Re-invoking Auschwitz specter, Netanyahu prods U.S. on Iran

Holding up copies of 1944 correspondence from the United States Department of War, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had intended to touch a raw nerve.

In his speech to a gathering of American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) on Monday, Netanyahu drew a pessimistic time line between present-day events in Iran and the Nazi concentration camp at Auschwitz; the link being, America’s unreliability in supporting Israel or the Jewish people back in 1944.

Netanyahu recounted how the United States had refrained from attacking the camp out of fear it might provoke “even more vindictive action” from the Germans.

“My friends, 2012 is not 1944... Never again,” Netanyahu emotively said at the gathering of America’s most influential pro-Israel lobby group, repeating one of the founding slogans of Israel to a roaring standing ovation from the audience.

“I appreciate President Obama’s recent efforts to impose even tougher sanctions against Iran. Those sanctions are hurting Iran’s economy. But unfortunately, Iran’s nuclear march goes on,” he said.

In recent months, Israel has exerted great effort in trying to persuade Washington to support a preemptive attack on Iran to contain what it deems as a dangerously high nuclear threat from Tehran.

A string of U.S. economic sanctions on Iranian exports and security institutions have indicated that Washington interprets the Iranian nuclear setup as a threat too, but not enough of a threat judging by Netanyahu’s need to retell a Holocaust episode.

This time this particular episode almost tells a story of U.S. betrayal to the Jewish people in a “You once turned your back on us” manner. Reminding allies of their past mistakes is a strong defense.

“It was a form of pressure, using emotional language to make the case for Israel’s vulnerability and trying to get the U.S. to fall in line with his view that military action will be needed,” says Salman Shaikh, director of the Brookings Doha Center and the former U.N. Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process.

“Only in an arena like that [at AIPAC] could Netanyahu voice such a concern and invoke the Holocaust,” adds Shaikh.

And this has not been the first time Netanyahu has made not-so-subtle connections between Iran and the Nazi regime.

Five years ago, Netanyahu had said of the Iranian nuclear issue: “The year is 1938 and Iran is Germany.” It alluded to the ultimate Israeli fear of Iran’s involvement in the tit-for-tat scenarios between Israelis and
Islamist groups; nuclear proliferation to strengthen groups such as Hezbollah or Hamas or other rogue partners.

Shaikh believes Netanyahu will continue mention to the holocaust “till the cows come home.”

“Netanyahu is very much affected by holocaust, not just politically, but personally also, believing that there should not be 0.1 percent chance of it happening ever again,” says Shaikh.

“It’s not lost its touch to Europeans and Americans in particular; the mention of the holocaust will continue to invoke emotion and have on impact on these countries. But we have to dissect the two issues here, the possibility of an Iranian nuclear bomb is something that will impact Europeans and Americans anyway,” Shaikh adds.

Meanwhile, Obama’s turn to talk at AIPAC presented what appeared to be a resolute U.S. stance on Iran. The president said he would be prepared to use force against Iran to defend U.S. interests if necessary, but he criticized those who appear to be in a hurry for war.

“I would ask that we all remember the weightiness of these issues; the stakes involved for Israel, for America, and for the world. Already, there is too much loose talk of war,” Obama told the AIPAC audience.

Why doesn’t Obama see a ‘nuclear duck?’

Indeed, Netanyahu’s speech was an attempt to cast doubt on Barack Obama’s diplomatic efforts to avert war in the Middle East, but contrary to some expectations, Netanyahu did not offer any support - however minimal - for Obama’s non-military efforts.

“The purpose of the Jewish state is to secure the Jewish future,” Netanyahu also said. “That is why Israel must always have the ability to defend itself, by itself, against any threat.”

All the while, Tehran is maintaining that it is enriching uranium for peaceful purposes, but Netanyahu also had a comeback for this claim.

“Amazingly, some people refuse to acknowledge that Iran’s goal is to develop nuclear weapons. You see, Iran claims that it’s enriching uranium to develop medical research. Yeah, right,” he said. “If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, then what is it? That’s right, it’s a duck. But this duck is a nuclear duck and it’s time the world started calling a duck a duck,” the Israeli prime minister said.

If Israel is adamant a nuclear duck exists, then this is its attempt to avoid becoming a sitting duck.

Indeed, the speech at AIPAC is part of a continuing Israeli effort to have its U.S. ally on side, with the hope that emotive statements and historic reminders will prod the process in its desired direction.