Obama's Trip to Middle East Largely Symbolic

President Obama embarked on his first foreign trip of his second term – a visit to Israel – and met with Israeli officials including Prime Minister Netanyahu, which may be more symbolic than indicative of material gains.“It was Obama's first trip to Israel as President. Obama has been criticized as tough on Israel,” Patricia A. Weitsman, the Chair of the International Security Studies Section (ISSS) of the International Studies Association (ISA) said. “Obama reaffirmed his commitment to Israel, its security both in regard to his physical presence and his words. The symbolism of journeying to Jerusalem and asserting Israel's right to self-defense in the face of the potentially existential threat from a nuclear Iran was… the most important component of the trip.”Weitsman said that Obama also signaled his commitment to the peace process by meeting with Mahmoud Abbas, president of the Palestinian Authority, and Jordan's King Abdullah. All the visits underscored the importance of peace and stability in the region to the United States and to Obama.“The trip brings to the fore the potentially combustible situation with a nuclear Iran on the horizon, the instability wrought in the region by the ongoing violence in Syria. The visit does not change these realities but it certainly does raise awareness of the United States' investment and commitment to facing these ongoing challenges,” Weitsman said.In Obama’s remarks in Jerusalem on March 21, the president urged that the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination and justice must be recognized and called the Israelis to “put yourself in their shoes. Look at the world through their eyes.”“Given the demographics west of the Jordan River, the only way for Israel to endure and thrive as a Jewish and democratic state is through the realization of an independent and viable Palestine,” Obama said – a claim that was met with applause and cheers from the audience.George Mitchell, a former Democratic senator from Maine who served in Obama's first term administration, affirmed the trip met its expectations. “Obama had several successes on the trip, including bridging a diplomatic gap between two U.S. allies in the region,” Mitchell said, according to a CNN report.Different views emerged on whether the four-day trip was a success, a noun that could be defined variably and accordingly.“Again, if you are looking for material gain – a way back to the peace process between the Israelis and the Palestinians or a firm plan of action vis-a-vis Iran – then you will view the trip as not meeting expectations. If, however, you are interested in broader picture of diplomacy, signaling and resolve, then yes, it was a success,” Weitsman said.She also said a strong alliance would always exist between the U.S. and Israel, which nevertheless did not naturally lead to agreement on policy as “relationships were dynamic, not static” whether among allies or adversaries.“Certainly allies do not always see eye to eye, but allies also bring much to the table in regard to those relationships. The United States can serve as a restraining mechanism in regard to Israel; Israel may force the United States to confront the development of a nuclear Iran which could be at best regionally destabilizing and at worst globally destabilizing,” Weitsman said.President Obama sent a signal to the Israelis of an Iran without nuclear weapons in Jerusalem.“Strong and principled diplomacy is the best way to ensure that the Iranian government forsakes nuclear weapons,” Obama said.Weitsman said that such signaling was the diplomacy of violence.“In response, Iran may become more insecure and intensify its race to proliferate. Or it may be deterred and back down. As these choices are made, as these decisions are implemented, the reactions culminate in the ever changing fabric of the relationship between the United States and Iran,” she said.President Obama’s four-day visit to the Middle East also included the West Bank and a dance performance in Ramallah. He wrapped up his tour on March 30 with a trip to a World Heritage Site in Jordan, the ancient city of Petra.