Opinion
Obama’s new approach
Eytan Gilboa
Published: 07.07.10, 00:23
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23 Talkbacks for this article
1. Very simple
Jew ,   Israel   (07.07.10)
Obama needs Jewish votes and campaign donations.
2. I'm not as sanguine as the professor
Steve   (07.07.10)
Let me put this in perspective by paraphrasing Professor Gilboa's words. President Obama "had to walk a very fine line today. "(Obama is) pressed between foreign affairs and defense strategies on the one hand, and domestic political elements on the other. "Obama is (also) pressed between his approach to Israel and resolution of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, and his deteriorating status among voters in general, and among Israel’s friends in particular. "The meeting was meant to hold off the pressure and improve Obama’s status. Gilboa continues (this is important / critical): "In four months, elections will be held for all Congress seats and one third of Senate seats. Obama’s status among voters has deteriorated and he needs every vote." Professor Gilboa concludes: "Only towards the end of the year we’ll be able to determine whether the meeting indeed reflected a new chapter of cooperation in US-Israel relations, or merely a lull between periods of disagreement, tensions, and crises." I do not need to wait till the end of the year. Obama is an inveterate Israel-hater. He has done nothing to change this reality. The fact of the matter is - notwithstanding Congressional letters sent to the WH expressing uneasiness over Obama's anti-Israel / pro-Islam policies - Congressional Democrats to a man and woman support Obama and his anti-Israel (racist) policies. Every thinking American will vote against them this coming November. They had their chance and they blew it with this dangerous, evil (yes evil) man in the Oval Office. I do not believe a word he said today. It was all posturing for the up-coming elections.
3. Will it stick? Proof in the pudding
Samuel Prime ,   Canada   (07.07.10)
Well, I will believe that Obama has changed his attitude toward Israel if this meeting is not followed up by a relapse to the old failed attitude. Good and supportive words are meaningful only if they are followed by evidence in action -- esp. in this case when Obama has mishandled longtime US-Israel alliance and friendship.
4. Israel
John Hamer ,   Mound, US   (07.07.10)
Stop supporting Israel and see if they can get along better with their neighbors. None of them has the high ground. All of this killing in the name of religion equals a dysfunctional religion. I have not sympathy for Israel
5. Agree with Steve #2
Joe K ,   Silicon Valley, USA   (07.07.10)
Obama is an empty suit. The naive voted for change and drank the snake oil of an impostor who can't deliver. I'm tired of all the 'blame storming' that comes out of his office, and his 'broken telephone' school of diplomacy. Thinking Americans must recognize the danger this demagog poses to the Republic and vote him out of power before it's too late.
6. Obama’s new approach
tom ,   tel aviv   (07.07.10)
To all you Yiddish speakers: what we'll get is going to be "die zelbe dreck mit andere dekoratzie" (or is it german:-) ? Can leopard change it's spots? 'come on.. Obama is not naive&"an empty suit". It is the american voting populace that's naive/ verging on pathologically stupid. Sorry strike that , it's the american jewish populaton that's criminally stupid !
7. Obama's new approach is pure hypocrisy.
Harry Wright ,   UK   (07.07.10)
He is not fooling anybody and least of all Bibi. He is already down in the bad books of many Americans and a few "friendly" photos are not going to change that. Like Erdogan, he played his hand early for all to see. Obama should bow and apologize to Bibi too, but then, he does not belong to the house of Saud and he is an infidel.
8. obumma is a two term president, incompetent & dishonest.
Bunnie Meyer ,   Los Angeles, CA USA   (07.07.10)
9. "a lull between periods of...tensions."
meyer ,   israel   (07.07.10)
that's correct. american foreign policy has shifted away from israeli interests and towards a more isolationist stance in the ME. what holds obama now is the mid-term elections and fear that the democrats will lose control of both houses. americans after all still favor israel over the arabs. that's bottom line.
10. #8 Bunnie, two term? Is that you?
Janice Cohen ,   ירושלים   (07.07.10)
11. The approach has changed, not the essence: one of hostilty
Jehudah Ben-israel ,   Qatzrin, Israel   (07.07.10)
to the nation-state of the Jewish people, despite the Charm Offensive towards the American Jewish community and Israel's prime minister. One reveling moment was when Obama made reference in the questions and answer period to the "Palestinian territories", as if the dispute over these territories had been over and the are now "Palestinian", while in reality the Arabs have refused every peace offer made by Israel and others regarding the territories and refuse to sit face to face with the representatives of the Israeli government and resolve the future state of these territories. Another revealing moment was when Obama referred to a "two-state solution" and NOT to a "two-states for two-peoples" solution, thus implying he does not accept Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people, against incidentally UN resolutions!!! Obama, the man who "set under" Rev J. Wright for 20 years and has kept as his friends people like J.Jackson and L.Farakhan has not changed and his ideas remained the same regarding the Jews; only his PR take has been staged differently.
12. Why we do not trust Obama.
Ron B. ,   Lod   (07.07.10)
Obama reaffirmed a UN-style moral equivalence between Palestinian terrorists who systematically and intentionally abuse their civilians as human-shield and target Israeli civilians on one hand, and the Israel Defense Force which is confronted by such terrorism on the other hand. President Obama also reinforced UN-style moral equivalence between Palestinian terrorism and hate education on one hand, and Jewish communities in Judea & Samaria on the other hand. Once again, there was the implicit message that Jewish communities in Judea & Samaria trigger Palestinian terrorism and constitute an obstacle to peace. Can we trust Obama ? http://xrl.us/bfq9c8
13. Most of us agree with #2 and #5
2=5=me 2   (07.07.10)
and ALL of us know it...
14. Hmmm....
Ram ,   London   (07.07.10)
Before being elected president and during a visit to Israel, didn't Obama stress that "Jerusalem shall remain indivisible"? Maybe totally unrelated, but, according to Islam, isn't one of the faithful allowed to lie to infidels in order to attain his goal? Do leopards change their spots?
15. Standing up for our national security=>World Pariah... Not!
Paqid Yirmeyahu ,   Ra'anana, Israel   (07.07.10)
I've often seen posters argue that Americans and the world will hate us more if we stand up for ourselves. This is a case in point where the opposite has been proven. Israel is a valuable asset in the Middle East and there's truth to the axiom that the squeaky hinge gets the oil. Arabs blow up civilians everything from airplanes to restaurants to buses to malls to the World Trade Center--launch rockets attacking civilians inside Israel daily--cut off heads of journalists, hide behind their women and children as they launch attacks into Israel, kill thousands of American soldiers trying to stop terrorism from spreading into democratic countries... and the world kowtows to them. Standing strong is respected. Weakness is trampled under. 2 & 5 were good, but I think 11, 12 & 14 were even better. Paqid Yirmeyahu Paqid 16, The Netzarim, Ra'anana, Israel Israeli Torah-reverer (Teimani, Baladi, Dor Daim, Orthodox Jew) Advocate for Logic as Hermeneutic Halakhic Authority Welcoming All Torah-reverers (Jews & non-Jew geirim)
16. Reading Ynet
m   (07.07.10)
What happened to all Israelis professors or any other academics? Have they lost their critical powers? How blind can you be to write articles like the ones here, one afte another? Nobody reads the internet (not the fawning media which thinks Obama is the annointed One)?
17. DISGUSTING! two faced politicians! who needs either of them?
shadoil ,   Jerusalem   (07.07.10)
18. Little boy from "The Omen", grown up??
St. Joe ,   Jerusalem   (07.07.10)
19. DUH! It's all about the midterm elections.
Chaim ,   Israel   (07.07.10)
I'm amazed at the foolishness and naivete of those who feel Obama's attitude towards Israel has changed. Consider Obama's radical background. His 20 plus years in the racist, hateful church of Reverend Wright. Obama's disgusting treatment of Israel. Are we to believe all this has changed overnight? DUH! It's all about the midterm elections. Obama's numbers are terrible and he'd do anything to get them up. Don't be fooled by him again.
20. OBAMA CANNOT BE TRUSTED!
OZ   (07.07.10)
this radicalmoslem will try his forked tongue instead of his left kick to sway israel and bent it to its will... look how he has handled every crisis so far that had anything to do with moslems-- with kid's gloves( or michael jackson ones).. tfu on obama and his house jews!
21. Obam,a will never ever be a friend of the Jews
Al   (07.07.10)
Study his body language..he shows a disdain towards the PM. He rejects him all the while peddling a feel good empty smile. He does not have Israels wellbing at heart. He spend 20 years listening and absorbing an anti-semite who tll this day continues to spew his venom. Israel has no leadership worth a damn..The leaders are useless toothless drei kopps with nay a brain between them. They are in power and abusing that power to enrich themselves, their families and friends. The average Jew in Israel is at their mercy, for he really doesnt have a pot to piss in. He is poor, he owes his soul to the company store. Speak to most expat Israelis and they will tell you after the standard BS bravado that they simply could never ever return there to live.Why? Because they are sick and tired of having people in their face 24/7. You business becomes everyones business. Obama an anti-semite knows that and he uses that to his advantage. He pits one Political Party against another knowing full well that the MKs can be bought and sold for a penny. That is why Isreal save for the grace of G-d will always be on the losing end of the equation. You have no leadership and as a result your people have no real loyalty to the state. Those who can either thru political connections or by faking a religious status sneak their way out of military serv. Very sad..very sad indeed.
22. Don't Listen To Him...He Lies
Dan ,   USA   (07.08.10)
Never, never listen to what Obama say. It is what he does that gives him away as a Muslim sympathizer, if not a Muslim himself. He is trying to form a coalition of blacks , Hispanics and far left wealthy Jews ( to bank roll is campaign ), but this time American voters will not be fooled by him and he will be out of office after the 2012 election. He can not win without independent voters and as of today only 38 percent are in favor of his presidency.
23. Obama is campaigning for the midterms
Ronen Kory ,   Jerusalem Israel   (07.08.10)
The day after the elections be prepared for a new fresh crisis in Israel- USA relations, and a demand that Israel "consider American interests" by reducing itself to non viability
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