Analyzing the American Reaction to the Ship Seizure
Analyzing the American Reaction to the Ship Seizure
March 20, 2014
Israel Studies, Culture & Jewish Thought
Here is an excerpt of an op-ed by Prof. Zaki Shalom, senior researcher at the University’s Ben-Gurion Research Institute for the Study of Israel and Zionism.
Israel Defense — U.S. Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro, who accompanied Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on his recent visit to the United States, said that the United States and Israel were sharing intelligence information before the Israel Defense Forces’ raid on the Iranian arms ship in the Red Sea.
Prof. Zaki Shalom
He added that after the consultation it was decided that Israel, not the United States, is the one to act against the ship. The ambassador added that Washington knows that Iran supports terrorism across the Middle East and it welcomes this operation.
On all counts, this is an anomalous statement. It is hard to remember, if ever before, a senior U.S. government official openly admitting the existence of an Israeli-American military cooperation for an operation directed, in effect, toward a Middle Eastern country.
It is also hard to remember a case in which the U.S administration has expressed such vigorous support, and forthrightly, for an Israeli military operation like the one carried out by the IDF in the takeover of the Iranian arms ship.
So far, in such cases, the administration spokesmen tended to settle for implicit and indirect expressions of support. Often, even the lack of reference was considered as a reticent support in the Israeli operation. In other cases, government spokesmen expressed “understanding” of Israel’s motives and an “acknowledgment in Israel’s right for self-defense.”
This time, as stated, the expression of support was explicit and determined and expressed by a relatively senior level. In my opinion, this statement sends a clear message from the Obama administration to Iran that it should not misjudge the determination of the United States to halt its nuclear activities.
Read more on the Israel Defense magazine website >>
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