Barack Obama

====Israel====
[[File:Barack Obama welcomes Shimon Peres in the Oval Office.jpg|thumb|left|Obama meeting with Israeli President [[Shimon Peres]] in the [[Oval Office]], May 2009|alt=Photo of Obama shaking hands with Israeli President Shimon Peres, with Biden overlooking]]

During the initial years of the Obama administration, the U.S. increased military cooperation with Israel, including increased military aid, re-establishment of the [[Joint Political Military Group|U.S.-Israeli Joint Political Military Group]] and the Defense Policy Advisory Group, and an increase in visits among high-level military officials of both countries.<ref>{{cite news |last=Levinson |first=Charles |date=August 14, 2010 |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748703321004575427272550050504 |title=U.S., Israel Build Military Cooperation |newspaper=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |location=New York |access-date=March 1, 2011 }}</ref> The Obama administration asked Congress to allocate money toward funding the [[Iron Dome]] program in response to the waves of [[Palestinian rocket attacks on Israel]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Kampeas |first=Ron |date=October 26, 2012 |url=http://www.jewishjournal.com/nation/article/for_obama_campaign_trying_to_put_to_rest_persistent_questions_about_kishkes |title=For Obama campaign, trying to put to rest persistent questions about 'kishkes' |newspaper=Jewish Journal}}</ref> In March 2010, Obama took a public stance against plans by the government of Israeli Prime Minister [[Benjamin Netanyahu]] to continue building Jewish housing projects in predominantly Arab neighborhoods of [[East Jerusalem]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www1.voanews.com/english/news/Netanyahus-Office-No-Change-on-East-Jerusalem-Plans-89258402.html |title = Israel Refuses to Halt Construction in East Jerusalem |publisher = [[Voice of America]] |date = March 25, 2010 |access-date = July 2, 2015 |first = Robert |last = Berger }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/25/world/middleeast/25jerusalem.html |title = Israel Confirms New Building in East Jerusalem |work = The New York Times |date = March 24, 2010 |first = Isabel |last = Kershner |access-date = April 26, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100329231159/http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/25/world/middleeast/25jerusalem.html |archive-date = March 29, 2010 |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2011, the United States vetoed a Security Council resolution condemning [[Israeli settlement]]s, with the United States being the only nation to do so.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=37572&Cr=palestin&Cr1 |title = United States vetoes Security Council resolution on Israeli settlements |date = February 18, 2011 |website = UN News Service Section |access-date = September 13, 2014 }}</ref> Obama supports the [[two-state solution]] to the [[Arab–Israeli conflict]] based on the 1967 borders with land swaps.<ref>{{cite news |last=Levy |first=Elior |date=May 22, 2011 |url=https://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4072210,00.html |title=PA challenges Netanyahu to accept 1967 lines |work=Ynetnews |access-date=May 22, 2011 }}</ref>

In 2013, [[Jeffrey Goldberg]] reported that, in Obama's view, "with each new settlement announcement, Netanyahu is moving his country down a path toward near-total isolation."<ref name="Bloomberg">{{cite news |last = Goldberg |first = Jeffrey |title = Obama: 'Israel Doesn't Know What Its Best Interests Are' |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-01-14/what-obama-thinks-israelis-don-t-understand-.html |access-date = January 23, 2013 |work = Bloomberg |date = January 14, 2013 }}</ref> In 2014, Obama likened the [[Zionist movement]] to the [[civil rights movement]] in the United States. He said both movements seek to bring justice and equal rights to historically persecuted peoples, explaining: "To me, being pro-Israel and pro-Jewish is part and parcel with the values that I've been fighting for since I was politically conscious and started getting involved in politics."<ref>{{cite news |last=Goldberg |first=Jeffrey |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2015/09/obama-netanyahu-and-the-future-of-israel/405082/ |title=After the Iran Deal: Obama, Netanyahu, and the Future of the Jewish State |work=The Atlantic |date=September 13, 2015 |access-date=September 13, 2015 }}</ref> Obama expressed support for Israel's right to defend itself during the [[2014 Israel–Gaza conflict]].<ref>{{cite news |title = Obama reaffirms Israel's right to defend itself |first=Herb|last=Keinon|url=http://www.jpost.com/Operation-Protective-Edge/Netanyahu-speaks-with-UN-chief-over-phone-363479 |date = July 19, 2014 | work= [[The Times of Israel]] }}</ref> In 2015, Obama was harshly criticized by Israel for advocating and signing the [[Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action|Iran Nuclear Deal]]; Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who had advocated the U.S. congress to oppose it, said the deal was "dangerous" and "bad."<ref>{{Cite news | title=Netanyahu: Iran nuclear deal makes world much more dangerous, Israel not bound by it | newspaper=[[Haaretz]] | date=July 14, 2015 |url=https://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/1.665821 | access-date=January 3, 2018}}</ref>

On December 23, 2016, under the Obama Administration, the United States abstained from [[United Nations Security Council Resolution 2334]], which condemned Israeli settlement building in the occupied [[Palestinian territories]] as a violation of international law, effectively allowing it to pass.<ref>{{cite news | last1=Collinson | first1=Stephen | last2=Wright | first2=David | last3=Labott | first3=Elise | title=US Abstains as UN Demands End to Israeli Settlements |url=http://www.cnn.com/2016/12/23/politics/israel-official-rips-obama-un-settlements/ | date=December 24, 2016 | work=CNN | access-date=January 7, 2017}}</ref> Netanyahu strongly criticized the Obama administration's actions,<ref>{{Cite news | last1=Barak | first1=Ravid | title=Netanyahu on UN Settlement Vote: Israel Will Not Turn the Other Cheek |url=http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/1.761470 | date=December 26, 2016 | newspaper=[[Haaretz]] | access-date=January 7, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news | title=Israel-Palestinians: Netanyahu Condemns John Kerry Speech |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-38455753 | date=December 29, 2016 | publisher=BBC News | access-date=January 7, 2017 }}</ref> and the Israeli government withdrew its annual dues from the organization, which totaled $6{{spaces}}million, on January 6, 2017.<ref>{{cite web | title=Israel Halts $6{{spaces}}million to UN to Protest UN Settlements Vote |url=http://www.foxnews.com/world/2017/01/06/israel-halts-6-million-to-un-to-protest-un-settlements-vote.html | date=January 6, 2017 | publisher=[[Fox News]] (from the [[Associated Press]]) | access-date=January 7, 2017}}</ref> On January 5, 2017, the United States House of Representatives voted 342–80 to condemn the UN Resolution.<ref>{{cite news | title=House Overwhelmingly Votes to Condemn UN Resolution on Israel Settlements |url=http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/01/05/house-overwhelmingly-votes-to-condemn-un-resolution-on-israel-settlements.html | date=January 5, 2017 | publisher=[[Fox News]] | access-date=January 7, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | last1=Cortellessa | first1=Eric | title=US House Passes Motion Repudiating UN Resolution on Israel |url=http://www.timesofisrael.com/us-house-passes-repudiation-of-un-security-council-resolution-on-israel/ | date=January 6, 2017 | work=[[The Times of Israel]] | access-date=January 17, 2017}}</ref>