Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon traveled to Washington last week expecting to see top Obama administration officials.
Instead, he found himself with a lot of time on his hands.
The White House denied
him meetings with Vice President Joe Biden, Secretary of State John
Kerry and National Security Adviser Susan Rice. Senior administration
officials attributed the snub to numerous negative comments Ya’alon made
earlier this year criticizing the administration in general and Kerry
in particular.
“It shouldn’t have been a
surprise given some of his comments,” a senior administration official
said about Ya’alon’s visit. “We give you $1.3 billion of aid and you are
dumping on us. None of our friends have been disrespectful to the
extent of Israel.”
He was granted meetings with Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and Samantha Power, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.
Still, the episode offers
a startling illustration of how badly relations have deteriorated
between the U.S. and Israel — long-term allies — because of irritation
with Ya’alon. It also reflects years of pent-up frustration in the White
House over Israel’s role in the Middle East peace process.
source: CNN
Post a Comment