US President Barak Obama visited Israel for fifty hours in March, 2013. What did he do? What did he say? What did it mean?
Like most people, I have no idea. But I am certain it’s safe to say that during the president’s short, profoundly expensive and ambiguous visit, Jerusalem’s routine–perhaps most of Israel’s–was radically transformed. Israeli President Peres’s residence at HaNassi and Prime Minister Netanyahu’s home on Balfour Street are both in Rechavia where Marcia and I live. The King David Hotel, where Obama stayed, is about a fifteen minute walk away. So, lacking an insightful analysis of what happened during Obama’s two-day charm offensive, I can at least offer, along with links and several personal opinions, lots of photos showing how things looked on the street.
