Open letter to Prime Minister Bennett ahead of visit to USA

By Ambassador (ret.) Yoram Ettinger, “Second Thought: a US-Israel Initiative”

During your first official visit to Washington, DC, you’ll have to choose between two options:

1. Blurring your deeply-rooted, assertive Israeli positions on the future of Judea and Samaria (the West Bank), which would be welcome by the Biden Administration, yielding to short-term political convenience and popularity inside the beltway; or

2. Tenaciously advocating your deeply-rooted, principle-driven positions, which would underscore a profound disagreement with the Biden Administration and the “elite” US media, while granting you and Israel long-term strategic respect, as demonstrated by some of your predecessors.

For example, the late Prime Minister Shamir honed the second option, bluntly introduced his assertive Israeli positions on Judea and Samaria, rebuffed heavy US pressure – including a mudslinging campaign by President Bush and Secretary of State Baker – suffered a popularity setback, but produced unprecedented expansion of US-Israel strategic cooperation. When it comes to facing the intensified threats of rogue regimes and Islamic terrorism, the US prefers principle-driven, reliable, patriotic, pressure-defying partners, irrespective of disagreements on the Palestinian issue.

Assuming that you shall not budge on the historical and national security centrality of Judea and Samaria, it behooves you to highlight the following matters during your meetings with President Biden, Secretary of State Blinken, National Security Advisor Sullivan, Secretary of Defense Austin and Congressional leaders (especially the members of the Appropriations Committees):

1. The 1,400-year-old track record of the stormy, unpredictable, violent and anti-“infidel” Middle East, which has yet to experience intra-Arab peaceful-coexistence, along with the 100-year-old Palestinian track record (including the systematic collaboration with anti-US entities, hate-education and anti-Arab and anti-Jewish terrorism) demonstrates that the proposed Palestinian state would be a Mini-Afghanistan or a Mega-Gaza on the mountain ridges of Judea and Samaria.

It would dominate 80% of Israel’s population and infrastructures in the 9-15-mile sliver between Judea and Samaria and the Mediterranean, which is shorter than the distance between RFK Stadium and the Kennedy Center.

Thus, a Palestinian state would pose a clear and present existential threat to Israel; and therefore, Israel’s control of the mountain ridges of Judea and Samaria is a prerequisite for its survival.

2. The proposed Palestinian state would undermine US interests, as concluded from the Palestinian intra-Arab track record, which has transformed the Palestinians into a role-model of intra-Arab subversion, terrorism and ingratitude. Arabs are aware that a Palestinian state would add fuel to the Middle East fire, teaming up with their enemies (e.g., Iran’s Ayatollahs, the Muslim Brotherhood and Turkey’s Erdogan) and providing a strategic foothold to Russia and China. Consequently, Arabs shower Palestinians with favorable talk, but with cold and negative walk.

Hence, during the October, 1994 Israel-Jordan peace treaty ceremony, Jordan’s military leaders asserted to their Israeli colleagues that a Palestinian state west of the Jordan River would doom the pro-US Hashemite regime east of the River, and lead, subsequently, to the toppling of all pro-US Arab Peninsula regimes.

3. There is no foundation for the contention that Israel’s retreat from the mountain ridges of Judea and Samaria – which are the cradle of Jewish history, religion and culture – is required in order to sustain Israel’s Jewish majority. In reality, there is unprecedented Jewish demographic momentum, while Arab demography – throughout the Middle East – has Westernized dramatically. The Jewish majority in the combined area of Judea, Samaria and pre-1967 Israel benefits from a robust tailwind of fertility and migration.

4. Israel’s control of the mountain ridges of Judea and Samaria and the Golan Heights, bolsters its posture of deterrence, which has daunted rogue regimes, reduced regional instability, enhanced the national security of all pro-US Arab regimes, and has advanced Israel’s role as a unique force-multiplier for the US. An Israeli retreat from Judea and Samaria would transform Israel from a strategic asset – to a strategic liability – for the US.

5. As the US reduces its military presence in the Middle East – which is a global epicenter of oil production, global trade (Asia-Africa), international Islamic terrorism and proliferation of non-conventional military technologies – Israel’s posture of deterrence becomes increasingly critical for the pro-US Arab countries (e.g., Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Oman, Jordan), who consider Israel to be the most reliable “life insurance agent” in the region.

Contrary to NATO, South Korea and Japan, Israel’s defense does not require the presence of US troops on its soil.

6. Sustaining Israel’s Qualitative Military Edge is a mutual interest for the US and Israel, which serves as the most cost-effective battle-tested laboratory for the US defense industries and armed forces. Thus, Israel’s use of hundreds of US military systems has yielded thousands of lessons (operation, maintenance and repairs), which have been integrated, by the US manufacturers, into the next generation of the military systems, saving the US many years of research and development, increasing US exports and expanding the US employment base – a mega billion dollar bonanza for the US. At the same time, the US armed forces have benefitted from Israel’s military intelligence and battle experience, as well as joint training maneuvers with Israel’s defense forces, which has improved the US formulation of battle tactics.

Prime Minister Bennett, your visit to Washington, is an opportunity to demonstrate your adherence to your deeply-rooted strong Israeli positions, rejecting the ill-advised appeals and temptations to sacrifice Israel’s national security on the altar of convenience and popularity.

Respectfully yours,

Yoram Ettinger, expert on US-Israel relations and Middle East affairs

August 25, 2021 | 4 Comments »

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4 Comments / 4 Comments

  1. Bennett has signaled that he will try and persuade Biden that any Iran nuclear deal is too late and can only harm not help. Biden I am afraid is an old fool and has no cognitive ability to learn anything new and will stick to his guns. Biden is very dangerous as exhibited by his border and Afghanistan disasters (which may collide if terrorists from Afghanistan come into the USA via the southern border) .

    Biden will not change his positions on anything I am afraid. So how to rebuff him on things like a two state solution, US Consulate to the Palestinians on sovereign Israeli territory in Jerusalem without making an enemy of him is the trick!!

  2. @JC
    Agreed! It is not likely to be a pleasant experience, but Israel will greatly benefit should Bennett choose to follow Amb. Ettinger’s advice. Ettinger’s option #1 can not be a choice for Bennett as it defies every standard he has claimed during his political life, and would seriously damage the State. So while avoiding option #1, he has to placate both the US and his Liberal partners which will be an interesting accomplishment should he be successful in doing so, but doing so is quite vital to the State. So, I wish him every success in pursuing Option #2.

    Ettinger’s recollection of Shamir was quite apropos. It is unfortunate, but there are few who could muster steadfast determination with the temerity and audacity that Shamir demonstrated against GHW and his band of antisemites. This is exactly the resolve that will be needed against this gang in Washington who will have a host of threats to parley against Bennett’s resolve. Regardless of the threats, though, I hope Bennett will resist any move towards Option #1. As I say, it is vital that he not do so.

  3. Excellent analysis. Id also ad to Bennet; take a look around in Kabul. If you expect to lean at all on the US, replay the last 2 weeks in Afghanistan in your head. US is not to be depended on in any way shape or form. The Democrats detest Israel by a majority, and that is growing thanks to academia and media Israel hatred. Make nice, be courteous, but be absolutely principled on Area C, Jerusalem et al, and fear only HaShem, not a radical left administration in DC.