Schlaglicht Israel Nr. 20/10 Aktuelles aus israelischen Tageszeitungen 26. Oktober- 07. November 2010 1. Die amerikanischen Midterm­Wahlen Aus den Kongresswahlen in den USA sind die Demokraten geschwächt hervorgegangen. Die Republikaner erlangten die Mehrheit im Repräsen­tantenhaus, im Senat halten die Demokraten nur noch eine knappe Mehrheit. In den israelischen Medien wurde vor allem dis­kutiert, was diese Niederlage für US-Präsident Barack Obama bedeutet und wie sie sich auf seine Nahostpolitik auswirken könnte. In den letzten Wochen hatte sich die amerikanische Regierung auf den Wahlkampf konzentriert und keine Fortschritte mehr im Friedensprozess erzielt. Im Repräsen­tantenhaus sitzen nun eine ganze Reihe von Abgeordneten, die für ihre pro-israelische Haltung bekannt sind, darunter Eric Cantor, der neue Mehrheitsführer der Republikaner und damit das höchstrangige jüdische Mitglied des Kongresses. Umfragen zufolge stimmten 66% der jüdischen Wähler in den USA für die Demokraten. Obama must now play hardball "What does this election mean for American efforts to promote Israeli-Palestinian peace? It depends mainly on President Obama.[…] The next Congress will have no shortage of members[…] trying to outdo each other with statements and legislative initiatives designed to demonstrate'pro-Israel' bona fides. Thoughtful discussion of what is actually good for Israel will be pushed to the sidelines.[…] But it is the president, not Congress, who is in charge of conducting U.S. foreign policy.[…] And this president has a decision to make.[…] If President Obama is ready to back his commitment to Middle East peace with the kind of real investment necessary to make the parties play ball, though, a breakthrough is still possible, regardless of any pushback from Congress." Lara Friedman, HAA 05.11.10 The party's over "After the Republican upheaval in Tuesday’s congressional elections, the chances that America will make the Netanyahu government do something it really doesn’t want to do – like fulfill a fraction of 1 percent of the conditions necessary for the creation of a Palestinian state – are gone.[…] Whatever the Obama administration may say, it is through with Middle East peacemaking, at least for this term. It has zero leverage over Israel’s right­wing government because the roaring Republicans love this government and especially its prime minister. The Republicans love the settlements, love Israeli rule over the West Bank, love the blockade of Gaza and, no less important, hate Palestinians and the rest of the Muslim world. These are the political forces that have Obama in check." Larry Derfner, JPO 03.11.10 Obama's peace "If anyone in Jerusalem had hoped the Tea Party would save the settlers' party, they were seriously mistaken. The 2010 midterm election time out is over. Today is the day after the elections, after the holidays, after the foreplay. The real game begins now and the name of the game is Palestine. The endgame: establishing a viable Palestinian state within a year.[…] Only a Palestinian state would justify the Nobel Peace prize he received, only it can give Obama the international legacy he craves, only it can lift the spirit of Obama's self-defined liberal camp. So in 2011 Palestine will be to the resolute president what health care reform was to him in 2009." Ari Shavit, HAA 04.11.10 Good news for Israel "The president was being portrayed as a wounded, vengeful animal, and woe is us if we infuriate it now with a stupid smile. The truth is that[…] Obama 1