Israeli Officials Troubled by Obama's Middle East Trip

Maya Bengal et al. in Ma'ariv:

Officials in Jerusalem are beginning to realize: The US president is following new rules of the game.  Israel enjoys no advantage and no special privileges.

US President Barack Obama is holding his first visit to the Middle East and did not even incorporate a visit to Jerusalem in his itinerary. Officials in Jerusalem are greatly troubled by the lack of cooperation and coordination between the White House and the Prime Minister's Bureau.

In the past, the senior Israeli echelon has known in advance what the main points in speeches being made by US presidents would be, and what the plans of the administration in Washington were. In similar cases in the past, drafts would be delivered and impressions would be exchanged. This time, as far as Israel was concerned, the coordination between Jerusalem and the White House was far from satisfactory. Despite the great efforts on the part of political officials to obtain the main points, the administration in Washington did not update Israel and did not convey messages.

"Obama is courting the Arabs at the expense of the alliance and friendship with Israel," said a political source in Jerusalem.