Is the Obama Administration Considering Sanctions Against Israel?

Late last week, a number of media outlets reported that the Obama Administration may be considering “sanctioning” Israel, an unthinkably destructive act against our closest Middle East ally?

But is the report true?

American media outlets source their suspicion back to this report, from Haaretz, an Israeli newspaper. Haaretz cites Israeli sources who claim that “White House officials held a classified discussion a few weeks ago about the possibility of taking active measures against the settlements."

The “active measures” could include the following:

"For example, the United States may refrain from vetoing condemnatory resolutions against the settlements in the UN Security Council. Or it could issue clearer instructions to American officials about the ban on cooperating with the settlements or funding activity in them."

Abandoning Israel in the UN would be particularly devastating, an action that could have negative consequences for generations.

But are the Israeli reports credible? Is the White House actually considering sanctions?

Given an opportunity to confirm or deny these reports, White House spokesman Josh Earnest punted, reaffirming America’s bond with Israel but also declaring Israel’s so-called “settlements” to be “illegitimate.” But he also said this: “I’m not going to talk about an internal deliberations inside the administration, and certainly not inside the White House.” And this: “I’m not denying that we have strong concerns about settlement activity that’s underway in Israel.”

Watch the entire exchange for yourself:

Is Earnest hedging his answers because the Obama Administration wants Israel to feel threatened without actually incurring the grave political and strategic risks of a specific threats? Is he simply fumbling what should be a simple answer? Time will tell.

One thing is certain, if the Obama Administration attempts to sanction Israel, we will act. Israel is the Middle East’s lone beacon of true democracy, and it’s the only nation that comprehensively respects human rights, including religious liberty. It is our steadfast ally, helping us in innumerable ways in our own war against jihadists. Even a mere sanctions threat would be unconscionable. Actual sanctions would represent a grave breach of faith.

We will be watching the Obama Administration closely. It has betrayed allies before. It must not betray them again.