Part of the reason President Obama was elected was that the American public stopped supporting the Bush administration’s foreign policy several years ago. People voted against Bush as much as they voted for Obama.
His conciliatory tone and stated willingness to start a dialogue with “rogue” nations like Iran has raised expectations around the world for a new direction in U.S. Middle East policy.
In anticipation of the President’s meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the New York Times argues that Obama comes in with a markedly different stance towards Israel than other recent presidents.
This is because he firmly supports a two-state solution - he thinks Palestine should have its own sovereign nation beside Israel.
Another reason is Obama’s Muslim connections, which he stressed in a speech in Turkey. Obama argued that he had a special understanding of the Muslim world because he grew up in Indonesia, a Muslim-majority nation.
Some Republicans have expressed worry that his middle name is Hussein. Some have even accused him of being a Muslim in secret. But this talk is ultimately empty political rhetoric.
What matters is his position on the Arab-Israeli conflict. Clinton and Bush were, for the most part, firmly in Israel’s camp. Netanyahu might wonder how much of an ally the new America will be for his nation.
How much will Obama push Netanyahu to commit to a two state solution? If Obama is committed to his stance, Monday’s meeting will be just the opening of a dialogue - the U.S. will have to make a concerted, continuous diplomatic effort to make any progress.
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