Tuesday July 14, 2009

I've Been Thinking:

Representatives and leaders of 15 American Jewish organizations met with President Barack Obama on Monday.
The meeting was convened in the hope of quelling the tensions that continue to surge between Jewish communal leadership in the United States and the Administration about Israel - principally about the issue of settlements.

When asked by the Jewish leaders to tone down the disagreement in public, President Obama refused. The president said it was a failed tactic during the Bush Administration and that he must speak bluntly and honestly to Israel.

Obama added that Israel must do some "serious self reflection."
That is a polite and patronizing way of saying we know better and you should search your soul and come to the same conclusion to which we have come.
Obama suggested that brutal honesty reflects American Jewry's perspective on the issue.

When the conversation came around to Iran the president said he was open to dialogue with the Iranians and that the "door was open." He used the same metaphor at the G-8 when he said "they have to decide to walk through it."

Before the meeting concluded Barack Obama described himself as a "true friend."
The direction of Israeli US diplomacy has not really moved forward as a result of this meeting, but at least the president was willing to grant the group a meeting.

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