Is Israel's reputation in decline?
The United States and the European Union once regarded Israel's occupation as a temporary evil, but now its settlement expansion is perceived as no less detrimental to the peace process than Palestinian terror.
A senior Israeli Foreign Ministry source shared with Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity his concern for Israel's growing international isolation: "I've never experienced such an avalanche of criticism on Israel's policies as in the period since the war."
Indeed, Israel is under diplomatic fire. The biggest bombshell came from the White House immediately after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's last visit to the US capital, over the Jerusalem settlement expansion in the Givat Hamatos neighborhood.
The conflict worsened with the White House's reaction to Netanyahu's blunt accusation that the United States is not living up to its values: "It’s American values that have led us to fund an Iron Dome system," said White House spokesman Josh Earnest — verbally slapping the prime minister in the face. This is probably the lowest point in the relationship between the Oval Office and Israel since former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger’s 1975 policy reassessment.
The European position is even worse, as far as Israel is concerned. Sweden has already announced that it will recognize the Palestinian state.
