Policy wonks, and middle-east observers are watching carefully for signals on trends and directions on major foreign policy initiatives and priorities of the early Obama administration. The president elect and his transition team has held good message discipline, leaving the pundits with little, beyond divining the meaning behind appointments at top level positions. Lots to think about, Sen Clinton at State, Jones at NSC. But the real news will be lower level appointments. I think Nic Burns and Eliot Abrams will be leaving. Who comes in? Dennis Ross, Martin Indyk, other?
From todays JPOST
There is a great deal of apprehension, with the feeling that who Obama picks for the top slots will give an indication [of] whether he wants to tackle the Iranian situation first, or deal first with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict."
More below the fold.
Well, what do we think? Should Obama tackle the Iran tensions first? Russia/Nato/Georgia? South America and Africa tipping to China, nuclear non proliferation in general and India in particular, Pakistan/Afghanistan? A synthesis of all of these? Lots on the plate.
Israel has signalled to the US, that a renewed interest by Obama administration in the I/P zone wouldn't be welcome or good for the US.
Israeli envoy to UN: Obama must take care of U.S. before focusing on Mideast
By The Associated Press
Tags: Israel News, United Nations
Israel's first woman ambassador to the United Nations has some advice for U.S. president-elect Barack Obama when he takes office in January: Leave the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations to the parties themselves.
Haaretz
In today's JPOST is this:
Israeli diplomatic officials said Jerusalem had very little information as to what the structure of Obama's Middle East team would look like, or whether he would appoint a Middle East envoy or coordinator.
One diplomatic official, however, said that rather than just concentrating on Obama, Israel should be paying close attention to who secretary-of-state-designate Hillary Clinton picked for top Middle East positions at the State Department, especially whom she tapped to replace David Welch, the assistant secretary for Near Eastern affairs.
According to this source, having chosen Clinton as his secretary of state, Obama would be hesitant - and Clinton wouldn't sit back and let it happen - to go over her head on the Middle East and appoint someone who would detract from her authority.
JPOST
So, they are looking for a strong lead by Hillary to push back on Obama's envoys"
What do you think, what should Obama's priority be? Which is the most urgent matter?
I