If we can learn one thing from the apology of Israeli Defense Minister Moshe “Bogie” Ya’alon for the harsh remarks he leveled at US Secretary of State John Kerry, it’s that when America wants something, Israel has no way out of it. As in the crisis with Turkey after the violent clash on the Mavi Marmara ship in May 2010, this time as well, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Ya’alon tried to evade the US request for an apology. But while in the Marmara episode it took Jerusalem three years and irreparable strategic damage for them to be convinced, last week it happened in less than a day.  

Just as the administration in Washington demanded and received an explicit apology from the Israeli minister of defense, so can the president of the United States demand that the prime minister of Israel walk in the diplomatic path Kerry is charting. But if President Barack Obama displays the necessary decisiveness to force Israel to accept critical compromises to advance an arrangement with the Palestinians, he will also have to pay a heavy personal and political price. At this stage, it’s hard to believe that Obama is willing to withstand the heavy pressure that will be placed on him if he tries to twist Netanyahu’s arm at the moment of truth of the diplomatic process, and be dragged into a public confrontation with him.  

Ben Caspit determined here that “Israelis only understand force,” and examined the ability of various boycotts to motivate and persuade Jerusalem to advance in the peace process. It’s doubtful whether those threatening with sanctions are aware that placing any sort of sanctions will exact a price not just from the citizens of Israel but also from those who enact them. All the more so if this be an official, declared policy. Israel and its supporters will accuse Europe that it, the enlightened continent, is discriminating against Jews again. The president of the United States, if he decides to put real pressure on Netanyahu, such as a diplomatic plan with an ultimatum attached to it, will pay a clear price tag.  

In the eyes of opponents of the peace process, Obama will turn into a hater of Israel and will be presented as a bitter enemy. He will have to withstand harsh and manipulative political criticism from both houses of Congress. He will be the target of poison arrows launched at him by most of those who see themselves as friends of Israel, not to mention loud protests led by the powerful Israel lobby and by the organized Jewish community.