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Obamessiah Hits the Holy Land
Israelis liked what they heard from the Democratic presidential candidate during his whirlwind visit. They just hope they can believe it.
Army Radio reported that the Peres meeting was a virtual “lovefest,” as compliments flew between the 85-year-old Israeli president and the 46-year-old senator.
“Permit me to speak as a young man to a young man,” quipped Peres, after Obama praised Peres for his contribution to the miraculous growth and development of Israel over its 60 years.
He was also impressed by another accomplishment. “I was telling the president that I also want to get his recipe for looking as good as he does at the young age of 85.”
Standing next to Peres, he hammered home the central theme of his visit — his commitment to Israel’s security.
“I’m here on this trip to reaffirm the special relationship between Israel and the United States and my abiding commitment to Israel’s security and my hope that I can serve as an effective partner, whether as a US senator or as president.”
Obama was then driven to the West Bank to meet with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad — a side trip that GOP candidate John McCain didn’t make on his visit to Israel.
He returned to Jerusalem to meet Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni. Livni and Obama then hopped a helicopter to Sderot — the city attacked by rockets from Gaza — and flew back to the capital. Barak then joined Obama and Livni for a helicopter tour of Israel and its borders.
The importance of a foreign visitor to Israel can often be measured by the level of infighting regarding who spends time with him. By that measure Obama is well-regarded. The helicopter ride was a source of tension between Livni and Barak: originally, Livni was supposed to be the tour guide for Obama’s a helicopter tour solo. Barak pressured Livni into letting him come along for the ride. For the sake of governmental harmony, Livni agreed.
The day climaxed in Sderot, where he made the declaration widely quoted by the Israeli media as he stood in front of a stack of exploded Kassam shrapnel: “If somebody was sending rockets into my house where my two daughters sleep at night, I would do everything in power to stop that, and would expect Israelis to do the same thing,”
In Sderot, he met with Public Security Minister Avi Dichter, Mayor Eli Moyal, and residents of the area, and viewed homes and buildings which had been hit by rockets.
His visit was scheduled to be capped off with dinner with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and, finally, the all-important visit to the Western Wall.
Behind the public statements and photo opportunities, Israeli senior officials were expected to stress to Obama behind closed doors the urgency of the issue of Iran’s nuclear program and update him on the status of negotiations with Syria. Security officials were also expected to warn him against sudden withdrawal from Iraq, fearful that the chaos that could ensue would affect Israel.
Obama’s grasp of the region got positive reviews from those who met with him. Welfare Minister Isaac Herzog was interviewed on the radio shortly after joining his breakfast meeting with Barak. “Obama is impressive … very quick, with a well-developed world-view, he knows what’s going on. He knows the score….” He shrugged off the issue of Obama’s inexperience and lack of a track record on Israel. “I remember the same worries regarding both Clinton and Bush, because they came in as unknowns as well.”
While they were happy with what they heard, Israelis hadn’t expected any less from Obama, already familiar with his rhetorical skills from their television sets.
“When Barack Obama arrives, he won’t lie to us, but he won’t tell us the truth,” columnist Yair Lapid warned on the eve of the visit.
“In the coming days we will be exposed to Obama’s rhetorical abilities — few are able to deliver speeches like he does, and nobody does it better. Just like any great speaker, he will not be lying. He will simply spare us the truth — the fact that we are about to face a harsh rehabilitation process. Should he be elected, he will have to take care of America’s weakness, the declining dollar, the energy crisis, China’s rise, the Iraq troop withdrawal, and the huge trade deficit. When he’s done with that (if he’s ever done with that) he will have to decide what is of greater interest to him: A group of loud Israelis who have become addicted to the attention of the world’s greatest superpower, or his hungry brothers and cousins in war-torn and AIDS-ridden Kenya, who are looking to him with pleading eyes and hoping that his America indeed believes in change.
A change will certainly be taking place; yet we might not like it.”
Two Israeli families were not among those competing for face time with Obama. The relatives of the two Israeli soldiers whose bodies were recently returned in the prisoner swap with Hezbollah were offered a meeting with Obama but turned it down because they were in mourning.
In fact, the entire country has just emerged from a mourning period of the two soldiers it had hoped would return home. It has been a grim summer for Israelis, and the Obama travelling circus was to a certain extent viewed by Israelis as an entertaining distraction from the month’s grim news. Every detail about the Democratic hopeful was reported down to his food requests, which were described as unusually humble for a visiting dignitary. (He asked the King David Hotel for “simple local food” in his hotel suite and received hummus with pine nuts, chopped Israeli salad fruits, and veggies and mineral water.)
Young Israelis were certainly not immune from the Obama charm factor. One young female hormone-ridden radio anchor ran a telephone poll asking listeners who they considered the politician with the biggest “star” quality — Bill Clinton or Barack Obama. Obama appeared to be in the lead, Clinton behind him. The Israeli contender who was slipped into the contest, Netanyahu, ran a distant third.
The Democratic hopeful’s last stop before heading for Germany was another important photo opportunity for any US politician visiting Israel: the Western Wall, where, presumably, he will put his note in the ancient stones.
What it will say is anybody’s guess.
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Allison Kaplan Sommer is PJM's Tel Aviv editor
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25 Comments
1. B Dubya:You may be shocked to find what his note says.
Jul 23, 2008 - 10:28 am 2. Big Ben:Remember, this is the man who sat in Reverend Wright’s church for 20 years, listening to an unending diatribe of racism and anti-jewish rants, and who was able to do so without feeling any discomfort at all. This is the man who thinks so highly of Louis Farakan and his moveement that he counts him as a personal friend and continues to employ his disciples on his campaign staff.
This is the man who is farther left than another American Democrat, Jimmy Carter, who hides his own rank anti-semitsm behind the same kind of high sounding rhetoric, but who did every thing he could do as President to aid the Arab states against Israel.
How far can you spit? That’s farther than you should trust this pol, if you are Jewish and an Israeli.
Obama’s Western Wall Note;
Dear Lord;
I come before You as a humble descendant of my Ancestors, who distinguished themselves in varying cultures but shared the common goal of attempting to improve the lives of Your children.
First, allow me to confess to You, the Knower of all things and the thoughts in t he inner recesses of the heart. Since I was old enough to formulate thoughts, You know my overriding ambition in life was to become President of the United States; not just Prsident, but the ONE, the leader who ushers mankind into a new Age, a progressive era where religious,racial and ethnic differances melt away as we evolve into a new race of humans.
Jul 23, 2008 - 11:58 am 3. rotwang:An era where all of Your children’s needs will be attended to, where greed, avarice and profit will be eliminated, together with artificial national borders.
Please Lord, shime Thy countenance upon me and grant me the wisdom to say the right things so that my present fellow countryman may elect me; and continue to guide my Journey so that I may fulfill the destiny accorded me by Fate and that I might suceeed where others have failed; To be the One to unite all of mankind under my loving rule.
And first and foremost, please keep the Media in my tank.
With gratitude,
Your servant THE ONE, a/k/a, Barack,(formerly, Barry).
If I’m not mistaken, John McCain is at a mall-opening today. Or, maybe it was clog-dancing festival. Can’t recall.
Jul 23, 2008 - 1:04 pm 4. The Wizard:Once again, the Obama mouth says anything the current audience wants to hear. Problem is, he can deliver zlich. The man is making me ill. He is a charlatan, hypocrite, racist, elitist and hubris. He will destroy America.
Jul 23, 2008 - 3:00 pm 5. Mary in LA:Rotwang, John McCain has already been to Iraq, several times. (Dunno about Israel, though.) Also, he’s spent rather more time in Vietnam than Obama has.
As for his travel plans today, according to Drudge, he was supposed to visit an oil refinery in the Gulf, but he got pre-empted by Hurricane Dolly. Can’t blame him for opting out of that one.
Jul 23, 2008 - 5:19 pm 6. Believer:Columnist Lapid said about Obama, “…he won’t lie to us…”
Wanna bet? He does it all the time. Here’s one especially for you from the Holy Land:
“…you don’t have to just look at my words, you can LOOK AT MY DEEDS. Just this past week, we passed out of US Senate Banking Committee, WHICH IS MY COMMITTEE, a bill for divestment from Iran, as a way of ratcheting up the pressure to ensure that they don’t obtain a nuclear weapon.” (emphasis mine)
It’s not HIS committee, nor is he even a member of it. Michelle Malkin has the link to Patterico’s site that has video as well.
I hope everyone who plans to vote looks at this man’s words and deeds. Not an ounce of integrity to any of it.
Jul 23, 2008 - 6:27 pm 7. mjk:John McCain has been to Israel a few times too.
But since he can’t cure lepers and give sight to a blind man, I guess it doesn’t count.
Jul 23, 2008 - 9:48 pm 8. Kitchen Interior Design - Tips And Ideas - ReposeLive - repose live:[...] Obamessiah Hits the Holy <b>Land</b> [...]
Jul 24, 2008 - 12:01 am 9. Stella:Last night, Boston Herald writer Margery Eagan said in her column of the media’s affliction with Obama-mania: “People want to believe in hope.”
I find this an ultimately sad commentary on our mindset as a people. Yes, we want to believe that our candidates possess attributes of character, including hope. But I refuse to look for hope *in* Barack as she would suggest.
Even the Israelites did not place their hope in Moses as he led them through a 40-year hike through the desert. Rather, their hope was placed upon their superhuman Creator.
Fact is, Mr. Obama is not where my hope comes from. But the notion that he is “The One” who can deliver hope or “change we can believe in” that’s what’s got well-meaning people duped here about this guy…to the point of mass manipulation.
The American people, a good number of them anyway, aren’t stupid. We see the more than subliminal rip-offs of JFK, RFK and Dr. King day in and day out. I’ve had it with the copycat “retro” photo, rolled-up-white-shirt-wearing, pseudo-profound, grimace-making, “Ooh look, I’m a “statesman” speech-making, “Change”…his mind…again talking, flip my jacket over my shoulder just-like-Bobby walkin’, believe-my-own-press, special-interest seeking, non-voting junior statesman.
No. My hope doesn’t come from Mr. Obama. It comes from a place much more genuine, with more transparency, and unshakably unchangeable.
I encourage everyone to consider that the better attributes n a President are selflessness, humility, transparency, a servant-like nature, someone who is without affectation, and whose work and record speaks louder than all the best speech-making in the world.
I don’t need someone to convince me. I need evidence that has been wrought in solitary and even lonesome toil…without a camera having been in sight.
The true measure of a man or woman who seeks the highest office in our nation is one who is at ease in being the most plainspoken, honest, and unglamorous. A true leader is in fact one who has learned the wisdom of valuing how to follow and leads, not by charisma and in plenty, but leads with integrity under pressure and by example.
This is not the time for remedial character building. Our beloved country cannot afford to be the guinea pig for Mr. Obama’s political aspirations. He just very well may be a great leader someday. Until there’s a burning bush to alert us otherwise, we are better off to wait…and watch.
Mr. Obama is not where I place my hope. No. It’s too precious for that.
Jul 24, 2008 - 3:10 am 10. SAF:Obama will be elected in 2008. Buyers remorse will occur mid 2009.
The man is brilliant, knows exactly how to manipulate the press and the electorate in thinking he is all things to all people.
I think four bad years of Obama will help purge the US of the stupidity that grips it. Congress refuses to lift oil and gas exploration moratoriums so that Nancy Pelosi can get reelected in November. As a kid I laughed at the tale of Rome burning and Nero fiddling. It isn’t funny now.
Jul 24, 2008 - 4:11 am 11. An Unsealed Room » Obama Loves Hummus - and Other PR Triumphs:[...] My full report on Obamafest Israel is here. [...]
Jul 24, 2008 - 6:10 am 12. harry:Obama is a huge celebrity. Nothing is more boring to me than watching celebrity shows like Entertainment Tonight. Who cares what Britney or Brangelina are doing? The Presidency is not and never should be about worshipping clebrities. If public opinion reflected media infatuation with Obama he’d be ahead by 80 percentage points yet poll after poll calls it pretty even. At least half the population isn’t being bamboozled by media overhype and worship. People are concerned about national security, jobs, finances and health coverage. Real life issues not celebrity style glamor will decide this Presidency.
Jul 24, 2008 - 6:47 am 13. saleboter:i wonder if the sharing of the loaves and fishes was covered.
Jul 24, 2008 - 7:27 am 14. The Wizard:The man does not know the truth, Obama has transformed into an amoral idiot; continuing to spew and pander whatever his current audience wants to hear. He believes nothing, except that he is the annointed leader of the free world and a New Black Society. He cannot even keep up with previous statements and promises even through they are recorded on video and audio tape. His audacity is beyond comprehension. He is dangerous, a racist and charlatan. Be afraid, America, very, very afraid.
Jul 24, 2008 - 7:54 am 15. ReCon USMC:Oboma has already Pimped Bush’s ride in Iraq . Oboma voted against the Surge, scolded PATRAOUS IN CONGRESS 6 MONTHS AGO as did all Liberals and to NOT fund our Troops three times HE VOTED AGAINST and just said the Iraqis did this pretty much bye then selves after Bush and Mc Cain wanted them sent there and MOST LIBERALS voted against including some Republicans .
The many factions are talking PEACE there now because it is safe to engage Politically now that Al Quada is meaningless and hated for their thousands of crimes against Iraqis .
So Oboma shows up after all Liberals put the leader of IARQ down terribly the Media won’t mention .. wonder why ? Not really !
Real Jews watching Oboma’s hustling them at the Wall must make them sick too their Stomach Knowing how he feels about Iran and the Palestine Iran lead hezbollah terrorist cause wanting to deal with their mad leader with Liberal carrots sticks in Iran .As did Speaker Polosi do with the Nut in Syria only to fail terribly while both of her and Oboma are trying to embarrasses the President and hurt McCain’s changes by having all of the entire media googling over him like young kids over Hanna Montana … It didn’t happen when Mc Cain went to Iraq 8 times . No other ever or Any none elected PRESIDENTIAL Candidate should not be allowed to make Campaign visits with a staff of 300 to MEET with ELECTED foreign leaders and a first time World class commanding General the Surge Genius Patraeus for 40 minutes and then tell him he is wrong on future War tactic’s in IARQ ?
Not even a Military Novas would do anything that absolutely stupid and uncalled fore must less a presidential contender Thinking Voters votes .
And this empty man man wants to lead the most powerful Nation in the world in the most dangerous times in the world ever ….. That is a scary thought ! Israel saw that as well in as well since Irael is the most educated country in all of the middle east as well as Politically not by the Govt. brain washing like in the rest of the middle east .
Carter tried that with Iran getting their leader replaced with the Iranian cleric screw ball (who laughed at Carter we have heard from in the clerics own papers ) and we are paying for it 38 years later .
The President or Iran was a Hostage taker ID’ed by 6 prisoners held there for 18 months . I am sure many Jews as do I see the Mad man President of Iran as Hitler in Germany long before he Gassed them too death and created war in 21 Countries Murdering Millions and his own Military and INNOCENT CITIZENS .. That horror still lives in Jews minds and rightfully so these days getting threats to wipe them off the earth daily , suicide attacks and rockets often are not mindless ILLUSIONS BY ISRAELIS .
I am nothing more than a Former ReCON Marine and a loyal American who really respects and admires Israel the only real Democracy in the entire Middle East with choice of Religions or even being a Atheist .
Funny and amazing as well Israel with no Coal , Oil or Water in the middle of the desert and the smallest country there is in the Middle East has a powerful Military , Economically very EDUCATED and sound Nation . The only one in the entire middle east bye the way .
Many in America our Colleges and Europe and the entire Middle East want Israel destroyed . Nothing New about that for Jewish History .
Shalom
Jul 24, 2008 - 8:35 am 16. Ken Besig:As an Israeli, I am all too aware just how dangerous it can be to elect anyone who is the media’s darling, like Barack Obama. We have had several Prime Ministers which our media just had orgasms over, and which were the worst, most uninformed, most cynical, and most dangerous leaders we ever could have elected. Remember Rabin and the media hype about how Israel is waiting for Rabin? Rabin turned out to be a drunkard who brought Israel to her knees with the Oslo Accords and Arafat’s terrorist army in the heart of Israel. And then our media led us into voting Ehud Barak into the PM’s office, and Barak didn’t just leave Israel broken and bleeding with his Lebanon pullout, he multiplied the damage with his unbelievable offers of complete Israeli surrender at Camp David when he met with Arafat and Clinton. Then our media fell in love with our own home grown criminal fascist, Ariel Sharon, who along with his disengagement fiasco, proceed to almost fatally damage Israeli democracy with his criminal behavior and his abuse of our most important political and governmental institutions. And of course, our media just loved Ehud Olmert, and after his plonter in Lebanon in 2006, Ehud Olmert found even more innovative ways, with his criminal behavior and immorality, to make Israeli politics even more unpalatable to our public. Take my word for it, anyone the media loves, either here or in America, will be the worst possible leader ever elected should he win the election, and by this I do mean Barack Obama.
Jul 24, 2008 - 9:19 am 17. Morton Doodslag:The US Press is predictably silent on mentioning anything that might tarnish HIM, but I wonder if there’s anything in the Israeli press accounts about a bad reception? It’s a delicate matter, I suppose, and the Israeli Press may be rightly reluctant to mention it — but Drudge and other reports I’ve read hint at some rather vocal opposition to HIS arrival. Anyone have any light to shed?
Jul 24, 2008 - 9:49 am 18. saus:Sure Morton, here’s what I saw added to some highlights in the article above of positive feeling, but there was not much in the way of fawning crowds, no real mania here, a few small groups of protesters challenging Obama in Jerusalem. Shimon Peres our purely symbolic president who has retired from active politics after never winning an election and is a swooning left dove, was Obama’s biggest fan here. For press he got, there was just as much if not more healthy skepticism here in Israel. McCain leads Obama by large margins in Israelis polled for preference, and opinion news pieces were mostly also very skeptical, not much if any of the usual love affair opinion pieces you see plenty of in the US.
Allison put this proper tag line above:
“Israelis liked what they heard from the Democratic presidential candidate during his whirlwind visit. They just hope they can believe it.”
One might argue strongly few were moved as Obama is widely seen as a double-talker & Israelis are notoriously cynical of hype machines, sensitive and largely unimpressed by propaganda. Our press threw no small measure of zingers Obama’s way while he toured around challenging harder than I’ve seen from most of his regular tagging press corps. Frankly, making a big show in the US at AIPAC in what was clearly a political what you want to hear speech, resulted in many more headlines over his backtrack on Jerusalem the last while, than Obama got over his 24 hour shoot through Israel.
He left this morning, our public broadcaster made no mention of him in the evening TV news tonight, maybe there was something in the trailing 5 minutes where they cover fluff, I didn’t watch that long. In Israel we respect both nominees, they represent the future of our #1 ally after all, but this was certainly the least hype Obama has seen I would gather in a long long while. Contrasted to the German reaction today, night & day.
Jul 24, 2008 - 2:36 pm 19. Believer:That little note he tucked in the Wall? Probably said something like this:
“They’re buying it. It’s good to be Me.”
Remember, for two decades he sat in a “Christian” church and supported it while his spiritual mentor showed them all how to break the Commandments. To lie and be resentful and envious – even hateful.
He always does what’s appropriate and right. Never any reason to admit being wrong. It’s his judgment that’s so superior, he’ll tell you.
Jul 24, 2008 - 2:59 pm 20. Mary Stella:Obama, will say what Israel want to hear, he is just a politician, as his Rev. Wright, of 20 years, who knew him best, described him truthfully.
Jul 24, 2008 - 3:18 pm 21. Daslickness:His propaganda tour of duty(according to NBC), in Europe, his speeches, words “I know I do not look like other Americans who previously have spoken in this great city”, in Germany, then apologizing for series of things is just elitist, and appeasing. He could be a celebrity in Europe, but not in Middle America.
Well, Ahmadinejad, will be coming to New York soon, why not candidate Obama publicly send a stern message to him strongly supporting Israel.
For a man who is all HYPE no substance you all are surely getting worked up…
Jul 24, 2008 - 9:14 pm 22. ddc:SAF:
“Obama will be elected in 2008. Buyers remorse will occur mid 2009.
I think four bad years of Obama will help purge the US of the stupidity that grips it.”
__________
Agreed 100%. Possible one-termer, unless he has the luck of Bill, he seems to be following that playbook to the T and much better than Hillary did.
I do think though that it’s Obama’s 300+ backup who are brilliant. Obama delivers their lines better than any Oscar recipient ever delivered theirs. I often say that he’d make a great actor.
Jul 25, 2008 - 5:49 am 23. Javelin:I love it when people copy Rush and refer to Obama as the Obamamessaiah or Lord Obama or some other patronizing title like that, say they can’t attack his wife or pastor or middle name, then spend an hour earing him apart on those very same aspects. Right wingers have to be the pettiest people in the world.
Jul 26, 2008 - 10:39 am 24. Pajamas Media » Seven States That Will Decide the Election:[...] later, though Obama has persisted in showing support for Israel — both in Florida and the Holy Land. Of course, the more religious the Jew, the more they favor McCain and question Obama’s [...]
Aug 20, 2008 - 1:06 am 25. Seven States that Will Decide the Election « THE “G” BLOG @WordPress.com:[...] though Obama has persisted in showing support for Israel — both in [21] Florida and the [22] Holy Land. Of course, the more religious the Jew, [23] the more they favor McCain and [24] question Obama’s [...]
Aug 20, 2008 - 4:32 am