Yes, Virginia, there is an Israel lobby.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and President Barack Obama have maintained a close relationship since Obama’s entry to the Senate which coincided with Reid rising as then Minority Leader. Reid helped Obama establish a degree of prominence that often eludes freshman senators by making Obama the Democratic leader on electoral reform, a fact Obama touted during his presidential campaign.

Reid at the annual American Israel Public Affairs Committee conference.

Usually, party leaders do not engage in public disputes. The Senate leader and the president from the same party are counted on to maintain an image of unity lest the party’s agenda is undermined as the opposition smells blood. Which is why Reid’s public letter to Obama came as such a surprise.

Reid wrote to Obama to express the view that the efforts toward achieve Arab-Israeli peace should be put on the Palestinians and not on Israel. Obama has made an Israeli settlement freeze the first step toward restarting the so-called road map toward peace. Israel’s pro-settlement, far-right government under Netanyahu has been publicly resentful at the pressure coming from the United States, usually quite lenient toward Israel, and Israel’s domestic lobby [most of it] matches that frustration. Reid wrote in an effort to persuade Obama that the pressure should be put on the Palestinians, and to make Iran more of a priority than Arab-Israeli peace.

What is more interesting than the content of the letter, is that it was ever written and released publicly. As the Senate majority leader from the same party, Reid could have easily called Obama or even met him to express his views. The fact that the letter was released is more of a reflection of Reid’s efforts to prove himself to the Israel lobby than any sincere effort to influence Obama’s Middle East policies.

Reid faces a reelection fight in 2010 and pro-Israel donors constitute the largest poll of donors to Democratic candidates. Reid’s public letter conveyed the message, as CQ wrote, “If you have a problem with Obama’s speech, don’t take it out on me.” The fact that Reid publicly wrote such a letter is a testament to the power of the Israel lobby.