Is Barack Obama good for Israel?

Answer 1

There is a lot of misinformation, much of it spread by the president's Republican political opponents, that claims he is anti-Israel. But the facts do not support that view. President Obama shares the same commitment to Israel that previous presidents have had. He has spoken forcefully about the need to defend Israel, and has also pursued policies that are pro-Israel; there is little difference in actual policy between that of President Bush, President Clinton and President Obama.

That said, the current leader of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, is very much a hawk and he seems to believe he has much more in common with American Republicans, with whom he has spent considerable time. He clearly would prefer a Republican president. He has also disagreed with Obama's suggestion that settlement activity cease and the peace process resume. But other than political rhetoric, there is not much real evidence that President Obama is bad for Israel.