Every Fourth of July, U.S. embassies around the world open their doors to world dignitaries inviting them to a celebration of American independence.

The U.S. embassy in Tel Aviv is, of course, no exception. But if a Likud MK had his way, this year the Tel Aviv party would be quite empty of Israelis.

Far-right Likud MK Danny Danon has written a letter calling for a boycott of the party being thrown by U.S. Ambassador to Israel James Cunningham at his Herzliya home.

MK Danon is bitter that Obama has had the temerity to demand Israel end its illegal settlement construction.

The letter reads:

“There is a certain air of bitterness these days - whether it was the picture of [US President Barack] Obama with his shoes up on the table while he spoke with the prime minister or the statement by [US Envoy George] Mitchell that Israeli ‘doesn’t stop lying’ - there is a certain mood and style in Washington that makes it hard to go and celebrate.

American independence is the model for western nations, including for Israel. As the Americans would rise up against any attempt of outside involvement in their internal affairs, so too will Israel ignore all types of involvement on the part of America and others,” said Danon.

The statements recently heard by representatives of the American government regarding Israel’s commitment to stop building in Judea and Samaria, including natural growth, and the statements that accuse Israel of lying over the years to the White House, seriously damage Israel’s honor. I call upon MKs to boycott the event at the ambassador’s house, to deliver to the American administration a clear message - that the State of Israel is independent and not President Obama’s pet.”

Danon has some nerve. The United States treats Israel better than any other country. In fact, the U.S. is the only ally that Israel really has left. It gives Israel $3 billion a year in aid, tons of free weapons, defends it at the United Nations, turns a blind eye to Israel’s nuclear weapons and bans the selling of high-tech weapons to Israel’s neighbors so as to attempt to secure Israel’s military advantage in the region.

And, yet, this guy cries foul when the United States demands that Israel stop engaging in illegal settlement activity for purposes of it being, well, illegal [!!!!] and harmful to America’s interests.

As for his claim that the United States is interfering in Israeli politics. If this guy wants America not to interfere then is he willingly to ask the United States to stop giving Israel aid. Sorry, but aid comes with conditions. Gleen Greenwald explains this best:

This first point applies equally to those complaining that the Obama administration is unduly “interfering” in private companies seeking government bailouts as it does to those complaining of Obama’s “interference” with Israeli settlement policies. A country, a company or an individual has every right to remain free of “interference” from others as long as they remain independent of the party seeking to “interfere.” But if one chooses instead to become dependent on someone else or seeks help and aid from them, then complying with the demands of those providing the aid is an inevitable price that must be paid – and justifiably so.

This is a basic lesson which most people learn in adolescence or young adulthood. Teenagers who tell their parents that they are not compelled to comply with parental dictates are typically met with the response that this is so only if they want nothing from their parents, but as long as they seek financial support, then the parents have the right to demand certain actions in return.

Similarly, businesses are free to make whatever decisions they want about how they are to be run — as long as they remain independent. But if they go to a bank – or the federal government — and plead for a loan, then the lender is perfectly justified in imposing all sorts of conditions (”we’ll lend to you only if you spend more responsibly, refrain from paying your executives more than X, not use the funds for Y,” etc.). If banks and other companies want to be free of what conservatives and libertarians complain is undue influence from the federal government, then they shouldn’t seek loans and bailouts from the federal government.

Identically, if Israel wants to be free of what it and some of its U.S. supporters call “interference” from the Obama administration, that’s very easy to achieve: Israel can stop asking for tens of billions of dollars of American taxpayer money, huge amounts of military and weapons supplies for its various wars, and unyielding American diplomatic protection at the U.N. But as long as Israel remains dependent on the U.S. in countless ways, then Obama not only has the right — but he has the obligation — to demand that Israel cease activities which harm U.S. interests.

Israelis cannot have it both ways. They cannot insist on a special relationship with the United States but demand that the United States never ask Israeli leaders to conduct policy in a way that the U.S. determines to be in its interests.

MK Danon says that most coalition members will follow his advice and boycott the party, good riddance . He did the ambassador a favor.

The arrogance and entitlement of this nation is without parallel and will be its undoing.