— and still, he somehow seemed therefore ephemeral.
Six months from now, with the
to avert a potential confrontation
with Washington with political elections safely behind them, leg-
islators and administration offi-
guile and pure charm.
In an exhilarating political mo- cials alike — it matters little
ment, Mr. Netanyahu won over which administration — will
Congress with strong words have long since forgotten the
about terrorism, a subject that he cheering in the House chamber.
adroitly and accurately tied to If Mr. Netanyahu maintains
American interests, and with the current Middle East status
Gingrich-esque criticisms of big quo, without reversing the ac-
government that won strong ap- complishments of the peace
plause, but which will have not process so far, most legislators
the slightest impact in the future will be content to ignore the re-
if legislators feel American gion — as they usually do, except
Mideast interests have been hurt when pressed to pay attention by
by changing Israeli policies. political necessity.
And the White House, preoc-
The Clinton adminis-
tration rolled over and cupied with domestic and eco-
played dead because the nomic matters, will be unlikely
president and his han- to challenge an Israeli govern-
dlers, while caring about ment that is holding the line.
the Middle East peace But if Mr. Netanyahu starts to
process, are even more reverse the Mideast status quo he
concerned about the ap- inherited from the Rabin-Peres
proaching presidential government, the legislators who
election. They desperately cheered so enthusiastically last
want to avoid new tensions week will not lift a finger to blunt
and controversies that the fury of an administration that
could reinforce Republican sees a clear and strong American
claims that the president interest in the peace process as
has mismanaged Ameri- it has unfolded in the past four
can foreign policy. years.
Bibi's charm and his skillful
And, to be fair, the ad-
ministration wanted to evocation of conservative domes-
give Mr. Netanyahu a tic themes will not forestall that
chance to show just how looming confrontation. The ar-
thoroughly he plans to dent reception in Congress and
turn campaign promises the acquiescent one at the White
into diplomatic reality. House may have sent a danger-
But that submissive ously misleading message, ob-
posture is unlikely to con- scuring that reality.
The correct message from Mr.
tinue if the president is re-
elected — especially since Netanyahu's five-day American
he almost certainly would trip is that there is a great reser-
appoint a new Secretary voir of good feeling toward Israel
of State to replace Warren right now that he, the most me-
Christopher, who reflex- dia-savvy prime minister ever,
ively eschews confronta- may be able to exploit — at least
tion, and a new peace until the dust settles after the No-
process team. vember election.
American political leaders gen-
Republican challenger
Bob Dole sang Mr. Ne- uinely believe that Mr. Ne-
tanyahu's praises because tanyahu, with his emphasis on
he hopes to gain some security and his clear-eyed view
Jewish votes and more of some of the major actors in this
Jewish campaign money, drama, has the potential to craft
thus contradicting a ca- a more viable peace process.
But the reservoir of goodwill is
reer replete with legisla-
not
bottomless, and it is not filled
tive
Israel-bashing.
and more realistic plane, or un-
But despite the words of ad- just with sound bites and politi-
ravel them.
But if the new Israeli leader miration from the campaign trail, cal cliches. Eventually, Mr. Ne-
returned to Jerusalem with the Mr. Dole, a traditional American tanyahu will have to act, not just
impression that his ability to roll internationalist, is unlikely to fa- talk. Then his performance will
Mr. Clinton and his friendship vor Israel in some new Mideast be judged by how it affects Amer-
with conservative American leg- crisis resulting from the break- ican interests and policy in a re-
islators will give him complete down of the peace process — es- gion where missteps can produce
freedom to remake a peace pecially if American economic catastrophic results — and not
process still deemed vital to interests are threatened. just in Israel.
Mr. Netanyahu is dangerous-
The point is that Mr. Ne-
American international interests,
tanyahu's
reception,
while
posi-
ly
mistaken
if he believes that the
he may wake up with a particu-
tive,
was
shallow.
The
prime
accolades
he
won in Washington
larly bad hangover after the No-
vember elections in this country. minister pushed all the right but- mean that his actions as Israel's
Oddly, Mr. Netanyahu's stance tons, but they were political but- new leader will be cost-free when
on the most explosive issues, in- tons that had nothing to do with it comes to relations with Israel's
cluding Hebron and direct dia- long-term American interests in most important ally — or that
logue with Yassir Arafat, were the region. charm and political savvy will be
The response, predictably, will enough to avert a clash if U.S.
far more uncompromising than
the commentators had predicted be largely political as well, and and Israeli policies diverge.
Cheers and
Fears
Behind the accolades for Netanyahu last week are concerns
that the U.S. elections will bring a different sound.
JAMES D. BESSER SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS
4.•
Binyamin Netanyahu addresses a joint session of Congress.
rom a public relations suggested to many that the Amer-
point of view, it's hard to ican-raised and -educated Mr.
find fault with Prime Netanyahu was capable of "man-
Minister Binyamin Ne- aging" U.S.-Israeli relations ef-
tanyahu's performance in Wash- fectively without compromising
ington, a "tour de force," the tough-sounding platform that
according to at least two major vaulted him to victory in May.
But there also was something
_ h leaders.
Within hours of his speech to discordant about Mr. Ne-
a joint meeting of Congress, leg- tanyahu's winning of Washing-
islators from both parties were ton: It was too slick, too successful
racing to be the first with lauda- in diverting attention from real
tory faxes; on Capitol Hill, every- differences in policy between the
body wanted a piece of the Bibi two countries.
Mr. Netanyahu may well be on
action.
Israeli government officials the right course for Israel; it's far
re ecstatic. The triumphal con- too early to tell whether his
gressional appearance, President toughened stance toward the
Clinton's apparent docility and the Palestinians and Syrians will
mostly favorable press coverage move the negotiations to a new
F
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