--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: On taking office in 2009, U.S. President…" description: "\"On taking office in 2009, U.S. President Barack Obama put Israeli settlements at the center of U.S. policy in the Middle East.\" — Elliott Abrams" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba4/elliott-abrams-1577_barack_on-taking-office-in-2009-u-s-president-b_2684948.jpg" --- # On taking office in 2009, U.S. President Barack Obama put… ![“On taking office in 2009, U.S. President Barack Obama put Israeli settlements at the center of U.S. policy in the Middle East.” quote by Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba4/elliott-abrams-1577_barack_on-taking-office-in-2009-u-s-president-b_2684948.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba4/elliott-abrams-1577_barack_on-taking-office-in-2009-u-s-president-b_2684948.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba4/elliott-abrams-1577_barack_on-taking-office-in-2009-u-s-president-b_2684948.jpg) > “On taking office in 2009, U.S. President Barack Obama put Israeli settlements at the center of U.S. policy in the Middle East.” [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Obama’s 2009 policy placed Israeli settlements at the forefront of U.S. Middle East strategy, signaling a shift in diplomatic focus. **In simple terms:** U.S. policy highlighted Israeli settlements as central in 2009. Key Takeaway Understand policy impacts on regional dynamics. Themes politics foreign policy Middle East settlements Mood analytical critical Type political historical When to use this quote - government briefings - academic analysis - media commentary Key Concepts diplomacy strategic focus Questions to Reflect On - How did this focus affect peace negotiations? - What were the domestic reactions? A Different Perspective Policy may have been influenced by political pressures. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [2009 President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/2009-president-1476448/) [Barack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/barack/) [Barack obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/barack-obama/) [Center](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/center/) [East](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/east/) [Israel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israel/) [Israeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israeli/) [Israeli settlements](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/israeli-settlements-94880/) [Middle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/middle/) [Middle east](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/middle-east/) [Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obama/) [Obama Israeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obama-israeli-2610695/) [Office](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/office/) [Policy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/policy/) [President](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president/) [President Barack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president-barack/) [President barack obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/president-barack-obama/) [Put](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/put/) [Settlement](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/settlement/) [Settlements](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/settlements/) [Settlements Center](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/settlements-center-2610696/) [Taking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taking/) ## Related quotes > [America does not accept the legitimacy of continued Israeli settlements.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/america-does-not-accept-the-legitimacy-of-continued-israeli/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [In 2001, President George W. Bush was condemned for politicizing science with his decision to limit federal funding for stem-cell research; in 2009 President…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-gibbs/in-2001-president-george-w-bush-was-condemned-for-politicizing/) [Nancy Gibbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-gibbs/) > [ It will be an unusual dynamic \[in Congress\]. It won't be like the rallying behind President \[Barack\] Obama in 2009 or behind President \[George… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-kristol/it-will-be-an-unusual-dynamic-in-congress-it-won-t-be-like-the/) [William Kristol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-kristol/) > [Israel and the Palestinians had been at the table together for decades until the Obama/Mitchell/Rahm Emanuel decision to demand a total end to Israeli…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/israel-and-the-palestinians-had-been-at-the-table-together-for/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [It's very hard, for example, to justify the thirty-four-year occupation of the West Bank and Gaza. It's very hard to justify 140 Israeli settlements…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-said/it-s-very-hard-for-example-to-justify-the-thirty-four-year-occupation/) [Edward Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-said/) > [We consider these settlements to be contrary to the Geneva Convention, that occupied territory should not be changed by establishment of permanent settlements by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/we-consider-these-settlements-to-be-contrary-to-the-geneva-convention/) [Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/) > [Everybody has to move, run and grab as many (Palestinian) hilltops as they can to enlarge the (Jewish) settlements because everything we take now…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ariel-sharon/everybody-has-to-move-run-and-grab-as-many-palestinian-hilltops-as/) [Ariel Sharon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ariel-sharon/) > [It's very hard, for example, to justify the thirty-four-year occupation of the West Bank and Gaza. It's very hard to justify 140 Israeli settlements…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-said/it-s-very-hard-for-example-to-justify-the-thirty-four-year-occupation-2/) [Edward Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-said/) > [They've (Israel) lost the battle for public opinion. They claim it's because American Jews know too little.. I claim it's because they know too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-finkelstein/they-ve-israel-lost-the-battle-for-public-opinion-they-claim-it-s/) [Norman Finkelstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-finkelstein/) > [The only resolution is for the aspirations of both sides to be met through two states, where Israelis and Palestinians each live in peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-only-resolution-is-for-the-aspirations-of-both-sides-to-be-met/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I believe that the only alternative Israel has to save itself as a Jewish state - and let's be frank about that: the Jewish…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-oren/i-believe-that-the-only-alternative-israel-has-to-save-itself-as-a/) [Michael Oren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-oren/) > [Surrounded by a burgeoning human population, Asian elephants have to contend with the spread of settlements and farming, and the demands of rapidly developing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shand/surrounded-by-a-burgeoning-human-population-asian-elephants-have-to/) [Mark Shand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-shand/) > [When you think about the scale of human populations all over the world and the fact that there's so much here, really, the only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-parcak/when-you-think-about-the-scale-of-human-populations-all-over-the/) [Sarah Parcak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-parcak/) > [My purpose was to get leave to bring my party into the settlements in order to outfit and to obtain the supplies that had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-charles-fremont/my-purpose-was-to-get-leave-to-bring-my-party-into-the-settlements-in/) [John Charles Fremont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-charles-fremont/) > [Why is it that we don't build human settlements that will feed themselves, and fuel themselves, and catch their own water, when any human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-mollison/why-is-it-that-we-don-t-build-human-settlements-that-will-feed/) [Bill Mollison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-mollison/) ## More by Elliott Abrams > [President Obama has never summarized the Obama Doctrine with such clarity, but here is what it would look like: 'I will undertake any military…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/president-obama-has-never-summarized-the-obama-doctrine-with-such/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [The story of the Jews in the Bible is replete with incidents of their ingratitude to God for His gifts to them: incidents that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/the-story-of-the-jews-in-the-bible-is-replete-with-incidents-of-their/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [History may someday record that the Arab awakening that began with the Arab revolt of 1916 against the Ottomans ended about a century later…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/history-may-someday-record-that-the-arab-awakening-that-began-with/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [From its earliest days in the nineteenth century, and until the Holocaust, the Orthodox rabbinate in eastern Europe was not enthusiastic about the Zionist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/from-its-earliest-days-in-the-nineteenth-century-and-until-the/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [The Pope is not a political figure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/the-pope-is-not-a-political-figure/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [Israel and the Palestinians had been at the table together for decades until the Obama/Mitchell/Rahm Emanuel decision to demand a total end to Israeli…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/israel-and-the-palestinians-had-been-at-the-table-together-for/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [Pundits are used to analyzing the gap between what our ideals suggest and what our security interests require.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/pundits-are-used-to-analyzing-the-gap-between-what-our-ideals-suggest/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [The Egyptian military and the government of Israel have long had a common interest in maintaining order and fighting terrorism in Sinai.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/the-egyptian-military-and-the-government-of-israel-have-long-had-a/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [In 2007, early in the improbable presidential candidacy of Barack Obama, the young first-term senator began a series of foreign-policy speeches that seemed too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/in-2007-early-in-the-improbable-presidential-candidacy-of-barack/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [Terrorists that kill Americans don't get released.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/terrorists-that-kill-americans-don-t-get-released/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [Refusing to lift sanctions and adopting tougher rhetoric toward Iran would not be partisan issues. Plenty of Democrats think that those actions are both…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/refusing-to-lift-sanctions-and-adopting-tougher-rhetoric-toward-iran/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [At the height of the Cold War, when Ronald Reagan was president, the Soviets and their allies and satellites did not shirk human rights…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/at-the-height-of-the-cold-war-when-ronald-reagan-was-president-the/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [I personally would not talk to a Jew for Jesus.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/i-personally-would-not-talk-to-a-jew-for-jesus/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [When freedom of the press is threatened, the United States should be leading efforts to protect it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/when-freedom-of-the-press-is-threatened-the-united-states-should-be/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) > [Israel bombed the Syrian nuclear reactor in 2007. What the Syrians did in response, nothing. Israel has killed a number of terrorist leaders in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/israel-bombed-the-syrian-nuclear-reactor-in-2007-what-the-syrians-did/) [Elliott Abrams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) [Explore all 226 Elliott Abrams quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/) ## More Barack quotes > [ I can't imagine that I would be asked that by the president-elect \[Donald Trump\], or then-president \[Barack Obama\]. But it's - I'm very clear.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/i-can-t-imagine-that-i-would-be-asked-that-by-the-president-elect/) [James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/) > [We know the candidate Barack Obama, what he was like - the anti-war government nig... America was a source for division around the world,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-santorum/we-know-the-candidate-barack-obama-what-he-was-like-the-anti-war/) [Rick Santorum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-santorum/) > [We're in more wars today under Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton than under George W. Bush or Ronald Reagan. Yet they tell you that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/we-re-in-more-wars-today-under-barack-obama-and-hillary-clinton-than/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I can tell you who's planning terroris attacks. The leaders of ISIL. And I can tell you where they're at. They're in Raqqa, Syria.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/i-can-tell-you-who-s-planning-terroris-attacks-the-leaders-of-isil/) [Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/) > [ The president \[Barack Obama\] asked for a commitment of, I think, 100,000 jobs for veterans and military spouses over the next couple of years.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/the-president-barack-obama-asked-for-a-commitment-of-i-think-100-000/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [The big story today, Barack Obama was accused of insulting Sarah Palin when he criticized Republican policies by saying, you can put lipstick on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/conan-o-brien/the-big-story-today-barack-obama-was-accused-of-insulting-sarah-palin/) [Conan O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/conan-o-brien/) > [ I think the president's \[Barack Obama\] position has been very clear on Syria. He wants more aggressive, he's put the Special Ops on the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-williams/i-think-the-president-s-barack-obama-position-has-been-very-clear-on/) [Juan Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-williams/) > [ It cannot be an American fight. And I think what the president \[Barack Obama\] has consistently said - which I agree with - is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/it-cannot-be-an-american-fight-and-i-think-what-the-president-barack/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [It doesn't matter to me where Barack Obama goes. If he wants to go to Hawaii because it's his home state, fine! Hunky-dory. Plastic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/it-doesn-t-matter-to-me-where-barack-obama-goes-if-he-wants-to-go-to/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [ It wasn't \[Barack\] Obama per se; it was the feeling on the ground; it was seeing an old black woman in a wheelchair being… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-ayers/it-wasn-t-barack-obama-per-se-it-was-the-feeling-on-the-ground-it-was/) [Bill Ayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-ayers/) > [I don't think that we really know a whole lot about Barack Obama at all that you would really call distinctive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-h-mcwhorter/i-don-t-think-that-we-really-know-a-whole-lot-about-barack-obama-at/) [John H. 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In private, he can discuss it at a really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-chait/in-public-barack-obama-s-giving-the-simple-version-of-his-beliefs-for/) [Jonathan Chait](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-chait/) [Browse all 1,672 Barack quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/barack/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "On taking office in 2009, U.S. President Barack Obama put Israeli settlements at the center of U.S. policy in the Middle East.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Elliott Abrams" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/on-taking-office-in-2009-u-s-president-barack-obama-put-israeli/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Barack" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/on-taking-office-in-2009-u-s-president-barack-obama-put-israeli/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba4/elliott-abrams-1577_barack_on-taking-office-in-2009-u-s-president-b_2684948.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba4/elliott-abrams-1577_barack_on-taking-office-in-2009-u-s-president-b_2684948.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ba4/elliott-abrams-1577_barack_on-taking-office-in-2009-u-s-president-b_2684948.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“On taking office in 2009, U.S. President Barack Obama put Israeli settlements at the center of U.S. policy…” — Elliott Abrams", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Elliott Abrams", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-abrams/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "On taking office in 2009, U.S....", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/on-taking-office-in-2009-u-s-president-barack-obama-put-israeli/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-abrams/on-taking-office-in-2009-u-s-president-barack-obama-put-israeli/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```