JERUSALEM — Two-and-a-half weeks after US President Barack Obama completed his first year in office, observers both in Israel and the US on Sunday, Feb. 7, gave his Middle East policy largely failing grades for efficacy.

“Since there are no prospects of talks on the horizon, and in many ways what their efforts wrought was a wasted year without any negotiations, I believe the administration deserves an ‘F’ for failure to deliver on results,” ADL National Director Abraham Foxman told the ADL’s national executive committee.

In contrast, Foxman said that Obama deserved a “solid A for his efforts” after “he tried very hard in his first year to bring the parties together with good intentions.”

WASHINGTON — Following President Obama’s State of the Union address and the start of the new congressional year, JTA asked Jewish organizations operating in Washington the following questions: “What do you hope the administration and Congress will achieve this year, and what advice would you offer them to make it happen?”

Here’s how they responded, in alphabetical order:

American Israel Public Affairs Committee

We are at a critical juncture in efforts to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons capability.

As the US works with our allies to pass additional UN Security Council sanctions, it’s critical that the administration take immediate steps to ratchet up pressure on the regime.

The House, in December, and the Senate this year, have overwhelmingly passed bipartisan sanctions legislation expanding the President’s authority to impose sanctions on Iran if it continues to reject US overtures and to enrich uranium in defiance of the international community.