Where’s the “Recalibration” of Obama’s Policy?

Posted on August 5, 2009 In Blog

The drama of the week with regard to President Obama and Israel and her supporters is over the President’s selection of Mary Robinson for a Medal of Freedom.

But this latest installment of angst – which has drawn appropriate protest, but also the proper perspective that it was, well, said politely, a mistake ought not distract from more concrete concerns.

A few weeks ago, President Obama told a group of American Jewish leaders that his Administration would be “recalibrating” its approach and there would at least be a clearer and balanced demonstration of America’s demands on Israel and Arabs & Palestinians.

Yet, as approaches by Special Envoy George Mitchell for minor steps toward normalization by Arab states are rebuffed and the Palestinians reserve the right to violent resistance, it is the Israeli ambassador who is summoned to the State Department for a dressing down over Israel’s enforcement of law and order in Jerusalem.

Where’s that “recalibration” we were supposed to watch for?