The Meaning of Obama’s Trip

Close observers of politics will feel compelled to try to make sense of U.S. President Barack Obama’s visit to the Middle East, which began today.

Is this a historical visit? Or a peace trip? Not really. The American leader is not arriving with intentions for a new plan for the region or a new diplomatic initiative.

This visit mainly concerns Israel, which is to say, it isn’t just an ordinary visit. Perhaps the most important aspect of Obama’s first trip as president to this country is that he felt the need to make it at the start of his second term.

Because the primary destination is Israel, the trip naturally includes Palestine and Jordan.

After his trip to Ankara during his first term, Obama visited Cairo, where he addressed the Arab and Islamic world. The president did not make an official visit to Israel at that time, but preferred to meet with Israeli leaders in Washington instead.

At the start of his first term, Obama put a lot of effort in speeding up the Israel-Palestine peace process, but this initiative did not yield any results. Last year, conflicts between Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu heightened, resulting in a standoff between the two countries.

Reassurance

Obama’s main reason for making his first trip into Israel after his reelection is his desire to resolve this coldness. (U.S. strategic interests also play a big part.)

Because of this reason, analysts interpret the visit as a “reassurance” to Israeli leaders and “atonement” toward the Israeli people.

American officials, like the Israelis, are doing their best not to have high expectations for the visit. No new plan or initiative is due to come out of the scheduled meetings.

Three consequential topics will be considered in the meetings to occur between Israel, Palestine and Jordan. Some U.S. diplomats are starting with Iran. In Obama’s opinion, the nuclear crisis requires more time and patience. Obviously, the president is concerned about engagements of any unilateral military action by Israel. With a “leave it to me” message, he continues to work to convince Netanyahu to exercise restraint in this matter.

The second matter is Palestine. A resumption of the negotiation process has not yet appeared on the agenda. However, by showing flexibility toward both sides, especially by stopping Israel’s establishment of new settlements, Obama can encourage the process to begin again.

Without Too Much Involvement…

The third topic considers Syria, a key concern, particularly for Jordan. But in practice, without a consensus on the Syria issue, it is doubtful that there will be a more active role for the U.S. to play.

In short, we should not wait to see if Obama’s trip will provide concrete solutions to our looming questions. At the same time, with the whole world watching closely, this visit has undoubtedly significant symbolic meaning.

Obama’s visit, taking place despite all other priorities, shows that he has not given up on the region and its importance. However, it seems that unless his involvement is required, he prefers not to be mixed up in the problems of the region.