Ira Forman, CEO of the National Jewish Democratic Council, tells ABC News that the president -- joined by White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel and senior adviser David Axelrod, both of whom are Jewish -- spoke for approximately 10 minutes about his strategic vision for Mideast peace.
“He talked about Israel as a Jewish state with no hesitancy,” Forman said. “He also reiterated what he has said before about the fundamental bond between Israel and the United States and the fundamental commitment the US has, no matter what disagreements there are, to Israel’s peace and security.”
One participant said that the perception is that the Obama administration is applying more pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu than on Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. The president, Forman said, argued that the media sometimes plays up disagreements between the US and Israel – the US pressuring Arab countries is a “dog bites man” story, the president said -- and he assured the participants that he has applied just as much pressure on the Palestinian Authority as he has on Israel in steps towards peace. The president said that in Arab media he’s depicted as being too pro-Israel - Every time I’m shown on Al Jazeera they show me at the Western Wall with a yarmulke on, President Obama said. “And you look good in it, too,” one participant in the meeting joked. Another participant argued that Israel negotiates for peace from a stronger position when its leaders feel there is no public disagreement between Israel and the US. The president disagreed, Forman said, saying that while it’s essential that Israelis are convinced of America’s deep commitment to Israel’s safety, his administration has to be honest about family disagreements. But he reiterated that progress in the peace process isn’t just Israel’s responsibility, and said Israel deserves credit for recent steps including opening up roads and providing more access for Palestinians in the West Bank. Forman said the president showed a real comfort level in the meeting, joking and politely disagreeing on occasion.
(AP)....Obama met with the leaders, who have fretted that he is being too critical of longtime ally Israel and too lenient toward Palestinians and their Arab neighbors. They privately complained that Obama delivered a speech to the Muslim world during a trip to Cairo but skipped a stop in Jerusalem.
"I think people were very direct with the president in expressing their views. ... I think the president was very candid in responding," said Alan Solow, the chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations.
Participants shared their concerns that his public call for Israel to follow through on its pledges to stop settlements went too far — especially during an Oval Office session with reporters. Obama replied that he's telling his Israeli friends in public the same thing he has said during private meetings, according to those in the Roosevelt Room on Monday.
Some participants in the meeting flatly told Obama that only when the United States are Israel are in lockstep support is any progress made. Obama replied that there was no distance between the U.S. and Israeli positions for the last eight years, and that no progress was made under President George W. Bush.
"Where people pushed back, the president stood firm," said Jeremy Ben-Ami, executive director of J Street, a pro-Israel and pro-peace political action committee and lobby.
"I think I share some of the same anxiety that others might have shared. ... But I'm prepared to give this new president an opportunity — not just prepared, but I support him taking a slightly different approach than we're used to," said Rabbi Steven Wernick, executive vice president and CEO of the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism.
Participants and White House officials said Obama didn't introduce any new proposals during the discussion but spent the bulk of the time seeking comments and trying to allay concerns.
Obama did, however, return to a favorite complaint: that U.S. journalists were seeking conflict, overemphasizing the importance of Israeli settlements and missing achievements in peace talks.
"He said that there's more progress than appears in the negotiations," said Malcolm Hoenlein, executive vice chairman and CEO of Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations.