Will Oren’s Book Damage US-Israel Relations?

The political establishment continues to resist US pressure and keep silent, following former ambassador MK Michael Oren’s (Kulanu) article against US President Barack Obama this week.

 

Former ambassador to the US Yoram Ettinger, a renowned expert in US-Israel relations, told Arutz Sheva in a special interview Friday that attempts to apologize to the Americans for the article are superfluous.

 

“I think apologizing is wrong, because the apology comes from a fear of damaging the interests of Israel,” Ettinger stated. He theorized that Kulanu chairman Moshe Kahlon’s apology was due to a furious call from US Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro.

 

According to him, such a reaction will only harm Israel’s credibility eventually – by showing that Israel will cave into pressure.

 

“[The apology] sets the bar that the resilience of [Israeli] discourse is questionable,” he said, “and it could be used in future incidents against us.”

 

He adds that those who were quick to condemn may have had the best of intentions, but are not aware of the consequences.

 

“Whoever condemns it does so in order not to damage relations, and I think that the apology could create a wrong impression about Israel’s resilience in light of US pressure.”

 

Read More: Will Oren’s Book Damage US-Israel Relations? – US & Canada – News – Arutz Sheva