Hope for a new start in Palestine

I made reference in a post in April to the difficulties the United States has had in the past in influencing the way Israel behaves, due to the tremendous Jewish lobby within the US which has affected how much the United States can do. I expressed the hope that Barack Obama would herald a new approach.

It would seem that my optimism is justified for it would seem that Mr Obama intends to make clear to Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's new Prime Minister, that there will be no more blank cheques, no more automatic support for Israel simply because that support is in the interests of the Jewish state. He will push hard, it seems, for two things - For Israel to make positive moves towards the creation of an independent Palestinian state and for Israel to give up its nuclear weapons - the latter having shocked the Israeli government.

What is so heartening about this, is that in a recent poll in the US, Mr Obama's initatives were supported overwhelmingly by the Jewish voters who supported him in November.

I think this is one of the healthiest signs for the future of Palestine for many years. The fact that Jewish voters in America have lost patience with the intransigence Israel has shown towards any recognition of a separate Palestine and endorse Mr Obama so strongly boosts his position tremendously and leaves Netanyahu holding a pretty sorry baby. Without the guarantee of US support, Israel is left facing a very tough reality check - and not before time.

Netanyahu will struggle to concur with much of this, his own position at home depends on his continued stubborness to grant Palestine anything more, but if the consequence of American firmness means that Netanyahu has to go, then it will be a great leap forward for peace in the region.