The trip also heralds a dramatic shift in Israel’s relationship with Obama, who has been criticized throughout his presidency for supposedly failing to provide sufficient support to America’s strongest ally in the Middle East. The recent Senate hearings to confirm Chuck Hagel’s appointment as Secretary of Defense, which involved aggressive questioning about the former senator’s commitment to Israel, reflected that criticism.
此外，奥巴马在首次访问中选择以色列不利于美国作为未来谈判真诚牵线者的角色——与此同时，也没有可靠候选人填补这一位置。以色列之行还预示着以色列与奥巴马关系的重大变局，在其总统生涯中，奥巴马一直被批评故意不为美国中东最强盟国提供足够支持。最近的参议院哈格尔国防部长提名听证会就反映了这一批评——前参议员哈格尔被咄咄逼人地询问在以色列问题上的承诺。