Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid told President Obama that Palestinians “must be a true partner in peace.” (Getty)
Normally, there’s not a lot of daylight between President Obama and
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada — at least, not much that gets exposed to public view. Today, though,
Reid released a public letter to Obama that seems designed with one purpose in mind: to look more pro-Israel than Obama did
in his speech in Cairo earlier this month.
There’s something weird about the whole idea of Reid sending a public letter to Obama in the first place. As the Senate majority leader, and especially as a former mentor who helped raise Obama’s profile in the Senate, Reid can pick up the phone and call Obama anytime he wants. So it’s fair to conclude that any public letter has some broader message Reid is trying to convey to the political world — especially as he gets ready to run for re-election next year.
In this case, Reid’s letter is designed to put the spotlight back on the Palestinians’ responsibilities in pursuing Middle East peace, and on the importance of stopping Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. Obama made some Jewish groups nervous in his Cairo speech with his comments about Israel’s need to stop building settlements and Iran’s right to pursue peaceful nuclear power.
“I believe negotiations will be successful only with a renewed commitment from the Palestinians to be a true partner in peace,” Reid said, in a phrase highlighted in the press release announcing the letter. “Arab states in the region must also act to support the peace process. All parties must recognize Israel’s right to exist, end terrorism, and respect previous agreements made with Israel.”
Unlike Obama’s speech, Reid’s statement didn’t mention any responsibilities on Israel’s part.
As for Iran, Reid warned Obama not to become distracted from “your commitment to deal with the ongoing threat” of nuclear weapons in a country that has called for the destruction of Israel. “I believe that resolving the problem of Iran’s nuclear program will help facilitate the Arab-Israeli peace process you and I both seek to promote,” Reid said, making a connection that goes well beyond anything Obama has said about the issue.
It’s all couched in diplomatic language, but the message to Reid’s constituents seems clear: If you have a problem with Obama’s speech, don’t take it out on me.
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