America's Arab allies are holding their breath as the Senate leadership ponders whether to cast aside a demand that Iran recognize the "Jewish State" of Israel as a precondition for a nuclear deal.
The amendment to the pending Iran legislation from Marco Rubio, R-Fla., is widely seen as an unacceptable "poison pill" gambit to kill the talks while boosting the presidential hopeful's pro-Israel bona fides. Lost in the partisan squabbling, however, is any real debate on the impact such a precedent could set for US relations with Arab nations, the vast majority of which won't recognize Israel until its conflict with the Palestinians is resolved.