Successful trip - Barack Obama
Talent for arm-twisting? With Netanyahu
US media: 'Obama twisted Netanyahu's arm'
Journalists who were highly critical of Obama's Mid East tour now full of praise as US president manages to restore Israel-Turkey ties, shows possible breakthrough in Palestinian-Israel conflict
WASHINGTON – After four days in the Middle East
US President Barack Obama
was back in Washington on Sunday. The US media was quick to review the visit, which many had previously criticized as lacking in content or purpose – only this time around they were full of praise for the president's accomplishments.
A New York Times editorial claims Obama's trip was a success after the US president succeeded in bringing the conflict between two US allies – Israel and Turkey, to an end. The paper's Israel correspondent summed up the visit saying that the big surprise was that Obama showed "a talent for arm twisting" after convincing Netanyahu to apologize to Erdogan.
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Landler noted that the "reaction to Obama was so positive that it raises the question of whether he should have gone to Israel earlier."
Landler was not the only one who noticed a turning point in Obama's trip following his speech in Jerusalem.
"The president trying to reach in to the souls of Jews around the world particularly Israelis, by talking a lot about Jewish people-hood… speaking of the essence of what it means to be Jewish which is to treat the stranger as yourself," said Meet the Press host David Gregory.
Warren Bass, a senior Washington Post editor wrote in Foreign Policy magazine that the most encouraging thing about the visit was the roar of approval from the audience. He claims this is the essence of the Israel-Palestinian peace making approach of Obama's second term in office – which may prove itself to be more fruitful that the frustrating approach of the first term.
NBC chief foreign affairs correspondent Andrea Mitchell said Obama's visit was a successful charm offensive yet Mitchell did criticize Obama for his mistake in not visiting Jerusalem in his first term when he went to Cairo.
Meanwhile, Turkey's Hurriyet reported that first steps in resuming diplomatic relations were already visible. According to the report, Israeli and Turkish diplomats are set to meet over the coming days to discuss Israeli compensation to Turkey for the deaths of nine Turkish citizens on the Mavi Marmara.
One Turkish diplomat, repeating Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan's statement said that resuming diplomatic relations would be done in stages and that the two countries are in no rush to send their ambassadors to Jerusalem and Ankara.
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