A former U.S. ambassador to Israel said on Dec. 7 the Jewish state can no longer expect “blank checks” from Washington once president-elect Barack Obama’s administration takes over in January, according to an Agence France-Presse report.

“The era of the blank check is over,” said Martin Indyk, director of the Saban Center for Middle East Policy at the Brookings Institute, who is considered close to incoming Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

“The Obama administration intends to be engaged, using diplomacy to try to bring about a safer and more peaceful place, that is different from the seven years of the (George W.) Bush administration,” he said.

Indyk served as ambassador under former U.S. President Bill Clinton.

“President Obama surely will want to work with Israel on this (Middle East) agenda. But there are obligations on both sides (Israel and the Arabs). Both sides will have to respect these obligations,” Indyk said.

Last week, Indyk and President of the Council on Foreign Relations Richard Haass, who was a foreign policy advisor to the George W. Bush administration, released a report that called on Obama to restore balance to U.S. strategy and make more use of diplomacy in the Middle East.

The report said Obama should shift the main U.S. foreign policy focus in the Middle East from Iraq to curtailing Iran’s nuclear program and promoting peace agreements between Israel and its Arab neighbors, Syria in particular.

The report, “Restoring the Balance: A Middle East Strategy for the Next President,” in preparation for 18 months, also called on the Obama administration to support conciliation between Fatah, the Palestinian group with which Israel has negotiated, and Hamas, which controls Gaza.

Martin Indyk