Visit already exposing contradictions within Israel’s new coalition

Amir Peretz, the new environment minister, says he hopes the Obama visit will give “a start-up” to peace efforts with the Palestinians.

Just six hours into this visit, it’s already exposing the contradictions in Israel’s leadership. Peres calls Abbas a partner; Peretz and Livni, from the center-left Hatnua, speak of peace hopes. But Jewish Home’s Bennett says the talk of a Palestinian state is “surreal” — in a bad way. His colleague Uri Orbach says lots of Israelis aren’t sure Obama really cares about them. Peres says Israel “trusts” Obama on Iran. Is Netanyahu prepared to say that?

The Atlantic’s Jeffrey Goldberg posts his belief that Obama, in his speech to young Israelis tomorrow, “may use the upcoming Passover holiday — which appears to be his favorite holiday (he holds a Seder in the White House every year) — to begin to raise questions about Israel’s overall direction… What interests Obama a great deal about Passover is the questioning that is embedded in the Haggadah… Questioning, and doubting, are integral to the Jewish tradition, and it would certainly be clever of Obama to use this tradition to his advantage. He has been trying for years, without success, to encourage Israelis to ask themselves how exactly the West Bank settlement project squares with their desire to maintain Israel as a Jewish-majority democracy. This speech, this visit, and this holiday, all provide him with the opportunity to raise the question again.”