptive right to conduct U.S. foreign policy.  Since the Nov. 4 drubbing, Congress decided to take a more active role, especially in the House and Senate Foreign Relations and Armed Services Committees.  Nowhere are the differences greater than in the White House and Congressional views of Israel.  Obama continues to apply a pre-Sept. 11 mindset, believing that making concessions to Palestinians helps U.S. national security.  Since Sept. 11, Bush established a clear U.S. policy of not dealing with terrorists, no matter what their political motives.  When an Egyptian court branded Hamas Feb. 28 a terrorist group, the White House strategy fell apart.

             For nearly six years, the White House accepted Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority or Palestine Liberation Organization as the sole negotiating partner for a two-state solution.  On April 23, 2014, the PLO and PA joined Hamas, accepting terrorist acts as legitimate resistance.  Obama’s beef with Netanyahu doesn’t accept the basic facts that the U.S. lost its negotiating partner.  All the White House talk of Netanyahu turning right to reject a two-state solution is nonsense.  If the White House could prevail on Abbas to either pressure Hamas to accept Israel or split off again, Netanyahu would reopen the idea of a two-state solution.  Since Sept. 11, no U.S. president can negotiate with a recognized terror group.  Whatever the politics between Israel and Palestinians, Hamas represents a terror group with a single-minded focus to destroy Israel and return Palestinians the British Mandate.

             Despite Netanyahu being a stalwart U.S. ally, the White House groaned when he decisively won reelection March 17.  Instead of congratulating the Israeli leader and finding common ground, the White House continues its silly grudge, essentially ignoring Netanyahu’s decisive victory.  White House officials have only criticized Netanyahu’s unwillingness to go to the peace table with Hamas, a recognized terror group.  Instead or ripping Netanyahu, the White House would make more headway toward a Mideast peace persuading Abbas to apply pressure on Hamas to publicly acknowledge Israel’s right to exist.  Hamas has made clear—far more than Iran—that it’s only goal is destroying the Jewish State.  When the White House accuses Netanyahu of opposing a two-state solution, they do the Mideast peace process a disservice.  White House officials know that Israel can’t negotiate with a terror group.

             Boehner congratulated “my friend, Benjamin Netanyahu, on his party’s victory this week,” continuing to pit the White House policy against Congress.  When foreign leaders suggest that Israel has a poor relationship with U.S., they need to look no further than on Capitol Hill.  Whether or not the White House continues its spat with Tel Aviv, there’s no separation between Israel and the GOP-dominated U.S. Congress.  Conservatives see no chance of a two-state solution unless Hamas renounces terrorism, recognizes Israel’s right to exist or ends it relationship with Ramallah-based PLO and PA.  Boehner upped his status as a kingmaker in the 2016 election, rolling the dice with Netanyahu.  Netanyahu “was in the perfect position to help describe that threat to the American people and, for that matter, to the rest of the world, “ said Boehner, touting his decision to let Netanyahu speak to Congress.

             Sending White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonoough to speak the liberal Jewish J Street group, Obama continues to bark up the wrong tree.  Netanyahu won overwhelming support despite White House attempts to influence the Israeli elections.  Speaking to the Netanyahu haters at J Street is no different that sending McDonough to speak to the Obama-bashers at the 2015 Conservative Political Action Conference [CPAC].  White House officials continue to play politics with U.S. national security.  With Israel the U.S.’s only seamless ally in the Middle East, McDonough should be doing everything possible to back Netanyahu’s government.  White House officials can’t admit the two-state solution is dead as long as Hamas controls the PLO and PA.  No responsible U.S. government can expect Israel to negotiate a two-state solution with a terror group committed to its destruction.

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