Obama Heads for Israel to Bridge Gaps From Two-State to Iran
By Margaret Talev and Jonathan Ferziger - Mar 19, 2013
When President Barack Obama delivers his main address in Israel this week, it won’t be to the nation’s parliament. Instead, his audience will largely consist of students.
Obama, who departs late today, is seeking leverage with Israel’s elected officials in his first trip there since taking office by reaching out to the Israeli public. On the national security issue uppermost in that nation’s politics, Iran’s nuclear threat, he wants more time for sanctions to work, rather than military action.
The direct appeal to the people in America’s closest Middle East ally reflects Obama’s tense relationship with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, which has made it harder to resolve differences over issues ranging from Iran to the expansion of Jewish settlements in Palestinian areas. As a result, the peace process has been hindered and there has been rising Israeli confusion about U.S. intentions.
“President Obama needs to convince the Israeli public to trust him,” said Shlomo Brom, a retired general who’s now a senior research associate at Tel Aviv University’s Institute for National Security Studies. “If the U.S. asks Israel to halt a military attack against Iran, it needs the trust of Israelis that when push comes to shove, the U.S. will take action.”
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http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-03-19/obama-lands-in-israel-to-bridge-gap-from-two-state-plan-to-iran.html
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