Ambassador Dennis Ross will be the first speaker in the inaugural lecture series “Truman and Israel,” which is co-sponsored by the Jewish Community Foundation and the Truman Library Institute. The William Davidson Distinguished Fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, Ambassador Ross worked toward Mideast Peace under Presidents George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton, and served as a consultant for other administrations. He recently completed and published the book, “Doomed to Succeed: The U.S. — Israel Relationship from Truman to Obama.”
The lecture will be held at 7 p.m., May 9, at the Kansas City Public Library, Plaza Branch.Advance registration is encouraged and can be made at either www.trumanlibraryinstitute.org or www.jcfkc.org. For more information, call the JCF office at 913-327-8245.
The following is excerpts from a conversation with Ambassador Ross.
Chronicle: The Kansas City Jewish community has a strong connection with Truman and the establishment of the State of Israel. Although you do not mention it in your book, how did this relationship help to influence Truman in recognizing Israel?
DR: Eddie Jacobson plays an important historic role. He is not, however, the reason that Truman felt an obligation to act in the aftermath of World War II. What drove Truman was the humanitarian issue particularly in regard to the survivors of the death camps. He believed that the survivors must be allowed to go to Palestine. He saw a fundamental injustice, which led him to recognize Israel.
But Eddie Jacobson did arrange for Truman to meet Chaim Weizmann to discuss keeping the Negev (for Israel) in the partition plan. After meeting with Weizmann, Truman calls the American U.N. delegation to say not to change the plan. Without Eddie Jacobson, I am not sure the Negev would have stayed in Israel as part of the partition plan.
Chronicle: In your book, you indicate that the U.S.–Israel relationship has changed dramatically over the years. Do you think after the Obama years a more positive relationship will return?
DR: I would say that Obama, in many respects, reflects what we’ve seen in other administrations like Bush 41. (There have been) public disagreements, but in the security issues there is real responsiveness. The willingness to have open disagreements is clear. I believe the next administration, unlike the Obama administration, will be more willing to manage differences privately and not magnify them.
Chronicle: Do you see any opportunity for an agreement between Israel and Hamas or Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA) over land?
DR: I don’t think there is likely to be any agreement. There has never been formal peace agreements between Hamas and Israel except for cease fire agreements. Hamas sees all of Israel as being part of the Islamic trust and will never make peace. Having formal peace is impossible.
With the PA, it is more likely, but not anytime soon. The PA right now is too weak to agree with anything because they would have to make concessions. They will not compromise. They see themselves as weaker victims of injustice, and so they believe they should not have to concede anything.
Chronicle: How does the Syrian conflict play into the Middle East issues? Does the influx of Muslims to Europe change the policies?
DR: What is not clear is if those refugees, who are fleeing, are bringing anti-Semitism with them. The Muslim communities, who were already in Europe, especially those from North Africa, already had anti-Semitism. What they are bringing is a backlash against Muslims. We now see both anti-Semitism and Islamophobia. The Syrian refugees are the victims of a horrible conflict.
Chronicle: Will there be some sort of agreement between Israel and Turkey; do you think the language will mellow?
DR: Turkey and Israel are being drawn closer together. The terror in Turkey has caused them to have their officials call their Israeli counterparts in order to deal with ISIS and radical Islamists. This is creating and enhancing reconciliation.
Chronicle: Does the BDS movement impact U.S. policy to Israel? Could this be a threat?
DR: BDS and whole de-legitimization effort is as much an issue to Israel as other things because it denies Israel the right to exist. It is part and parcel of the new anti-Semitism. Jews become a target because of their support to Israel. It is a threat. Labeling in Europe is the first step.
It is important for Israel to develop policies to combat it and expose it. BDS keeps focus on settlements and not on the other issues. Israel needs to make its settlement policy consistent with the two-state outcome. It is one thing to build within the settlement blocs (this is OK), but building outside the settlement blocks causes problems. Israel should make it clear that it will not build outside the settlement block, then they can expose BDS. What Israel needs to do is to help delegitimize the BDS movement.
Chronicle: What about Bibi Netanyahu? Is he too hawkish? Does his alliances with the ultra-Orthodox and other extreme groups hurt the democracy of Israel?
DR: You have a narrow base of a right wing majority with a one-vote majority. He was willing to have a broader government, but the opposition did not want to be part of this government. As long as you have a government that gives real weight to the religious forces, you will see some of the issues we see in terms of religious pluralism and the legislation focus targeting only the outside financial support to left wing groups.
Chronicle: Do you think groups like Breaking the Silence increase problems in the region?
DR: What Breaking the Silence represents is the diversity of Israel. But it is a reminder of how different Israel is from the rest of the region. Israel allows dissent.
Chronicle: What do you see as the most important issue facing Israel externally?
DR: Externally it remains Palestinians for daily terror, with Iran and Hezbollah as the greatest military threats. Then there is the threat of radical Islam and ISIS.
Chronicle: What do you see as the most important issue facing Israel internally?
DR: There are a series of internal issues: relationship with Israeli Arabs; coming to grips with the religious divide in Israel. In the religious communities, the level of education, limits of what is taught, creates an impact on Israel’s future as a modern society to continue to advance. Fifty percent of first grade is Arab or Orthodox. This has an impact on Israel’s economic future.
Chronicle: What is the most important issue facing Israel and U.S. relationships?
DR: There is not a single issue, but rather that Israel and the Sunni Arab states feel threatened by Iran and radical Islamists. (These countries) also agree that the Obama administration does not see the threats the way they do. This administration does not have much credibility with the leading Arab States. This lack of confidence has added to what Israel and the Sunni Arab states are doing together below the radar.
Chronicle: Which candidate running for president do you see as the best in terms of his/her relationship to Israel?
DR: I would rather focus on those that raise questions in my mind. Both Trump and Bernie Sanders, although very different, both raise concerns. They both want international isolation. Israel needs a president who is engaged internationally and in the Middle East.