The Three Issues That Could Torpedo Obama's Visit To Israel [View all]
During President Obama’s upcoming visit to Israel, the reactions of the average American will range from mild interest to indifference. Most Americans are not very concerned about foreign policy. Still, they have good feelings about Israel and will likely see the trip positively.
American Jews, of course, will follow the visit closely, even if they are unsure about tangible results. Committed to Israel’s well-being and proud that their president is devoting time to the Jewish State, they will be happy with an outcome that involves the usual platitudes about reaffirming shared interests and values.
What could possibly go wrong? A number of things.
First, the issue of Jonathan Pollard could assume outsized importance.
The release of Pollard is a deeply emotional matter for most Israelis. And most American Jews—myself included—share the view that Pollard has suffered enough. But the plight of an American Jew who spied for Israel does not play well with the American public; during the presidential campaign, both candidates avoided public references to Pollard. The last thing that anyone wants is for the Pollard case to dominate press coverage and to crowd out all other issues.
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