Military Intelligence Chief Amos Yadlin said Monday that the Middle East policy of U.S. President Barack Obama’s administration could endanger Israel… In a surprising shift, Yadlin also said that the Islamist Hamas movement has been deterred and is now interested in reaching a peace settlement with Israel.
IOA Editor: It is unclear precisely what the surprise or shift is. As indicated elsewhere on these pages, agreement with Hamas was possible in the past, well before Israel’s massive killing of Gaza civilians. As to Obama’s ’threat’ to Israel, nothing the new administration has said or done so far suggests a meaningful change from past US attitudes, especially towards the Israeli occupation and the basis for a peaceful resolution of the conflict.
By Barak Ravid, Haaretz – 20 Apr 2009
www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1079624.html
Military Intelligence Chief Amos Yadlin said Monday that the Middle East policy of U.S. President Barack Obama’s administration could endanger Israel.
“The Obama administration is determined to take initiative and move forward central processes in the Middle East,” Yadlin told ministers at a special cabinet meeting.
“Obama wants to advance the peace process in the direction of realistic discussions with extremist elements,” Yadlin said, adding that the struggle between extremist and moderate elements in the region was worsening. In a surprising shift, Yadlin also said that the Islamist Hamas movement has been deterred and is now interested in reaching a peace settlement with Israel.
Over the last three years, Yadlin’s security updates to ministers have mainly focused on the challenges facing Israel and have rarely referred to diplomatic opportunities with Syria or the Palestinians.
