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Last update - 12:25 24/07/2008 An agenda for a friend of Israel By Haaretz Editorial Tags: Israel, Barack Obama Barack Obama came to Jerusalem to deliver an old message on the need to "reaffirm the historic and special relationship between the United States and Israel, one that cannot be broken." Even if Israel's security is hinged on its close relationship with the U.S., this is not enough. The significance of these ties is in their ability to serve as leverage for the goal of reaffirming Israel's security. Regional threats require more aggressive diplomatic activity, which the Bush administration has failed to propose or implement. Obama offers the American voter "something new." Therein lies his charm. Israel and the rest of the region's countries need diplomatic innovation as well. But it seems that Obama - like his opponent John McCain and like U.S. President George W. Bush before him - is attempting to assure potential Jewish voters at the expense of promoting the peace processes in the region. Advertisement It seems Obama is putting extra effort into allaying the suspicions of the Jewish community, which is distrustful of him because of his "Muslim past," and because of the relatively balanced viewpoints that he demonstrates vis-a-vis the dispute in the Middle East. Upon arriving in Jerusalem, Obama spoke of the "profound" joint security related challenges. He assured listeners that even though he viewed the peace process with Syria as very important, "I would never tell you to do something which would compromise your security." In addressing the terrorist attack in Jerusalem on Tuesday, Obama was content to make a general observation that it was proof of the need to "to work together in all urgency to prevent the recurrence of such incidents." The history of Israel's relationship with the U.S., primarily since 1967, attests to the flimsy connection between public statements by presidential hopefuls - and even their explicit pledges right before the ballots are counted - and the Middle East policy they adopt upon taking office. One of the prime examples was the commitment to relocate the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem by 1999. Although this initiative was passed into law 13 years ago, Bill Clinton and George Bush used their authority to put its implementation on hold. The hope is that Obama left Jerusalem and Ramallah with a deeper understanding of the need to shelve the flowery statements that his Jewish affairs advisors had devised for him, if he is to truly be "a friend of Israel." One should keep in mind that the interests of the Israel lobby in America do not always jibe with the interests of the State of Israel. Instead of talking about a "united Jerusalem," he needs to become involved in finding a realistic solution for Israel's torn and bleeding capital. To survive as a Jewish and democratic state, Israel needs an American leader who does not fear the reaction of American Jews and non-Jews who do not believe in dividing the land to reconcile its two peoples. A friend of Israel, for example, would be a president who brings Syria and Israel to the negotiating room, and pours some real substance into Bush's statement about wanting to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Bookmark to del.icio.us   A green light Lebanese gov't passes statement backing Hezbollah's right to attack Israel. Life sentence Jewish oligarch convicted in Russia of murder in what he calls a 'show trial.'   1.   An agenday for a friend of Israel 04:41  |  Clyde Nugget 24/07/08   2.   Israel lobby cornerstone: Dispensionalist Chrsistian Zionists 11:15  |  Ivar 24/07/08   3.   Israels enemies would just love to lobby unopposed. 12:10  |  PETER SM 24/07/08   4.   a real friend to israel would obey usa law 12:10  |  victor hardman 24/07/08   5.   Obama will give Israel what they need 12:18  |  Natallie Durson 24/07/08   6.   HERE is the C.A.I.R agenda Is thiswhat Haaretz wants unnoppsed? 12:29  |  PETER SM 24/07/08   7.   Nugget: And so what? 12:53  |  Guy From NYC 24/07/08   8.   Nugget: And so what? 12:53  |  Guy From NYC 24/07/08   9.   Does Haaretz work to help the boycott of Israel 12:59  |  LA 24/07/08   10.   DURSON.Has Hamas said they will live in PEACE with Israel? 13:25  |  PETER SM 24/07/08   11.   Haaretz Editorial, following ... 13:28  |  Vladimir 24/07/08   12.   Excellent article 13:34  |  K 24/07/08   13.   Wanted: leaders unfettered by the Haaretz Editorial Dhimmitude 13:35  |  Joseph.E 24/07/08   14.   WOULDN"T Israels enemies just love to lobby unopposed 13:38  |  PETER SM 24/07/08   15.   to Clyde #1 I agree 14:01  |  Hilda 24/07/08   16.   What Natlie wants 14:05  |  Hilda 24/07/08   17.   Yes, we need a Leader who is only subjected to Arab Oil Pressure 14:19  |  Israeli Leftist 24/07/08   18.   The kow tow-er 14:22  |  American Voter 24/07/08   19.   Shocking that he went so far as to say that East J will not be 14:23  |  lakshmi 24/07/08   20.   peter sm 7 14:26  |  potobac 24/07/08   21.   K you get much worse on NPR taxpayer funded media in the USA 14:28  |  PETER SM 24/07/08   22.   Wishful Thinking 14:41  |  Afikoman 24/07/08   23.   End zionism now 14:46  |  Arik Copperman 24/07/08   24.   End zionism now 14:46  |  Arik Copperman 24/07/08   25.   End zionism now 14:46  |  Arik Copperman 24/07/08   26.   End zionism now 14:46  |  Arik Copperman 24/07/08   27.   End zionism now 14:46  |  Arik Copperman 24/07/08   28.   End zionism now 14:46  |  Arik Copperman 24/07/08   29.   End zionism now 14:46  |  Arik Copperman 24/07/08   30.   End zionism now 14:46  |  Arik Copperman 24/07/08   31.   End zionism now 14:47  |  Arik Copperman 24/07/08   32.   End zionism now 14:47  |  Arik Copperman 24/07/08   33.   End zionism now 14:47  |  Arik Copperman 24/07/08   34.   End zionism now 14:47  |  Arik Copperman 24/07/08   35.   End zionism now 14:47  |  Arik Copperman 24/07/08   36.   End zionism now 14:47  |  Arik Copperman 24/07/08   37.   End zionism now 14:47  |  Arik Copperman 24/07/08   38.   End zionism now 14:47  |  Arik Copperman 24/07/08   39.   End zionism now 14:47  |  Arik Copperman 24/07/08   40.   End zionism now 14:47  |  Arik Copperman 24/07/08   41.   End zionism now 14:47  |  Arik Copperman 24/07/08   42.   End zionism now 14:47  |  Arik Copperman 24/07/08   43.   End zionism now 14:47  |  Arik Copperman 24/07/08   44.   Come On Haaretz 14:53  |  Yosemite 24/07/08   45.   POTOBAC So you DO want a free run.US allows lobbies 14:58  |  PETER SM 24/07/08   46.   There is no solution because Arabs will never agree Israel existe 15:17  |  Genuine Tosefta 24/07/08   47.   15-35 Copperman, good luck with that. 15:20  |  The Equalizer 24/07/08   48.   End Arik Copperman now! 15:22  |  End 24/07/08   49.   Wishful Thinking part 2 15:37  |  Afikoman 24/07/08   50.   End Zionism Now 15:45  |  Allen Rosen 24/07/08   51.   #1 Clyde. About Obahma... 15:47  |  John Allen 24/07/08   52.   #3 Victor, Bravo! 15:49  |  John Allen 24/07/08   53.   Israel should have a real friend 16:45  |  Marilyn 24/07/08   54.   We need a leader unfettered by Haaretz et al 17:23  |  tit 4 tat 24/07/08   55.   MARYLINN Israels real friends do not lie here regularly 17:25  |  PETER SM 24/07/08   56.   Haaretz rpresent 3% of the people in Israel 17:27  |  oren 24/07/08   57.   #6 Interesting..and what`s the Zionist agenda? 17:34  |  Edithann 24/07/08   58.   The U.S. will always have a special... 17:35  |  Pastor Joseph 24/07/08   59.   peter sm 45 18:17  |  potobac 24/07/08   60.   genuine tosefta 46 18:22  |  potobac 24/07/08   61.   peter sm re imperialism 18:26  |  potobac 24/07/08   62.   editorial: we need a responsible newspaper without loonly left 18:38  |  ralph 24/07/08   63.   50 Allen Rosen & Arik Cooperman,AR he may be right in one sense, 19:05  |  lakshmi 24/07/08   64.   Anything truly wrong with this statement? 19:22  |  Morris Valentine 24/07/08   65.   56 19:36  |  right on 24/07/08   66.   The vast majority of American Jews favor two states 19:41  |  Lee 24/07/08   67.   `Haaretz`s total failure to understand the situation 19:49  |  Shalom Freedman 24/07/08   68.   With friends like Haaretz wants, who needs enemies?? 20:08  |  Voice of Reason 24/07/08   69.   potobec 20:11  |  Danite 24/07/08   70.   Lasksmi, did anyone ask your opinion? 20:25  |  Herbert Kaine 24/07/08   71.   Victor Hardman 20:27  |  Janice 24/07/08