WASHINGTON, July 14, 2009
Obama Meets with Skeptical Jewish Leaders
President Tried to Reiterate U.S. Commitment to Israel While Jewish Leaders Questioned His Approach
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President Barack Obama at the G8 Summit in L'Aquila, Italy, Friday, July 10, 2009. He met with 16 Jewish leaders on Monday to discuss U.S.-Israel relations (AP Photo)
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Photo Essay Pursuing Peace In Israel, secretary of state Hillary Clinton vows U.S. will "vigorously" promote peace efforts.
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Fast Facts Israel Learn about the people, economy and history.
Obama assured 16 Jewish leaders that the United States remained steadfast in its commitment to Israel's security. But during a private hour-long White House meeting, the president told guests that he was asking Israel and the Palestinians alike to take concrete steps toward restarting peace talks and that would require sacrifices from both sides.
Obama met with the leaders, who have fretted that he is being too critical of longtime ally Israel and too lenient toward Palestinians and their Arab neighbors. They privately complained that Obama delivered a speech to the Muslim world during a trip to Cairo but skipped a stop in Jerusalem.
"I think people were very direct with the president in expressing their views. ... I think the president was very candid in responding," said Alan Solow, the chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations.
Participants shared their concerns that his public call for Israel to follow through on its pledges to stop settlements went too far, especially during an Oval Office session with reporters. Obama replied that he's telling his Israeli friends in public the same thing he has said during private meetings, according to those in the Roosevelt Room on Monday.
Some participants in the meeting flatly told Obama that only when the United States and Israel are in lockstep support is any progress made. Obama replied that there was no distance between the U.S. and Israeli positions for the last eight years, and that no progress was made under President George W. Bush.
"Where people pushed back, the president stood firm," said Jeremy Ben-Ami, executive director of J Street, a pro-Israel and pro-peace political action committee and lobby.
Obama has been blunt in his demands for both the Israelis and the Palestinians to make good on their promises designed to bring about peace in the troubled region. To leaders, Obama reiterated the United States' commitment to Israel and redoubled his pledge that U.S. policy would never threaten that country's security.
"No one could leave that meeting with any doubt about Obama's commitment to Israel," said Ira Forman, executive director of the National Jewish Democratic Council.
Many left believing that Obama means well, but not necessarily convinced the United States' revamped strategy will resolve the conflict that has vexed U.S. presidents for decades.
"I think I share some of the same anxiety that others might have shared. ... But I'm prepared to give this new president an opportunity, not just prepared, but I support him taking a slightly different approach than we're used to," said Rabbi Steven Wernick, executive vice president and CEO of the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism.
"I think he went a long way toward reassuring me, personally, about the good faith intentions and that the relationship (with Israel) is as strong as it's ever been," Wernick said.
Participants and White House officials said Obama didn't introduce any new proposals during the discussion but spent the bulk of the time seeking comments and trying to allay concerns.
Obama did, however, return to a favorite complaint: that U.S. journalists were seeking conflict, overemphasizing the importance of Israeli settlements and missing achievements in peace talks.
"He said that there's more progress than appears in the negotiations," said Malcolm Hoenlein, executive vice chairman and CEO of Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations.
© MMIX The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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- Israel has a billion Islamics wanting them out & a weakening US ,tied up in 2 endless wars,economically stunted,hopelessly propping up their folly-this may not end well.
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- Why does obama give american tax payer dollars to terrorist organizations like HAMAS?
Obama is the enemy. - Reply to this comment
- American foreign policy has been to support republics and to tolerate criminal regimes where we have no choice, i.e. they have the oil. With the exception of Israel, there are no legitimate governments in the Near East. These are one-party dictatorships in the model of Nazi Germany with which they were allied during WW2 against the colonial rule of the British and the French. It is expecting a lot of the Jewish WW2 refugees in Israel to negotiate with thse "governments" when they have already seen the results of such negotitations in Europe.
The nations of Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Israel, Palestine and Gaza are all carved-from the collapse of the colonial system during the past century. Palestine may be a generation-away from a normal functioning society. Gaza will need another century before it gets there. - Reply to this comment
- "Clairty is Refreshing"
The United States and Israel are finally on the right track regarding the ability to debate the issues of a comprensive peace deal between Israelis and Palestinians.
Having the political fortitude and courage to disagree regarding settlements in occupied Palestine is being a honest friend.
Some times you have to step out side the box,this is what true leadership is about. Taking a genuine hands on approach is needed to deliver an over all peace deal in Palestine and to the rest of the Arab World.
For almost sixty years we have been in a lock step approach with Israel regarding settlements and American foriegn policy has been absent.
Of which has been a costly mistake in pursuit of peace and the quest for a tangible and a real peaceful settlement of occupied Palestine.
I applaud President Obamas approach and the ability to disagree with our allies when there is a difference of opinion.
United States foriegn policy has also been extremly costly in terms of loss of american capital,american lives and damage of american credibility. This has also been a major factor leading to erosion of support within the international community.
I have strong admiration and praise for President Obamas courage to finally give peace in the middle east a real chance of succeeding.
It is also refreshing to see our President deliver tangible results instead of lip service that we recieved for the past eight years with Forest Gump and Darth Vader in the White House!
Posted by: samg720 - Reply to this comment
- Israel has not been the aggressor in this mess. These cowardly groups like Hamas have been the problem. Everyday Israel allows hundreds of thousands of Palestinians to work within their borders, done in peace, to support their families. If Palestinians truly wanted peace, they would help Israel exterminate these terroists groups so peace could be achieved. Obama, the spineless idiot, again needs to ask Michele for his gonads, his refusal to take a hardline stance against Hamas and others, will eventually create bigger problems in the future.
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- I have changed my opinion on the entire Israeli American AIPAC thing!
It is not Israels fault our American politicians are ready and willing to sell out their own country for the benifit of Israel!
If they have not the Patriotism and commitment to America that they are sworn to uphold then so be it!
Israel should not bear the brunt of American Peoples critisim and anger for their manipulation of the American Congress!
The American Anger should be focused on the Congress and the Neocons that are their pupit masters! - Reply to this comment
- Rabbis. Why do we need to pacify these guys. Religious knuckleheads, be it christian, muslim, jew or any religion should stay away from a country's foreign policy and governance issues. All they can talk, will be from the $2 books they carry around. Keep religion and politics separate. Else every country will be like Iran, that the mullahs rule. Given a chance all of the religious knuckleheads would want something similar in their countries.
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- The Jewish people are all over the world, but a large segment of Israel's population are Russian immigrants, I never understood why Russia doesn't support Israel more since a large segment of Russian citizens relocated there. Maybe Russia is angry over the brain drain.
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- Brilliant!! Turn your backs on the Israeli people, support the terrorists. Yes, many Israelis are Jews and most Palestinians are Muslim. However, that does not mean America has been "kissing up to the Zionists", rather, we have been trying to protect them from the Palestinian terrorists. I hope that Israel will still be protected and will still have our support in a country mostly controlled by extreme Muslim governments, bent on taking away the rights and killing anyone who is not Muslim.
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- Why has obama abandoned the israeli people in the war on terror?
Obama is the enemy. - Reply to this comment
- It's about time American stop kissing up to the zionists.
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- It has been the terroist groups operating within the Palestian borders that have caused the problem. These cowards use woman and children as their shields, all the while firing rockets into Israel. Israel has shown more restraint then anyone should have too. Israel daily, allows hundreds of thousands to work within their borders, to support there families. All done in peace. Exterminate these terroist groups like Hamas, and peace will come. Obama again is showing his spineless tactics, afraid to do the right thing.
