The questions Obama wasn't asked in the interview

Obama said: "It is possible to reach a framework agreement with the peace-loving government in the Palestinian Authority.".

My question: As far as I remember, the chairman of the PA announced the establishment of a new unity government, which includes Hamas representatives. Is this a peace-loving government in your opinion?

Obama said: "This is something we will try to work out with the Israelis, the Palestinians and the international community [...] how we create building blocks of trust and progress.".

My question: Have you had a chance to look at the Egyptian and Jordanian media – countries that have signed a peace agreement with us. Did you find in them building blocks of mutual trust?

Obama said: "Let's say I'm a Palestinian student or a businessman in the West Bank and I believe in peace. [...] And I recognize the right of the State of Israel to exist, but every day I spend time at checkpoints that delay me for hours. And if I have a business trip or a trip on a student exchange delegation abroad. I may not be able to travel because I don't have a country and I'm limited.".

My question: Do you think the separation fence and checkpoints were built with the aim of making life miserable for residents of the West Bank? And what exactly do the Palestinian majority (including most business people and students) who voted for Abu Mazen and support Hamas's agenda (see recent polls) think about Israel's right to exist? And another note: Every day, thousands of passengers are detained at US airports for a strict security check that reaches down to their shoes. So what about your restrictions (not to mention tourist visas)?

Obama said (in response to Dayan's question about the idea of ​​separating Arabs and Jews on certain bus lines in the West Bank): "We have, I hope, a special empathy and a special attitude toward those who suffer unfair treatment because of the color of their skin or because of their faith.".

My question: Do you really believe that the (obviously stupid and therefore shelved) idea of ​​bus segregation stemmed from a racist ideology of discrimination and deliberate humiliation? Is this further proof in your opinion that we are an apartheid state? Or maybe there is mainly a (obviously justified) fear of something...?

Obama said: "I think it's fair to say that if I had come to the Knesset without coordinating with the prime minister in advance, if I had negotiated with Mr. Herzog, it would have created a sense of breaking the rules.".

My question: If Netanyahu and his advisors truly fear that the agreement with Iran could endanger Israel (and you said you believe in this authentic fear), why do you think they are forbidden from making any effort to thwart its implementation? Wouldn't you break the rules to remove an existential threat to your country?

And more: Mr. President, how did it happen that for the first time in history, the president of a power friendly to Israel becomes an open scoundrel of its elected prime minister – and this is even before Netanyahu's speech to Congress. So who broke the rules here?

At the end of the interview, Ilana Dayan allowed herself a kind of gesture of closeness and affection (in fact, the entire interview was such a gesture) and asked Obama with a wink: "You tweeted that LeBron is the heart of Cleveland. But do you know who her coach is?""

""An outstanding coach. Former Israeli coach - David Blatt," Obama replied with characteristic politeness.

And one more small question occurred to me: Didn't the American commentators sin by being condescending to the Israeli scoundrel? Doesn't their superficial attitude come from that place of arrogance and typical American ethnocentrism? And perhaps herein lies the real failure in your foreign and security policy, Mr. President, which could cost us all dearly?

• Oz Almog, is a professor of sociology, from the Department of Land of Israel Studies at the University of Haifa