The Obama Presidency Quarterly, Spring 2009 Issue*:
On Tuesday, March 24, 2009, President Barack Obama gave his second post-inaugural press conference. He answered questions from the media regarding various issues, including the economic stimulus package, the AIG bonus scandal, stem cell research, and the wars. One question, however, really piqued my interest. It pertained to the president's views on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
So, how will the commander-in-chief handle this situation, and what is the best solution to the problem? For starters, Obama enthusiastically supports diplomacy and open dialogue with Palestine. In addition, he believes in a two-state solution, an arrangement that will ensure Palestinian sovereignty (self-governance), abolish illegal Israeli settlements in Palestine, restore the region's pre-Six Day War (1967) borders, enfranchise Palestine in peace talks, and decrease overall violence in the Gaza Strip. Finally, Obama has appointed former Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell (D-ME)-- an experienced negotiator who once successfully brokered peace with war-torn Northern Ireland-- to be a U.S. special envoy to the Middle East in order to promote a pro-peace agenda. (In 1995, then-President Bill Clinton appointed Sen. Mitchell to be a U.S. special envoy to Northern Ireland. Mitchell's success in chairing the all-party Irish peace negotiations led to the signing of the Belfast Peace Agreement, also known as the Good Friday Agreement, which occurred on Good Friday, 1998.)
Of course, the president's pro-Palestine stance is not without its critics. Domestically speaking, Obama must contend with a powerful pro-Israel lobby, comprised largely of Republicans and conservatives. On an international level, he will face the obstacle of Israel's extremely far-right-leaning, anti-peace government leaders, especially recently re-elected Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Accordingly, Obama has appointed a staunchly pro-Israel chief of staff, Rahm Emanuel, who will oversee Obama's Middle East policies. More importantly, the president has sent $20 million in aid to the Gaza Strip, and his first foreign policy gesture was calling Palestine's president, Mahmoud Abbas. Therefore, the mood amongst the U.S. president's supporters concerning Middle East peace is cautiously optimistic. During the press conference, President Obama warned that the Middle East peace process will take time and persistence. Thus, now is the time to be persistent.
*The Obama Presidency Quarterly, Summer 2009 Issue, will be published sometime in July.
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