Nathan J. Diament, the OU’s director of public affairs, writes to The New York Times commenting on Peter Baker’s April 14th piece on Israel:

To the Editor:

“Obama Puts Own Mark on Foreign Policy Issues” (news analysis, April 14) says President Obama is preparing to press harder for a rapid resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the service of American interests.

This is ironic because Mr. Obama’s approach to date — pressing Israel for a unilateral settlement freeze, with comparably little pressure on the Palestinians and the Arab countries — has not brought this resolution any closer. It has, in fact, wasted more than a year. And if Mr. Obama proposes an American peace plan unilaterally, more months will be wasted as the parties harden their positions even more. Rather than speed down the same dead end, perhaps President Obama should change direction.

Nathan J. Diament
Washington, April 14, 2010

The writer is director of public policy, Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America.

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