"The president was most animated when talking about the chaotic arms race he fears would break out if Iran acquired a nuclear weapon, and he seemed most frustrated when talking about what he sees as a deliberate campaign by Republicans to convince American Jews that he is anti-Israel. 'Every single commitment I have made to the state of Israel and its security, I have kept,' he told me. 'Why is it that despite me never failing to support Israel on every single problem that they've had over the last three years, that there are still questions about that?'"
Excuse me, but beyond saying that no options are off the table regarding Iran (see: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/01/25/us-usa-obama-speech-iran-idUSTRE80O0B120120125), has Obama ever provided Israel with any commitment regarding the destruction of Iran's nuclear weapons capabilities if Tehran proceeds to build its first bomb? This is indeed the subject of Netanyahu's meeting with Obama on Monday.
Moreover, instead of attempting to convince American Jews that he supports Israel, perhaps Obama should make an effort to persuade Israelis that he is behind them. Most Israelis that I know are "apprehensive" (I am carefully choosing my words) of what awaits them if Obama wins in 2012 and his policies are no longer constrained by again having to face re-election.
Maybe Israelis would feel reassured if Obama were to visit Jerusalem. He visited Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Turkey, but has refused to come to Israel as president.
Maybe Israelis would be less worried if Samantha Power, whose extreme hostility to Israel is known to all (see: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-O5XxXm8wPE), did not advise Obama on foreign policy.
Just maybe Israelis would feel more confident in Obama if the central premise of his administration's foreign policy in the Middle East, stitched together by radical Israel-hater Power, had not been that Israel foments all tension in the region.
And notwithstanding the refusal of Palestinian President Abbas to acknowledge the legitimacy of a Jewish state, Obama has only sought concessions from Israel when trying to reach a peace agreement between the two sides.
According to Jeffrey Goldberg, Obama will tell Netanyahu "that under his leadership, the United States 'has Israel's back.'" Oh, really. How about a reciprocal visit to Jerusalem later this month?
Or are we talking about a knife in Israel's back?
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