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Obama's Abrupt Change of Tone

(Jerusalem Post) Herb Keinon - Had President Obama not invited Prime Minister Netanyahu back to the White House for another meeting next Tuesday, then Netanyahu's upcoming visit to Canada - and the warm reception he is expected to receive from Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper - would have highlighted stark differences between the Canadian and U.S. administrations' public treatment of Israel. For the first visit to Canada by an Israeli prime minister in 16 years, there will be photographs and handshakes and press opportunities galore in Ottawa, a sharp contrast to the way Obama received Netanyahu in March: like an errant pupil brought into the principal's office for a scolding. It is obvious to all that Obama is now trying to correct the unfortunate impression left from that meeting. But while the tone will be much improved, the content will not have shifted all that much. When the Palestinians see Obama treat Netanyahu shabbily, they conclude that it is just a matter of time before Washington turns the screws another notch and "delivers" the Israeli government. But when they see Obama interacting warmly with Netanyahu, they will be less inclined to think that they don't have to do anything. Some say the Obama administration's sudden change of tone is insincere, a function of election politics in view of the midterm elections in November. But so what? The change is there, the reason is secondary. And this change demonstrates that regardless of who sits in the White House, there is only so far a president can go in trying to recalibrate the U.S.-Israeli relationship before certain checks come into play. For example, New York Sen. Charles Schumer is a very important American politician who could quite possibly be the next Senate majority leader. Schumer, who is Jewish and a close Obama ally, is also unabashedly pro-Israel. He will only let Obama go so far in his treatment of Israel before he pushes back, which he did last month.
2010-05-28 10:17:59
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