Obama Should be Tough on Israel's Netanyahu

By: Katie Pfefferle

Tomorrow, May 18, President Obama will meet with Israeli leader, Prime Minister Netanyahu. An article in The Economist offers its opinion on how the meeting should go and what should take place. The article encourages President Obama to take a tough stand with Israel. The policies of Prime Minster Netanyahu are increasingly hard-line against Palestine. Netanyahu refuses to accept the notion a two state agreement. He seems bent on toppling the Hamas-run elected government of the Gaza Strip. He insists that Palestine not only recognize Israel as a nation but as a Jewish nation and finally he seeks to link peace with the Palestinians to a prior deal between the West and Iran to ensure that the Iran is prevented from having a nuclear bomb.

The article advises President Obama to tell the Prime Minister that his stances are “flat wrong” and the President should even threaten to reduce American aid. Getting Israel to ease its tough policies would be in the best interest of everyone. The Israeli state safety largely depends on Palestinian safety. Palestine would obviously benefit by having its own state. The U.S. profits by in the world’s perceptions by not indulging its overly hard-lining ally, Israel. Moreover, getting Israel to ease its hard line stance against the Arab state might help negotiations with Iran.

Finally, the article praises the Obama administration for endorsing a Palestinian state government that includes Hamas. The conflict between Palestine and Israel cannot be ended through negotiations between these two states alone. An outside arbitrator is needed. Therefore, President Obama should propose a peace plan put pressure on the Israeli government to reach an agreement.