By Gary Rotto
SAN DIEGO — President Obama is only the fifth sitting US President to visit Israel and like his predecessor, George W. Bush, waited until after the first term to make such a visit. Major diplomatic announcements or breakthroughs are not expected in any of the stops – to Israel, the West Bank or Jordan.
In a press briefing, with reporters prior to departure, it was clear that embarking on such a trip soon after the seating of a new coalition government in Israel provided a natural point for enhancing relations and discussion. So joined on the flight to Tel Aviv by two prominent Jewish US Congressional Representatives, Rep. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz, D of Fla, and Rep. Eliot Engel, D of NY, the President’s trip has begun.
Just as important as discussons with President Peres and Prime Minister Netanyahu is building a relationship with the average Israeli. Several times during the press briefing, it was noted that this is “an opportunity for the President to speak directly to the Israeli people.” At the Jerusalem International Convention Center, the hope is that young people, in particular, will be the dominant in the group of attendees. Is a reprise of his Hope theme, aimed at the international community, in the works?
The trip allows President Obama to reassure Israelis how he views Israel, not only in the present, but also from where it came and where it could go. The trip allows for a clarification of how he views the history of the region.
Speaking in Cairo in 2009, President Obama set a trap for himself by stating “and the recognition that the aspiration for a Jewish homeland is rooted in a tragic history that cannot be denied.” While the intent of the statement was to push back against the Holocaust deniers in the Muslim world such as Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the statement arguably exacerbated the problem of finding a peace between the Israelis and Palestinians. The Palestinian narrative is that the creation of Israel was for the wrongs done by Europeans and that Palestinians now pay the price. At times, voices suggest that land should have been given in Europe for Jewish homeland and therefore, there should be no compromise on the establishment of a country of Palestine.
Therefore, the viewing of the Dead Seas Scrolls presents an opportunity for the President to correct this statement. As Ben Rhodes, Deputy National Security Advisor For Strategic Communications, stated in a preview of the trip to the press, the Dead Sea Scrolls “are a testament, of course, to the ancient Jewish connection to Israel ….” Symbolically, Mr. Obama will be able to convey an understanding of the long, continuous and deep ties of the Jewish people to the land of Israel. In reviewing the itinerary, Mr. Rhodes noted that the President will also view a technology exhibit at the museum which “speaks to the future of Israel and the enormous economic progress made there.”
Some have called this trip “symbolism over substance”. Correcting the record on how he views the history of Israel is an important symbolic step to take before substance of a future can be achieved.
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Rotto is a freelance writer based in San Diego. This article was written prior to President Obama’s arrival in Israel, where he reiterated that Israel is the ancient homeland of the Jews.