Obama-Netanyahu partnership off to a good start

For handwringers on the left and right, the outcome of this week’s meeting between President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu must have come as a surprise. The worst fears of both extremes failed to come true. Instead, a sensible middle ground seems to have prevailed.

The left worried Netanyahu would stubbornly resist American pressure to impose a two-state solution. The right worried Obama would downplay the threat Iran poses to Israel, or that he would coddle the Palestinians while stiff-arming Israel. And everyone worried the two leaders would clash personally.

None of that happened. At least not publicly.

In fact, as our story this week points out, the anticipated interpersonal frostiness between Obama and Netanyahu failed to materialize. Both leaders had positive things to say about each other, and both engaged in constructive give and take.

The tangible results included an American commitment to move beyond mere diplomacy with Iran should talks fail to derail that country’s nuclear ambitions. With Iran’s successful test of a long-range missile this week, this commitment becomes ever more important.

Obama got Netanyahu to endorse the idea of two peoples living side by side. True, the prime minister did not use the term “two-state solution,” but it seems clear he is prepared to move in that direction as outlined in the so-called “road map to peace,” a framework Israel signed on to years ago.

No amount of political stagecraft could hide the policy differences that do remain. The Bush era of unqualified support for any Israeli policy is apparently over. However, as Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak said after the summit, this was “the start of serious dialogue with the Americans.”

Upon his return to Israel, Netanyahu himself said, “There were several understandings reached on vital issues.”

One of those was Obama’s goal of a comprehensive regional peace deal. That is fully in line with long-standing Israeli desires. When the president travels to Cairo next month, he is expected to urge the Arab states to make bolder gestures toward Israel, toward peace.

Those who were suspicious of Obama’s commitment to Israel no doubt still have reservations about this administration.

We still don’t know how forceful Obama will be regarding halting development and dismantling of Jewish settlements in the West Bank, the status of East Jerusalem, or any one of a dozen thorny unresolved issues.

Though it’s too soon to make a final judgment, so far the new U.S. administration appears to be living up to a promise to safeguard Israel’s safety and security. That remains the single most important point.