Does President Barack Obama harbor anti-Israel sentiments? The question has gnawed at supporters of Israel in and out of the Jewish state ever since then-Sen. Obama became a credible presidential candidate. The fears were exploited during the campaign by Obama's political opponents, who unleashed an e-mail barrage of rumors falsely claiming that Obama was a secret Muslim. Those rumors have been snuffed out, but concerns about Obama's true feelings towards Israel persist. The questions have gained currency in the midst of the crisis sparked by Israel's announcement of new housing construction in a disputed part of Jerusalem, made during last week's visit to the country by Vice President Joe Biden.
The intensity of Washington's reaction to what Israel has acknowledged as a misstep has shocked Israel's supporters and revived fears inside the country that the U.S. under Obama is joining the vast number of nations that are unfriendly -- or worse -- towards the Jewish state.
Is Obama hard on Israel because he wants to push it towards peace -- a benign form of tough love? Or is the president in fact hostile to Israel, unconcerned with its security, and deliberately pressuring it to make concessions that would put the country at risk and forcing it to sacrifice more than is wise or necessary for peace?