DC Notes: Livni, Abbas, Obama and Bronfman

Livni
Israel's Foreign Minister is in town for a couple of days, and as boring as it may sound, I still need to cover it.

What's on the agenda? Iran - nothing much to say, just keep the pressure on. Lebanon - Israel is actually quite happy with the UN and the seriousness with which it has dealt with the international force so far. Syria - no to any negotiations between Israel and Assad. Palestine - some alternatives should be developed in order convince the EU that dealing with Hamas will be counter-productive).


Livni is not as popular in Israel now as she was a couple of months ago, during her previous U.S. visit, but she's still one of the most persuasive politicians Israel can send to brief foreign policy makers and analysts, and people here are under the impression that Condoleezza Rice genuinely likes her. However, they also say that she liked Sharon's emissary, Dov Weisglass, so maybe Rice is just being courteous.

Abbas

Yesterday I reported that "Well-placed sources in Washington said that the Bush administration shares Israel's concern that the international community's stance on recognizing the Palestinian government may now depart from the conditions set by the Quartet. There are signs that indicate this concern is justified.

"European states have signaled to the Hamas government that they intend to lift the economic embargo on the Palestinian Authority once a national unity government is established, according to Ahmed Yusef, political adviser to Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh" - Haaretz told Haaretz on Tuesday that the unity government between Hamas and Fatah "is a positive step" which demands that the countries of Europe re-examine their stance on the Palestinian Authority.

Obama

If you haven't yet read the weekly analysis we added yesterday to The Israel Factor, here's another opportunity. It deals with the question of Barack Obama - Why did he come in last?

I asked around and was told that Jewish activists in the Chicago area tend to think he is pro-Israel in the most sincere way. Some mentioned his trip to Israel, others highlighted his perfect record in the Senate on Israel-related issues. But the panelists still didn't feel they knew enough about him.

It's the "unknown factor," one panelist explained. "What kind of constituency does he bring with him, and how will they influence his positions?"

Another panelist told me that, "we need more time to trust him. Voting for Israel a couple of times doesn't constitute enough of a track record on which to make a more favorable judgment."

I also asked the question that's on everyone's mind: Is it because he's African American?

Read it in full here.

Bronfman

Our dialog with Charles Bronfman is on its third day. The most interesting, and provocative, thing he has said so far is this: "I have suggested to Federation leaders that they do a pilot project with any one of their agencies. Replace all the volunteers and all the professionals in said agency and turn it over to people under thirty! I'm convinced that the agency in question would thrive! After all, if people in their twenties can manage good-sized corporations, a philanthropic agency should be an exciting and happy challenge for them."

Go read it here. And you can send a question here.