The timing of U.S. President Barack Obama's visit to Israel is no accident. The visit presumably attests to the new order of priorities of Obama's second term, the great importance he attaches to immediate movement in negotiations with the Palestinians, and the close relationship he sees between the peace process and stability in a Middle East undergoing convulsions. One needs no special insight to understand that Obama also seeks to influence the coalition negotiations, and to make it clear to whatever Israeli government is formed that he won't allow it to shove the diplomatic issue onto the back burner or into the deep freeze.
Obama is an important and welcome guest here in Israel, and there's no disagreement that the very fact of his visit will force the new government to at least draft practical guidelines for negotiations. Granted, one might wonder why the American president allowed the four years of his first term to go by without leaving any real mark on the process. One might also wonder what new initiatives Obama can propose to a rightist Israeli government. Yet before downplaying the importance of this visit or being frustrated at the lack of an American initiative thus far, it must be remembered that the conflict and its solution are not American problems, but Israeli ones.
The lack of an Israeli initiative has worsened Israel's international standing and turned it into an isolated country. Friendly states are becoming less and less willing to support Israel's policies, prevent boycotts of it and understand the threats it faces. Even Obama hasn't hid his views: He believes the outgoing Israeli government led the country into a dead end, if not over the brink. Nevertheless, he is hastening to Israel's aid to try to save it from itself before it once again gets bogged down in its delusional diplomatic and ideological dreams.
The leaders of the parties that want to be part of the coalition, and especially those that define themselves as centrist, must now pay their dues: They are not entitled to ignore the visit, or to cooperate with those who will try to fob our guest off with empty declarations. Even if he is coming belatedly, this is an exceptional opportunity to embark on a diplomatic rescue mission.
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