Gaza Fighting Poses Significant Challenge For Obama
As the fighting in Gaza continues and international calls for Israel to exercise restraint in its bombing campaign mount, President-elect Obama's most immediate crisis when he takes office in two weeks might not be the economy.
For the first time on Tuesday, Mr. Obama spoke publicly about the situation in Gaza.
"The loss of civilian life in Gaza and in Israel is a source of deep concern to me, and after January 20th I'm going to have plenty to say about the issue," he told reporters.
CBS News senior political correspondent Jeff Greenfield said that even though the economy may be the most pressing issue at home, the situation in Gaza will remain at the forefront of international relations when Mr. Obama takes office.
"The world is looking at Gaza and the Middle East as Obama's number one, two and three challenges," Greenfield said on the "CBS Evening News."
Greenfield said that while world opinion has coalesced around the idea that Mr. Obama figures to be a new kind of president who could initiate dramatic change in Middle East policy, "the domestic political considerations, though, are very, very difficult to change. This is a pro-Israel country and a pro-Israel Congress."
Watch the video below for more of Greenfield's take on the challenges Mr. Obama faces in the Middle East.
