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Photo: AP
It was a splendid meeting, mainly because of what was not put on the table
Photo: AP
Orly Azoulay

Obama-Netanyahu meeting directed at Jewish voters

Analysis: It’s not that the American president suddenly fell in love with the Israeli prime minister, but rather that Obama has a clear political interest, and Netanyahu is the right person to help him achieve it.

It looked like an ideal image of a late friendship: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the American president by his first name, Barack, and invited him to come play golf in Caesarea. Obama accepted the challenge and said he planned to visit Israel with his family often, because it was "a beautiful country with beautiful people."

 

 

The president sat relaxed next to Netanyahu in New York, but his messages were actually directed at Florida: Obama's fear of Donald Trump and his desire to strengthen his legacy through the presidency of Hillary Clinton, who has vowed to continue his policy, have prompted him to roll up his sleeves and help his party's candidate win.

 

Obama and Netanyahu. A bit of renewed flattery towards the Jewish vote has never done any harm (Photo: Kobi Gideon, GPO)
Obama and Netanyahu. A bit of renewed flattery towards the Jewish vote has never done any harm (Photo: Kobi Gideon, GPO)

 

These days, with such a tight race and with Trump gaining strength at Clinton's expense, every vote counts. While the Jews traditionally vote for the Democrats, Obama is aware of the fact that an increasing number of Jews and Israelis in the Miami suburbs are attracted by Trump. The Democratic Party remembers very well how Florida gave George W. Bush the presidency in 2000, and it does not want to see history repeat itself.

 

Obama's main mission is to build the bridge that will get Clinton into the White House. A bit of renewed flattery towards the Jewish vote has never done any harm: Obama provided them with an idyll. Miami's Jews will be happy to see Obama embrace Netanyahu. If there is anything that undermines American Jews it's a crisis between the White House and Jerusalem.

 

On Wednesday, Obama marketed a new packaging: It's not that he did not have harsh words for Netanyahu about the "corrosive effect" of the settlements, but he made an effort to say it pleasantly, in order to plant in people's minds that Bibi and Barack have turned over a new leaf.

 

It was a splendid meeting, mainly because of what was not put on the table: The two leaders did not discuss the steps Obama is planning to take after the elections and before leaving the White House. His advisors are already preparing the paperwork to allow him to perform one last move that will present the "Obama outline," which will be based on elements from the Saudi peace plan.

 

Ben Rhodes, the deputy national security adviser, addressed the issue in a press briefing Wednesday: "I don’t want to stand here and say we’re going to rule out the president speaking to the Israeli-Palestinian issue in any more detailed way before he leaves office." If Obama decides to make such a move—which will become unlikely if Trump is elected president —he may do it in a speech or through the United Nations Security Council.

 

But that is something they did not discuss in New York. Wednesday was smile time. It's not that the president suddenly fell in love with Netanyahu or that there was an outburst of chemistry between them. Obama has a clear political interest, and Netanyahu is the right person to help him achieve it.

 


פרסום ראשון: 09.22.16, 16:20
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