WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House says Israel needs to recognize the role "public opinion" in the Middle East will play in efforts to negotiate peace with the Palestinians.
Obama adviser Ben Rhodes said Thursday the pro-democracy Arab Spring movements have changed the political dynamic in the region. He said the peace process no longer will just require Israel to have the support of individual leaders in the region, but the public as well.
The most dramatic shift in the region has been in Egypt, which has a peace treaty with Israel. Newly elected leaders from the Muslim Brotherhood party are viewed with suspicion by some Israelis, though the government has vowed to uphold the treaty.
Obama arrives in Israel on Wednesday. He will also make stops in the West Bank and Jordan.
