HA’ARETZ
1. DESPITE TENSION: OBAMA MEETS SURPRISINGLY WITH EHUD BARAK
US president joined meeting between Defense Minister and National Security Adviser Jones. Obama intends to give Netanyahu 4-6 weeks to present a revised position regarding construction in settlements and two-state principle. Today he will begin his Middle East visit.
2. EGYPTIAN ELITES CONCERNED ABOUT OBAMA'S SPEECH
MA’ARIV
1. OBAMA: MIDDLE EAST HEADING IN A VERY NEGATIVE DIRECTION
Moment before Saudi Arabia visit and historic Cairo speech, American President clarified that he does not intend to give up: "I was very clear with the Israelis." Yesterday he met surprisingly with Ehud Barak.
2. TALKS RESUMING.
After two-month freeze: Mediator Hagai Hadas meeting with Shalit family today. Will leave for Egypt soon.
YEDIOT AHRONOT
1. Concern in Israel: Obama opening new page with Arabs at our expense.
ARAB WORLD RECONCILIATION TOUR
Hours before he departed for Saudi Arabia, US President surprisingly joined meeting with Minister Barak. Diplomatic sources: This is a signal that he intends to defuse the tension.
YISRAEL HAYOM
1. OBAMA: "US – IS ONE OF THE BIGGET MUSLIM COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD"
In interviews with French media, on the eve of coming to the Middle East: President takes pride in number of Muslims in America. He met with Barak and warned: I will not compromise on settlements.
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SUMMARY OF EDITORIALS FROM THE HEBREW PRESS
Yediot Ahronot notes the, "almost Messianic," expectations in Egypt ahead of US President Barack Obama's speech tomorrow but cautions that, "Obama's decision to put the Arab world at the head of his list of foreign policy priorities was not born out of Messianic aspirations but out of compulsion," because, "America needs the Arab rulers and Arab public opinion as never before," in order to extricate itself from Iraq. The author asserts that, "Obama is walking a fine line," and adds that, "Because he needs the Arab rulers, he must lower the tone regarding democracy and human rights." Regarding possible effects of the speech, the paper says that, "The question is what will happen in Washington in the future, will a plan really be formulated that will be able to unite all of the anti-Iranian and pro-American forces in the region, including Israel, in one coalition that will aspire to regional stability – to halt Iran and save, Iraq, Afghanistan and a regional Israeli-Arab peace? Only the Messiah could achieve all of these goals in one term."
Ma'ariv believes that the reports of an impending crisis in US-Israeli relations are overblown. The author quotes a Washington source to the effect that the steps that the Obama administration is prepared to take to prod Israel will be, "symbolic," and that, "A cut in aid is out of the question."
Yisrael Hayom declares that, "While the US demands that Israel honor previous governments' commitments, including in regard to the 'Roadmap', which calls for the establishment of 'two states for two peoples,' America itself is not doing so vis-à-vis its previous acceptance of the settlements' natural growth." The author notes US President Obama's comment yesterday to a French newspaper that the US is one of the world's largest Muslim nations and avers: "His words are true demographically. But the need to say so now attests to the mood of the current administration. In November 2008, Barack Obama was elected to the White House. In June 2009, Barack Hussein Obama is serving there. Those who refrained from noting his full name during the elections must now understand the significance and perhaps express belated regret. It is not that America is Muslim; neither is Obama. But a problematic mood is coming from there."
[Nahum Barnea, Gideon Samet and Dan Margalit wrote today’s articles in Yediot Ahronot, Ma'ariv and Yisrael Hayom, respectively.]