All new administrations, confronting a world far more complex than campaign rhetoric admits, make mistakes in the international arena. A critical measure of success is how well they learn from their early errors and use that to craft more effective policies.
President Barack Obama can show he has that ability when he speaks to the General Assembly of the United Jewish Communities, the federation umbrella group, convening in Washington next week. It will be his first address as president to a major Jewish organization.
He needs to address the deep skepticism among Israelis about his commitment to their nation’s security and unease among many pro-Israel leaders here about his administration’s Middle East priorities and policies. Some of that mistrust reflects biases that go back well before his election last year, but much of it is the result of administration missteps and miscalculations, chiefly a public insistence that Israel freeze all settlement building.
President Obama needs to reassure Jewish leaders that he understands Israel’s wariness about dealing with a weak, vacillating and unreliable Palestinian Authority.
Jewish settlements are relevant to U.S. interests in the region. But by demanding Israel impose a total freeze on settlement construction and seemingly asking little of the Palestinians, the administration reinforced doubts about his ability to be both a mediator and a reliable friend of Israel and gave the Palestinians an opportunity to do what they have done so many times in the past: escalate their demands on Israel as a way of shirking their own obligations.
President Obama needs to speak more forthrightly about Iran.
Many in our community hope his diplomatic outreach to Tehran will provide a peaceful solution to the crisis ignited by Iran’s nuclear weapons program, but results so far have been disappointing and the clock is ticking. At the very least, the president needs to make it clear he understands in his kishkas why Israel’s leaders say a nuclear Iran is simply not tolerable, and make it clear he has a practical, potent Plan B if negotiations result in a diplomatic dead end, which seems increasingly likely.
No doubt one motive for the upcoming speech is President Obama’s low public opinion standing in Israel. But speaking to American Jewish leaders, while important, is no substitute for direct, honest and empathetic communication with the Israeli people.
President Obama won a huge proportion of the Jewish vote last November; next week’s speech is an opportunity to build on that reservoir of goodwill. But it will take more than generalities and slogans.
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