Before embarking on his first trip to the Middle East since his inauguration, U.S. President Barack Obama addressed one of America’s main allies with a tough message, demanding that the Israeli government fully freeze the expansion of Jewish settlements in the West Bank. Israel has rejected Obama’s call and Israel- U.S. relations have now slumped to the lowest point in the past 20 years.
The trip aims to repair and adjust America’s relations with the Arab world. President Obama will deliver an important speech in Egypt, presenting a clearer picture regarding his policy towards the Middle East, a policy in which the Israel-Palestinian conflict will be the central issue.
Through Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, President Obama has clearly expressed his attitude towards the conflict, calling for Israel to halt the expansion of Jewish settlements in the West Bank. Nevertheless, the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu indicated that although Israel does not intend to establish new Jewish settlements, they cannot and will not simply stop all current construction.
In recent years, Israel has continually expanded Jewish communities in the West Bank, claiming further development to be a necessity of “natural growth” and nibbling away at Palestinian territory. That action has breached international law and aroused fierce accusations that Israel is sending troops into Palestine merely to occupy Palestinian land. The push to defend Israel against terrorist attacks is only an excuse, some say, for the Israeli government to increase troop numbers in contested areas.
In 1992, former President George H.W. Bush agreed to award a 10 billion dollar loan to Israel on the condition that they completely halt expansion in the West Bank. Construction was suspended but began again soon after Israel received the loan from the U.S.
No one knows if President Obama would go down that same path, using economic sanctions to restrain Israel.
Even if taking a tougher stance against Israel and, subsequently, triggering direct conflict between Israel and America is really not Barack Obama’s style, it is not hard to tell that President Obama is putting pressure on the Israeli government and is determined to restart peace talks.
When meeting with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, President Obama indicated that he is confident they will see progress in the Middle Eastern peace talks. But as the Israel- U.S. relations sank to their coldest point in recent decades, the end of the stalemate in the Middle East seems to lay somewhere in the far, unforeseeable future. For President Obama, seeking to mediate peace in the Middle East, there is still a long way to go.
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