The Implications of the US Election for Israel

The World’s Matthew Bell reports on the implications of the election for Israel, and on support there for both Barack Obama and Mitt Romney.

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Aaron Schachter: We’ve got The World’s Matthew Bell on the line with us from Jerusalem. Now, Matthew, as we just heard, the perception is that Romney has a closer relationship with Israel, that’s at least from the Persian service. Is that the feeling inside Israel?

Matthew Bell: If you look at the newspapers today there are op-eds on both sides. You’ve got some papers endorsing Barack Obama. You’ve got other op-eds endorsing Mitt Romney. When you look at polling among the Israeli public for sure, Mitt Romney does have more support. There’s been speculation that Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel, has indeed essentially endorsed Mitt Romney’s candidacy by some of the public statements he’s made criticizing President Obama on the issue of Iran, in particular. Today, the deputy foreign minister was asked precisely about this question and he said, “Look, it basically doesn’t matter who wins the election. US support for Israel is bipartisan. Whoever is better for America is better for Israel.”

Schachter: That is certainly not a message that seems to be playing here in the United States. There’s a definite belief among Jews I think and a feeling that in Israel the belief is that Romney will be better for Israel than Barack Obama has been.

Bell: I think Israelis are you know, in a rightwing mood and I’ve talked to people who are very thoughtful on this and I say, “Look, there’s just sort of a hint of uncertainty about this president in particular, the fact that he went to Cairo, he very actively reached out to the Arab and Muslim world. He never came to visit Israel.” People have told me, “We’re just not sure this guy when it comes down to the moment of truth, Barack Obama, might be willing to use force against a country like Iran that has said it wants to wipe Israel off the map.”

Marco Werman: Matthew, it’s Marco in London. How much does that idea, the specter of nuclear war concern people in Israel? I mean that’s–must be at the top of their minds right now.

Bell: Israelis are very credibly concerned. For months there’s been this steady drumbeat of news stories. It seems like almost every day Iran or something to do with Iran and the nuclear program in Iran is in the headlines here. Many people describe it as an existential threat. It’s something in particular that Benjamin Netanyahu has talked an awful lot about. He has, he has pointed to this as one of his greatest accomplishments and sort of ratcheting up the pressure, even influencing the west, including the United States to put suffer sanctions on Iran. So sure, the public thinks about that as a hugely important issue here.

Schachter: Matthew, this is Aaron. Israeli elections are coming up early next year. Help us to understand how the outcome of the US election could impact the Israeli contest.

Bell: Aaron, I think it could impact the process, the Israeli elections are coming up on January 22. If for example, Barack Obama wins and has a second term, there’s speculation here in Israel that Obama might then try to pressure the Netanyahu government in ways he wouldn’t do if he had to worry about reelection. The politicians in the center and from on the left, if Obama wins they’re gonna try to bring up this issue of Netanyahu’s frosty relationship with Obama, and point and say look, we’ll be better stewards of the relationship with the United States than he will. It really could become an election issue here.

Schachter: The World’s Matthew Bell from Jerusalem, thank you!

Bell: Thank you, Aaron.

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