Washington not buying Bibi’s second reversal in a week

Benjamin Netanyahu has apologised for his election day ­comments about Arab voting in Israel.

(FILES) - A file picture taken on March 18, 2015 shows Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visitsing the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem following his party Likud's victory in Israel's general election. Netanyahu apologised publicly on March 23, 2015 for saying Arab Israelis were voting in "droves" in election day comments that drew condemnation, including from the United States. "I know that my statements last week offended some Israeli citizens and members of the Arab Israeli community. That was never my intention. I apologise for that," he said during a meeting with Arab Israelis that was broadcast by television channels. AFP PHOTO / THOMAS COEX

Newly returned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has apologised for his comments about Arab voting in Israel, stepping up damage control to defuse tensions with bedrock ally Washington.

In his second climbdown in days, Mr Netanyahu ­insisted he meant no offence when he warned that Israeli Arabs were turning out in “droves” at the polling stations.

“This was never my intent,’’ he said, acknowledging it had stirred outrage as Israelis voted last week.

“I apologise for this,’’ he told leaders of the minority communities called to the Prime Minister’s residence in Jerusalem. “I view myself as the Prime Minister of each and every citizen of Israel, without any prejudice based on ­religion, ethnicity or ­gender.’’

Seemingly, his remarks were directed at galvanising rightwing voters to return to the fold of his Likud party, which had struggled in pre-election opinion polling.

The ploy worked as a campaign tactic, helping to ­secure Mr ­Netanyahu a potentially record-making fourth term and a strong platform to build ­Israel’s next minority government.

But, coming on top of his ­disavowal of Palestinian statehood, the comment was condemned by Palestinians and many left-leaning Israelis as racist, and was criticised by the White House.

Last Friday, US President Barack Obama weighed in, saying: “We indicated that that kind of rhetoric was contrary to what is the best of Israel’s traditions.”

Last night, Mr Obama’s chief of staff, Denis McDonough, kept the pressure on by signalling that the US could not overlook what Mr Netanyahu had said on the eve of his re-election.

In a speech to the American-Jewish advocacy group J Street, Mr McDonough said that it was “deeply troubling’’ Mr Netanyahu had ruled out Palestinian statehood happening while he was Prime Minister.

Mr Netanyahu has tried to walk back his position on an independent Palestinian homeland, saying he remained committed to the support he professed in 2009 for the two-state model favoured by the US and most of the inter­national community, including Australia.

But, in a sign of a hardening in Washington, Mr McDonough said: “We cannot pretend that these comments were never made.’.

The Obama administration has not spelled out what steps it might take to drive Israel back to the bargaining table with the Pale­stinians — especially on the thorny question of Israeli settlement expansion into the occupied territories, which Mr Netanyahu pledged to continue during the election campaign.

While there has been reference by White House aides to a “reas­sessment’’ by the US of its relationship with Israel, there is no suggestion this could affect co-­operation on security or defence ties.

Mr Obama, however, has rejected the do-nothing option. “From our point of view, the status quo is unsustainable,’’ he told the Huffington Post last Friday.

“While taking into complete account Israel’s security, we can’t just in perpetuity maintain the ­status quo, expand settlements. That’s not a recipe for stability in the region.’’

Mr McDonough also served notice that the US would not allow Israel to annex the West Bank in what’s been described as a “one state’’ solution to the Palestinian conundrum. This would be wrong and illegal, he said.

“Israel cannot maintain military control of another people indefinitely,’’ he said. “An occu­-pation that has lasted for almost 50 years must end.’’

Domestically, Mr Netanyahu’s ability to surprise his detractors and make concessions with the Palestinians may be strengthened by the relative stability of the right-leaning coalition he is building. Kulanu, a new centrist party committed to easing cost of living, put its 10 seats behind Mr Netanyahu, putting him on track to lock in up to 67 of the Knesset’s 120 members. The head of the United List of Arab parties, Ayman Odeh, with 14 seats, accused Mr Netanyahu of “zigzagging”.