Netanyahu and Obama in NYC
Netanyahu and Obama in NYCIsrael news photo: Flash 90

Ambassador Yoram Ettinger, formerly a Minister for Congressional Affairs at Israel’s Embassy in Washington, said on Monday that the relationship between Israel and the United States is a two-way street and that both countries depend on one another.

Ettinger participated in the Jerusalem Conference for English speakers, which was held Monday in the Jerusalem Great Synagogue.

“When it comes to U.S.-Israel relations, those relations are not a one-way street where the U.S. gives and Israel receives,” Ettinger told Arutz Sheva. “It’s a mutually beneficial two-way street with both countries benefitting.”

Ambassador Ettinger added, however, that the United States has a “split personality.”

“On one hand, [the United States] is a unique ally of Israel, on the other hand it is an honest broker,” he said. “You cannot be both, because the more of an honest broker you are, the less of a unique ally you are. It is incumbent upon friends of Israel to try to convince the U.S. to be less involved in honest brokerage and more involved in a unique alliance which has been extremely beneficial to the U.S., both economically as well as security wise.”

He added that the current period is a good time to dramatically enhance the strategic cooperation between Israel and the U.S., particularly with the U.S. about to withdraw from Iraq.

“The only country which can extend the strategic of the U.S. is Israel,” Ettinger said. “Against the backdrop of the upheaval in the Arab street, Israel is the only capable, stable, reliable and democratic and unconditional ally of the U.S.”