This time, it’s not an anti-American declaration by a marginal, right-wing minister, which has been taken “out of context,” or leaked criticism by a senior minister against the US secretary of state.
The absence of Israel’s UN ambassador, Ron Prosor, from the vote condemning the Russian invasion of Crimea and declaring support for the territorial integrity of Ukraine, is a milestone in Israel-US relations. In defense-diplomatic parlance, a no-confidence vote against the United States, at the height of a severe confrontation with Russia, is almost a declaration of cold war. After all, instructing a UN ambassador to “vote with his feet” on an issue which has serious diplomatic implications is not a decision that’s taken lightly. It’s one of those decisions made after detailed examination, internal deliberation and weighty consideration.