(Politico) Ben Smith - The question facing Obama is whether he will be able to turn a perception of increased "evenhandedness" into an Arab engagement in the peace process that the administration sought, but did not get, last year. Obama's new focus, and the intense pressure his administration has placed on Netanyahu, have stirred deep concern among Israel's allies on Capitol Hill, they say, because it represents an acceptance of the Arab narrative that Israeli intransigence lies at the heart of the Middle East conflict. David Rothkopf, a former Clinton administration trade official, said the new model drawing attention from Democratic foreign policy hands is to build support among Arab leaders for a U.S. plan and then present that to Israel - to serve as the Arabs' lawyer, rather than as Israel's.
2010-03-29 07:53:18Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive