This, from Ali Abunimah, a longtime pro-Palestine activist in Chicago, is an interesting account of Obama's drift towards the AIPAC position on Israel/Palestine. As recently as the Senate primary in 2003, Obama was trying to preserve a reputation as relatively even-handed on the conflict:
As he came in from the cold and took off his coat, I went up to greet him. He responded warmly, and volunteered, "Hey, I'm sorry I haven't said more about Palestine right now, but we are in a tough primary race. I'm hoping when things calm down I can be more up front." He referred to my activism, including columns I was contributing to the The Chicago Tribune critical of Israeli and US policy, "Keep up the good work!"
That, obviously, never happened. Here's Haaretz on Obama's speech to AIPAC:
Barack Obama's big speech on Israel is now over, and as expected, the candidate made no secret of his support and dedication to the special relationship between the U.S. and Israel. "My view is that the United States' special relationship with Israel obligates us to be helpful to them in the search for credible partners with whom they can make peace, while also supporting Israel in defending itself against enemies sworn to its destruction," were Obama's words to Haaretz last week. Today, he sounded as strong as Clinton, as supportive as Bush, as friendly as Giuliani. At least rhetorically, Obama passed any test anyone might have wanted him to pass. So, he is pro-Israel. Period.
All that said, I'm more comfortable with a candidate whose original instincts seem to have diverged from the AIPAC line than one who appears to believe earnestly in their platform. With Obama, there's at least the chance that something richer and more thoughtful lies beneath the layers of political calculation and electoral positioning, and could break forward again were he to win the presidency. With Edwards and Hillary, conversely, I get the feeling that they just agree with AIPAC. Edwards, particularly, seems to have found what sounds like an AIPAC (Okay: American-Israel Education Foundation) trip to the Middle East a particularly searing and formative experience, which makes sense given that I don't think he was particularly activated on this issue before he entered politics.
