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"Obama's choice was clearly different from these speculations. He is taking the matter into his own hands, and he is doing it early in his second term, thus indicating the priority he assigns to the issue and his willingness to take the political risks he knows all too well. This decision is congruent with the line taken by Obama when he made choices such as Hagel's appointment as secretary of defense. Hagel was chosen because his world-view suits the president's, and the latter was willing to enter a tough domestic battle in order to get the nomination through. The message was: I have been re-elected, I was given a second mandate by a large majority and I am going to implement my vision free of the constraints of a first-term president."

In the same vein, Obama's decision to re-enter the Israeli-Palestinian fray signifies his determination to lead the effort to resolve a conflict he views as a key to America's relationship with the Arab and Muslim worlds. Obama knows full well that Netanyahu's concept of an Israeli-Palestinian peace process and its potential settlement is very different than his own, and he is clearly willing to let Israel's re-elected Prime Minister make the choice - either work with Israel’s central ally, or face the consequences of another confrontation.

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Lead Abstract from article:

The upcoming presidential visit represents an unprecedented attempt to shape an Israeli coalition amenable to the peace process. Resolving the conflict, in Obama’s view, is key to the U.S. relationship with the Arab and Muslim worlds.

"Itamar Rabinovich was Israel's ambassador to the U.S. from 1993–1996, is the author most recently of The Lingering Conflict: Israel, the Arabs and the Middle East 1948-2011 (Brookings Institute, 2011)."

Note:

Nothing personal, but screw Haaretz with a red hot poker. They are the Israeli equivalent of the New York Times. Itamar Rabinovich is a leftist State Dept. wonk who has made a career of slinging mud at the Jews of Israel.

They HATE that they could not beat Netanyahu at the polls. Their Soros financed slime failed at the last elections and the communists dearly want to chop up Israel. Now, they are sending in Obama just as Netanyahu is about to build his coalition after the election. Don’t think for a second that this is lost on the Israelis or the Arabs. Obama wants to screw Netanyahu personally. He is drooling at the chance.

Obama is NOT willing to give Netanyahu any kind of choice at all. That is why he showing up to apply the screws. It won’t work at all because the Jews will not lay down and die for some leftist fantasy.