And US political drama continues

SINCE last few weeks, we have been witnessing a high level political drama between Israel and the US. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton as quoted by agencies said that the Israel approval of plans for new homes in East Jerusalem during the US vice president's visit last week, continued in full force over the weekend was "insulting". An aide to US President Barack Obama, David Axelrod, dubbed it "an affront" and a "calculated" attempt to undermine the expected launch of indirect talks. Even Israel's ambassador to the US has reportedly said relations between his country and its biggest ally are at a 35-year low.

But look who is talking here. Two days ago, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, dismissed the idea that US-Israeli relations are in crisis amid a row over Jewish settlers in Arab East Jerusalem. She said the two nations had a "close, unshakeable bond" but made clear the US wanted both Israel and the Palestinians to prove their commitment to peace.

And yesterday — confirming Hillary's statement — US President Barack Obama has denied there is a crisis in Washington's ties with Israel over its settlement plans, as a war of words continues. "Friends are going to disagree sometimes," he said, days after one of his top aides strongly attacked plans for 1,600 new homes in East Jerusalem.

With both top level US officials justifying the bond, it is not a matter of cynicism when the world is questioning whether there are any sincere efforts from the US government and its allies to help resolve the Palestinian issue. Who are we to be assured of future peace in the region, when Israel's policy to grab more land remains unchallenged?

As we all know, for all these years the US and its foreign policy have created a perfect world for none but Israel itself. The US has always been using its veto power to support the Zionist state. Still fresh in our memory is the UN Security Council's inability to force an end to the Israeli attacks against Gaza in December 2008, due to the intervention of the United States. Washington once again used its veto powers to block a resolution calling for an end to the massive ongoing Israeli attacks against the Gaza Strip. The US has so far vetoed over 40 anti-Israeli resolutions sought by the council since 1972. Since 2004, Washington has prevented the adoption of four other resolutions that called for Tel Aviv to halt its operations in the Gaza Strip.

According to the BBC, the Israeli media is now filled with speculation about how much the crisis will cost Netanyahu — what he will have to do to convince the Palestinians that he is serious about the indirect peace talks.

In November last year, Israel announced a 10-month suspension of new building in the West Bank, under heavy US pressure. But it considers areas within the Jerusalem municipality as its territory and thus not subject to the restrictions. Close to 500,000 Jews live in more than 100 settlements built since Israel's 1967 occupation of the West Bank and East Jerusalem. They are illegal under international law, although Israel disputes this.

And this time Netanyahu is likely to face another US pressure to quietly slow down at least some of it-perhaps even putting the 1,600 homes in question on ice-to claw back a piece of moral high ground. However, Netanyahu's statements on Monday suggest little willingness to do so. And his coalition contains right-wing parties for whom Jewish settlement of East Jerusalem is non-negotiable.

According to the BBC, Israeli commentators are asking whether Netanyahu will have to choose between his friends-his right-wing partners in government or the powerful ally that supports Israel with massive military aid and diplomatic backing on the world stage. But the Obama administration, too, has a tricky course to steer. With Republican gains likely in mid-term elections later this year, it knows the pro-Israel lobby on its own turf will be out in force. And at the moment, sections of it are angry.

For all Palestinians — battered and suffering under Israeli occupation, all of these facts mean the future of peace and Palestinian independence are hardly seen in the near future.