(Washington Post) Martin Indyk - President Obama and Prime Minister Netanyahu are beginning to develop a constructive working relationship sensitive to the legitimate concerns of the other. There appears to be a recognition by Obama and Netanyahu that neither can achieve their purposes unless they work with, rather than against, each other. The flotilla incident was an important test of this newfound comity. Obama was forced to choose between condemning Israel, thereby winning brownie points with the Muslim world, and standing up for an embattled ally's right to defend itself. Working closely with Netanyahu - they spoke at least three times on the phone during the crisis - Obama forged an approach that prevented a rupture in Turkish-Israeli relations, headed off condemnation in the UN Security Council, shaped an investigation palatable to Israel and is easing the Gaza blockade closure in ways that meet the requirements of normal life for Gazans while honoring Israel's legitimate security concerns. The writer is vice president for foreign policy at the Brookings Institution.
2010-07-02 10:07:10Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive