Who won? We did.

That’s the internal dialogue many of the 7,500 pro-Israel advocates were having in recent days as the two-week crisis in U.S.-Israel ties seemed to end with this week’s triumphal American Israel Public Affairs annual conference.

That is despite a seemingly chilly end to a private, two-hour meeting last night between President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu. At its conclusion, there was no customary meeting with the media. Still, in recognition of the inevitable close bond between the two countries, their leaders are talking tachlis, which is much more important than the usual public praise and platitude.

Back to AIPAC. During the event, activists flexed political muscle and gained national headlines. But they should be wary of gloating, which never helps. That’s because the American-Israeli relationship won due to the candor both sides expressed in talking about what ails them while respecting their deep bonds. Washington and Jerusalem still have real priority differences on East Jerusalem, ones exacerbated amidst Vice President Joe Biden’s recent visit to the Jewish state because of Israel’s ill-timed announcement of new construction.

Still, one hopes that the Obama White House learned deeper lessons these recent weeks. And that is that when you pick a fight with Israel, do it fairly. The administration failed to do so in this case. Indeed, after Mr. Netanyahu had apologized to Vice President Joe Biden regarding the building plan, the White House kept pushing the issue. That included an extended telephone berating of the Israeli by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. And that left the administration managing a self-imposed political mess.

So Mr. Netanyahu came to town with his many American friends angry, AIPAC had refocused clout and Obama officials welcomed a refocusing on crippling sanctions against a nuclear-aspiring Iran. Meanwhile, the half of the Palestinian leadership that will even speak to Israel dug in against negotiating with the Jewish state without preconditions. If President Barack Obama had intended all that, he is in the wrong business.

None of this is new. Back in 1991 then-President George H.W. Bush seemed to challenge the right of Americans to lobby against his delay of a $10 billion loan guarantee to Israel. By the end of that poorly managed fight, he had lost credibility with many Jews.

Mr. Obama should recall that struggle and that it’s not about power; it’s about fairness. That’s why polls keep showing the American public overwhelmingly backs the State of Israel. The White House must recognize that as it now presses the Palestinians as hard as it seemed to eagerly push the Israelis.

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