An important meeting took place just a short time ago between President Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House!
Just a few months after there was an unpleasant, private meeting between the two men at the White House, after Israel announced new housing settlements in East Jerusalem while Vice President Biden was visiting Israel, the so called “rift” that developed between the two nations apparently has been healed!
Obama made it clear that he was pleased with the progress toward direct negotiations between the Palestinian Authority and Israel, and that the US commitment to Israel’s security was historic and unbreakable!
Netanyahu said the reports of a split between Israel and the United States was inaccurate, and that he was assured of the continued, long term commitment of the United States to Israeli safety and security! He also said that within families, there can be short term differences, but that the emotional commitment is still there, and that internal disputes on a temporary basis should not be exaggerated! The media are responsible for that, in order to make news, in his view!
This meeting was important for both Obama and Netanyahu! After the cool reception the Israeli Prime Minister received in the spring, it caused a lot of criticism in Israel, but also started to affect the Obama image among American Jews! So a session to warm up relations and resolve differences between the two nations was a necessary move!
Did it succeed in calming all the naysayers and critics? Probably not, but hopefully the Israelis and the Americans are on the same page now, as that is to the advantage of both nations!