Don t play with matches

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News Updates	Fri., January 09, 2004 Tevet 15, 5764	Israel Time: 02:45 (GMT+2)

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Don't play with matches

By Yoel Marcus

Buddies - sure. But when its own interests are at stake, America's pat on the head can also turn into a twist of the arm.

In 1965, Israel withdrew from the Sinai Peninsula in the wake of a no-two-ways-about-it ultimatum from President Eisenhower. During the interim agreement talks in 1975, Nixon and Kissinger's America decided to "reassess" U.S.-Israel relations. In the real world, this translated into a freeze on military aid and arms shipments.

At a certain stage in the Camp David talks in 1978, when the Israeli side threatened to walk out over the demand that Israel evacuate settlements in Sinai, Menachem Begin was summoned for a private chat with President Carter. During the course of that meeting, the president threatened, among other things, to stop turning a blind eye on Dimona. If Israel does anything to harm its domestic or global interests, America could be very not nice.

It is no coincidence that Sharon is careful to coordinate his actions with the U.S. administration, "sometimes before and sometimes after," to quote Menachem Begin's historic quip. But the attack on the Twin Towers and Bush's declaration of war on terror have created the impression in Sharon's mind that America and Israel are allies on the same footing.

What Sharon doesn't really get is that not everything he does is acceptable to Washington. In the new Middle East, Sharon is not an equal partner to Bush when it comes to putting the house in order. He is a ward, expected to do as he is told. And that means dismantling settlements and creating the conditions for a Palestinian state - a vital component in the new regional order.

Lately, the U.S. administration has been a little grumpy on the subject of Sharon's credibility. All kinds of promises Sharon has made have not been kept - like easing restrictions on the Palestinian population, like getting rid of the illegal outposts, those sort of things.

Worry over loss of credibility was articulated by Dan Halperin, a former economic attache in Washington, at the Herzliya Conference. "Watch out that the outposts don't become a trick," he said.

Bush, a tough Texan, is very unforgiving toward liars. Arafat got himself crossed off the list after he wrote a personal letter swearing on the Koran that he had nothing to do with the Karine A munitions ship and denying that the arms on board were meant for the Palestinian Authority. A terrorist and liar, too - that was really pushing it.

Sharon conveys the impression that he is coordinating everything with Bush. But that, according to leaks from the White House, is far from accurate. Bush didn't like Arafat being jailed in the Muqata just when he was about to invade Iraq. America is prepared to foot Israel's defense bill, but it is not prepared to pay for the caprices of Israeli domestic politics.

The route of the security fence has become a mockery of the concept of defense. As Justice Minister Yosef Lapid says, it turns us into another South Africa with Bantustans and exposes us to international boycott. The unilateral disengagement plan also clashes with, if not undermines, the U.S. road map - which doesn't make America very happy.

The trouble is that our contacts with America are managed by Dov Weisglass, who may make Condeleezza Rice laugh with his jokes, but probably doesn't keep Sharon posted about all the negative subterranean rumblings at the White House.

After the United States made it clear that running away from Iraq is not on the agenda, the countries in this region know that America is clutching a big stick and intends to put things in order. It is important that Israel doesn't butt in or try to grab hold of that stick.

Syria's offer to make peace with Israel stems from its fear of America. In not saying yes and trying to torpedo the whole initiative with a host of prior conditions, we haven't exactly served America's interests. And we popped over for a tete-a-tete with the Lunatic of Libya without being asked. On top of that, while America is operating in its own way to bring about the nuclear disarmament of Iran, we jump up and threaten Iran with war, turning the no-nuke demand in our own direction.

Israel is sitting on a keg of dynamite and playing with matches. It should not be meddling or getting in the way as America tries to put things in order. Israel can do its part by speechifying less and doing more. An angry Bush in the White House for a second term is the last thing that will serve us and the cause of peace.