For Al-Monitor, I wrote on June 3 about how some American politicians make cynical use of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, including, among other things, to rack up millions of dollars in contributions from a right-wing donor and a handful of votes from Jews and fundamentalist Christians. One Republican presidential candidate had earlier threatened to cut funding to the Palestinian Authority, while another has proposed dusting off legislation from 1995 requiring the transfer of the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to “united” Jerusalem, Israel’s capital. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who sees red when he looks at the White House, is apparently placing his bet on Congress.
Who needs President Barack Obama when a phone call to Capitol Hill can arrange a grotesque performance on the Iranian nuclear agreement by Netanyahu before a joint session of Congress, as occurred in March? If the final agreement fails to put Netanyahu’s mind at ease, it is safe to assume that his friends in the Senate and House of Representatives will fight it to the bitter end. Why should Netanyahu be afraid of Obama’s threat to holster his veto weapon in the battle for Palestine and the settlements at the United Nations? After all, if the UN Security Council votes in favor of the French proposal for recognition of a Palestinian state, the Republican majority in the House will apparently target US funding for the United Nations, one-fourth of the organization's budget. This strategy suffered a resounding defeat June 8.
