Daniel Ayalon: Israel will profit
Photo: GPO
Itamar Rabinovich: No reason to be concerned
Photo: David Rubinger
Obama. Will he appreciate gesture?
Photo: AP
Ex-envoys: Israel has nothing to worry about
Former ambassadors to Washington analyze Israel-US relations as Obama era begins
Obama's inauguration as the American president will be a fundamental moment in the history of the United States, former Israeli Ambassador to Washington Daniel Ayalon said Monday after returning from a visit to the US capital.
"The atmosphere in Washington is extraordinary. You can feel the excitement on the streets. I saw convoys of people arriving at the capital to take part in the swearing-in celebration, and it wasn't the same crowd which came to such events in the past. Many black and Hispanic people.
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"If he knows how to take advantage of that, he will be able to form international coalitions, and Israel will profit as well, especially if Obama manages to 'close' the Iranian problem and do it with Russia and China's help.
"As for the relations between Israel and the US, my impression is that there won't be any change. On the contrary: America's map of interest does not depend on the identity of the person sitting in the White House, and the US will continue to treat Israel as a loyal ally.
"There is an understanding there that the Iranian issue is the most important matter for Israel's security, but at the same time they will still direct more of their attention to the Palestinian issue.
"In talks I had in the US I realized that the two main issues Obama plans to deal with are the economy and Iraq. Hillary Clinton (Obama's secretary of state) will undoubtedly focus on our issue and will be the key element. Obama's people were relived by the decision to end Operation Cast Lead in Gaza."
Itamar Rabinovich, who also served as Israel's ambassador to the US, believes that the relations between American and the Jewish state will undergo a certain change.
"Those who hope for the same type of relationship in which the prime minister calls the president and takes him out of a lecture in order to instruct his secretary of state to change her vote at the UN – may be disappointed.
"Apart from that, we don’t really know what the relations between the White House and Jerusalem will look like. I'm convinced there's no special reason to be concerned.
"Many in the world are expected something new after tough years for the international community. I believe a gap will be created between these expectations and Obama's ability to meet them and provide efficient responses to real problems.
"The second gap is between the many expectations and the little we actually know about Obama's views and stances in regards to the issues on the agenda."
"There's no doubt that the decision to end the Gaza operation makes it easier for Obama to take office. I hope it has been made clear to him that one of Israel's considerations to end the operation was to cease fire before his inauguration. I hope he appreciates this gesture."
