America, the powerless giant

A very interesting story appears in the New York Times today relating the extent to which the United States administration is making concessions to engage Israel. The breakdown is this

The U.S. is offering Israel (note that most items are long term)

• military hardware (presumably in addition to what is already in the pipeline)
• support for a long-term Israeli presence in the Jordan Valley
• help with a ban on weapons smuggling through a Palestinian state
• a promise to veto any UN Security Council resolutions critical of Israel during peace talks
• a pledge to form a regional security agreement for the Middle East

In return Israel will freeze settlement expansion for two months. One short-term concession.

That's it! Could things be any more upside down here? Shouldn't it be Israel that is conceding things in return for the simple continuation of massive U.S. military, diplomatic and financial support, let alone anything additional? Could the U.S. be any more in the stance of a beggar?

This represents the whole history of the America/Israel relationship since the 1970's: Israel is in charge. It is a given in this relationship that Israel is in the right, whatever the situation, and that is what drives the world crazy and pushes frustrated opponents of Israel's oppression into the arms of terrorism.

How can the U.S. administration keep a straight face when using the term "honest broker"?

Here is MJ Rosenberg, a blogger who used to work for AIPAC, saying Obama should simply consider Israeli PM Netanyahu another right-wing Republican.