A president in love (with a president)
Op-ed: The look on Obama's face as he greeted Rivlin at the Oval Office gave away the difference: After years of emotionally charged meetings with Netanyahu, he finally had a relaxed meeting with a representative of the State of Israel, a meeting in which neither side had to be untrue to itself.
"A wonderful pleasure," Obama said at the start of the meeting. One thing's for sure: There was no suffering.
Obama presented the three main issues on the agenda: Israel's security needs following the agreement with Iran, the instability and terror in the region and the relations between Israel and the Palestinians. "Obviously this is a time at which the prospects of serious peace may seem distant," Obama said, "it's important that we continue to try."
He praised Rivlin for making it one of his hallmarks to improve the dialogue between Israelis and Palestinians and Arab Israeli citizens.
Rivlin began his remarks by expressing gratitude, which has become quite rare in the Israeli government's statements towards the Obama administration. "We would like to really thank you from the bottom of our heart, the people of Israel, about what you have done in the past six years for the finance, for the diplomatic, for the military help that you are giving us," Rivlin said.
He added that Israel was very grateful to Obama for his declaration about the need to fight wherever it is. Extremism, he stressed, not a war on Islam. "We have no war with Islam."
He compared Obama to the shamash (the ninth candle holder) in the Hanukkah menorah. "The shamash is not a civil servant, it's the leader, a leader who with him we are lighting all the candles. And we know, Mr. President, that you have lit the candle for the last seven years to show the way and the right way to your people and to the entire world, and we are very sure that they eighth candle that you will light next year will be the same to show the whole world how to go in the light and to be able to fight everything that we should not accept."
Obama made sure to invite Vice President Joe Biden and National Security Advisor Susan Rice to the meeting with Rivlin, turning it from a cordial meeting into a work meeting.
In his 90-minute meeting with the Israeli president, Obama discussed the Palestinian issue alongside the issue of the war on the Islamic State and the American security aid to Israel. He expressed his deep concern over the ongoing stalemate in the peace negotiations with the Palestinians, saying he believes there is no chance of renewing the negotiations at this time.
Rivlin said at the end of the meeting, "In the White House, I found a friend of the State of Israel. President Obama is committed to the security of Israel's citizens and to the State's strength. He has an uncompromising commitment to defend and help the State of Israel."
Rivlin added, "I told President Obama that ISIS is a phenomenon which could infiltrate the State of Israel. As for the Palestinian issue, the president is not optimistic." During the meeting, Rivlin raised the possibility of pursuing interim agreements with the Palestinians and trust-building moves.
The Israeli journalists asked President Rivlin for his response to the fact that Donald Trump, the leading Republican presidential candidate, is about to visit Israel and meet with the prime minister. Trump declared earlier this week that he supports a complete ban on Muslim travel to the United States.
Rivlin replied, "I have yet to hear Trump's comments." He said he would meet with presidential candidates according to a policy set by the Israeli government and on an equal basis between the American parties. He added that he accepts President Obama's remarks that terror is terror and that the war is against extremists and not against Islam.
Rivlin refused to say whether he had sensed any negative feelings in President Obama due to his past conflicts with Prime Minister Netanyahu.
Obama gave Rivlin an unusual reception Wednesday evening. The American president even noted how special his meeting with the Israeli president was when he hosted a candle lighting ceremony in the East Room of the White House in the presence of hundreds of Jews, President Rivlin and his wife and Michelle Obama.
The atmosphere was completely different from the atmosphere in Netanyahu and Obama's past meetings - and this appears to be the message both officials tried to convey to the people in Israel.
