ALL indications are that, at least, when it comes to the Palestinian question, the US finally has a president that has backbone when dealing with Israel. For the first time in decades, a US president has made it clear to Israel that Israeli concerns do not necessarily coincide with US interests and the US is not going to bend to either Israel or the Israeli lobby in the US. It would seem that the Middle East and the entire world is in for an interesting few years. When US president Barack Obama and Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu emerged from meetings to make statements to the press, it was apparent that the united front they were presenting to the cameras was one of necessity, not of substance. Although Netanyahu nodded in agreement with a number of Obama's statements and Obama reiterated that the two countries held a common concern regarding Iran's nuclear development, it was clear that the two were at odds on not only the Palestinian question but on Iran, as well. Obama made it clear, again, that his administration is in complete support of the two-state solution that virtually the entire world supports. Netanyahu, no doubt concerned that any positive mention of a two-state solution would trigger the collapse of his right-wing government, did not mention the concept even once. Obama also made it clear that the US would not impose a timetable on diplomatic relations with Iran as Netanyahu wished. In Netanyahu's view, once the timetable expired, Israel would be free to take its own action, no doubt military, against Iran's nuclear facilities. Obama, however, was smart enough to see that it is untenable to link US relations with Iran to an Israeli worldview. For far too long, US foreign policy regarding the Middle East has been inextricably linked to Israel's sometime capricious and always anti-Arab politics. The apparent shift in the US approach does not mean a free ride for the Arab world. Expect louder US protestations regarding exploitation of labor and human rights issues. But for the first time since in history, a US administration has told Israel to get its house in order, end its intransigence on the Palestinian question and not to expect blind US support for any and all of its depraved policies. There is, indeed, hope on the horizon, especially if Obama follows up his words with action. __
