In his most recent post, Ben Katcher highlighted a piece from The Guardian citing a number of Chinese and Western analysts who are doubtful that China will support serious sanctions against Iran. On that point, we also want to draw your attention to a recent article in Haaretz.
The article has attracted considerable attention because of its lead: “U.S. President Barack Obama has warned his Chinese counterpart that the United States would not be able to keep Israel from attacking Iranian nuclear installations for much longer, senior officials in Jerusalem told Haaretz.” But the article is also noteworthy for what it reports about China’s reaction. According to Haaretz, Obama’s warning to Chinese President Hu Jintao resulted in China’s support for a resolution criticizing Iran at the International Atomic Agency’s Board of Governors meeting on November 27. But, the article notes that ,
[T]he Chinese have maintained their hard stance regarding the West’s wishes to impose sanctions on the Islamic Republic. The Israeli officials say the Americans now understand that the Chinese agreed to join the condemnation announcement only because Obama made a personal request to Hu, not as part of a policy change. The Chinese have even refused a Saudi-American initiative designed to end Chinese dependence on Iranian oil, which would allow China to agree to the sanctions…Saudi Arabia, which is also very worried about the Iranian nuclear program and keen to advance international steps against Iran, offered to supply the Chinese the same quantity of oil the Iranians now provide, and at much cheaper prices. But China rejected the deal.
All of this, of course, is consistent with our longstanding analysis of Chinese policy towards Iran. In this regard, it is also interesting to note that a face-to-face meeting of the P-5+1 political directors, which the Obama Administration had anticipated holding this month, had to be delayed because the Chinese reportedly said they could not fit it into their schedule.
–Flynt Leverett and Hillary Mann Leverett
With all the controversy going on, it is really easy to miss the facts. It is Israel that has actually threatened to attack Iran. It is Israel that has actually developed the Bomb. And, it is Israel that has actually occupied another territory and subjected it to one of the greatest human rights abuses in recent times.
Yet, mainstream media and politicians have chosen to target Iran instead of Israel for scrutiny on these issues.
The Israeli lobby has been effective in blurring the lines between fact and fiction and developing a negative narrative about Iran. A quick check at the AIPAC website will confirm this.
Unfortunately, the United States has put in the driver’s seat of its Middle East policy, sympathizers of the lobby whose decisions are heavily in favor of Israel and heavily against Iran.
However, what is alarming is that the policy is not going to be in the long-term interest of the United States.
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