“Diplomacy in the Middle East finally got a shot in the arm,” said the Khaleej Times (Dubai) in an editorial. Thanks to President Obama, Israel has finally apologized for its “trigger-happy” 2010 commando raid, which killed nine Turkish activists who were part of a Turkish flotilla trying to break the Gaza blockade. Obama got Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to utter the word “sorry” and offer compensation to the victims’ families. That paves the way for rapprochement between Israel and Turkey. And that wasn’t Obama’s only contribution to Mideast diplomacy. In a visit to the occupied Palestinian territories last week, where he met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Obama came out with an “epoch-making statement” calling on Israel to dismantle illegal settlements and work for a two-state solution.
That was a great speech, but it wasn’t backed by any action, said Rami Khouri in The Daily Star (Lebanon). Obama didn’t threaten Israel with any consequences should it fail to comply. Contrast that with his multipronged effort—including diplomatic coercion, economic sanctions, international referendums, and even military threats—to get Iran to give up its nuclear programs. “Obama could easily initiate various measures—substantive and symbolic, unilateral or multilateral—to put his policy where his mouth is” on Israel. Instead, he relies on empty rhetoric.
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