Yesha Council Chairman Danny Dayan
Yesha Council Chairman Danny DayanIsrael news photo: Flash 90

While Israeli nationalist politicians have expressed concern over Barack Obama's re-election, Yesha Council Chairman Danny Dayan, who closely followed the developments in the U.S. presidential election, said he is not worried about having Obama in the White House for another term. 

In an interview with Arutz Sheva, Dayan said, "I won't deny that Mitt Romney better understood the complexities of the Middle East, and we heard this in his speech in which he explained why a Palestinian state should not be established. But I'm certainly not worried about Obama -- reality is stronger than any president. Arab refusal has not changed, and as Yitzhak Shamir would say, 'the sea is the same sea and the Arabs are the same Arabs.' The communities in Yehuda and Shomron are amazingly strong today. We passed the point of no return. I do not know what Obama wants to do, but I know what he cannot do. 

Dayan is convinced that Obama will not ask again that the Israeli government freeze construction. "President Obama is a smart man, I believe he learned his lesson and (learned from) the embarrassment he experienced last time. The fact is that in the last two years he has not been active on the subject of the Middle East. I think he realized he will not reap great benefits from his involvement in the Middle East."

Dayan also praised politicians, both left and center, who began to take a more positive attitude towards the communities of Judea and Samaria. "Indeed an ideological chasm separates me from [Labor leader Shelly] Yachimovich and [Yesh Atid head Yair] Lapid. But you can not ignore their different attitudes. Shelly Yacimovich visited Judea and Samaria before the elections and even stopped by Ariel. She paid a condolence visit in Ofra to the family of a fallen soldier. Yair Lapid delivered his political speech in Ariel. There were those amongst us who thought we should attack him for supporting a withdrawal from some areas, but in my opinion if he supports the settlement blocs that's also something."