Israel: Is Obama good for Israel?
As America elects its next president, Israeli bloggers ponder which candidate is best for their country. Below are several perspectives on the topic:
Orit Kamir writes:
×œ×¤× ×™ שלוש עשרה ×©× ×™× ×”×‘×™× ×¢×ž×• ×”-4 ×‘× ×•×‘×ž×‘×¨ ×ת סוף תקוות הסכמי ×”×©×œ×•× ×‘×”× ×”×’×ª×• של יצחק רבין. ×ž×©× ×™× ×©×œ תקוה וכמעט ×ופוריה – ×©×§×¢× ×• לביצת ×ž×“×ž× ×” של מי ×פסיי×, שחיתות וי×וש עמוק. ×•×”× ×”, בדיוק 13 ×©× ×” מ×וחר יותר, ב×ותו ת×ריך עצמו, יתכן שיפתח חלון חדש – יתכן ×©×”×¢× ×”×מריק××™ יצביע בעד ×©×™× ×•×™ ×מיתי, בעד דרך חדשה, בעד תקוה. תקוה ש×ולי תפיח ×’× ×‘×ž×¤×¨×©× ×• ×”×¦×™× ×™×™×, המותשי×, ×יזו התלהבות מחודשת. ×’× ×”× ×©× ×”×™×• ×©×§×•×¢×™× ×¢×“ צו×ר במי ××¤×¡×™×™× ×©×œ שחיתות וי×וש. ××ž× × 8 ×©× ×™× ×•×œ× 13, ×בל ×”×™×וש ×”×™×” × ×™×›×¨. ×•×”× ×” ×§× ×œ×”× ×ž×™ שמוכן להיות ×ž× ×”×™×’ בכוון חדש, ויתכן ×©×”× ×™×¢×–×• להמר עליו, לה×מין בו, ולרצות ל×פשר לו ×œ×©× ×•×ª. ו×ולי ×–×” ישליך ×’× ×¢×œ×™× ×•. ו×ולי ×–×” יפיג במשהו ×ת ×”×™×וש הסוגר ומשתק ×•×ž×•× ×¢. ×× ×œ× × ×§×•×•×”, ×œ× × ×מין ×•×œ× × ×¨×¦×” מ×וד – בוד××™ שתיש×ר זו ×גדה…
Thirteen years ago the 4th of November brought the end of an era of peace agreements led by Yitzhak Rabin. From euphoric years of hope we've sunken into a swamp of corruption and deep despair. And now, exactly 13 years later, in the exact same date, a new window might open – it is possible that the American people vote for true change, a new way for hope. Hope that just might instill some excitement in our tired, cynical sails. They have also been head deep in despair and corruption, but only for 8 years, not 13. And here rises a person who is willing to lead in a new direction. They might take a chance on him, believe in him, long to give him a chance to make a change. And perhaps this will affect us too. Maybe it will lessen the desperation that closes in and paralyzes us. If we do not hope or believe – this will stay a legend…
Daniel Yanai writes:
הבחירות ×”×ž×¡×§×¨× ×•×ª ב×מריקה יוכרעו ×‘×™×ž×™× ×”×§×¨×•×‘×™×. ×¨×‘×™× ×ž×זרחי ישר×ל ×ž×—×–×™×§×™× ×‘×“×¢×” ×ישית על ×”×ž×•×¢×ž×“×™× ×•×”×™×• ×©×ž×—×™× ×œ×ª×¨×•× ×œ×חד ×ž×”× ×ת קול×, כשהש×לה “מי טוב ליהודיה עומדת בבסיס ההכרעה. ×”×ž×•×¢×ž×“×™× ×¢×¦×ž× ×ž×•×“×¢×™× ×œ×—×©×™×‘×•×ª הקול היהודי ובעיקר לכיס היהודי הרגיל ×œ×ª×¨×•× ×œ×¤×•×œ×™×˜×™×§××™× ×•×ž×¤×–×¨×™× ×”×¦×”×¨×•×ª רבות בדבר ×™×—×¡× ×”×—× ×•×”×והד לישר×ל.בדיקת העבר תגלה בבירור ×›×™ ×’`ון מק`קיין ×”×•× ×והד ישר×ל ל×ורך ×©× ×™× ×¨×‘×•×ª ו×ילו ×וב×מה ××™× ×• בולט ×›×›×–×”. עובדה זו גרמה ×œ×¨×‘×™× ×œ×”×›×¨×™×¢ ×›×™ ×’`ון מק`קיין ×”×•× ×”×ž×•×¢×ž×“ הטוב לישר×ל. מק`קיין ××£ הצהיר ×›×™ יעביר ×ת שגרירות ×רצו מתל ×ביב לירושלי×, למהלך ×–×” משמעות ×ž×“×™× ×™×ª חשובה.
לעומתו ברק ×וב×מה הצהיר ומצהיר על מחוייבות עמוקה לבטחון ישר×ל ×•×¡×’× ×• ×’`ו ביידן הידוע כתומך × ×œ×”×‘ בישר×ל מבטיח ×ת המשך ×”×™×—×¡×™× ×”×—×ž×™× ×‘×™×Ÿ ישר×ל ל×רצות הברית. ×ך התחושה ×”×™× ×©×‘×¨×§ ×וב×מה ×˜×¨× ×”×¦×œ×™×— לקעקע ×ת תדמיתו המפחידה, ויחס ×”×™×”×•×“×™× ×”×¤×¨×• ישר××œ×™× ×›×œ×¤×™×• ×—×©×“× ×™.
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ישר×ל צריכה ×מריקה חזקה. ×ž×“×™× ×ª ישר×ל ××™×ª× ×” כלכלית, ×‘×˜×—×•× ×™×ª ×•×ž×“×™× ×™×ª בזכות ×מריקה. ×”×”×™×©×’×™× ×”×›×‘×™×¨×™× ×©×œ× ×• והתמורות ×©×—×•×œ×œ× ×• ב×רץ ישר×ל היו × ×™×›×¨×™× ×‘×©×˜×— רק בעוד ×©× ×™× ×¨×‘×•×ª בלבד ×œ×•×œ× ×¢×ž×“×” ×œ× ×• ×מריקה. ובכלל סביר ×œ×”× ×™×— ×©×œ×•×œ× ×ª×ž×™×›×ª ×”× ×©×™× ×˜×¨×•×ž×Ÿ כלל ×œ× ×”×™×™×ª×” קמה ×ž×“×™× ×ª ישר×ל.השיקול הישר×לי בבחירות ב×רצות הברית חייב להיות השיקול ×”×מריק××™, כלומר מי ×ž×”×ž×•×¢×ž×“×™× ×™×¢×©×” ×מריקה חזקה יותר, מי ×ž×”×ž×•×¢×ž×“×™× ×™×—×–×™×¨ ל×מריקה ×ת זוהרה ו×ת הרתיעה העולמית ×ž×¤× ×™×”. ככל שמעמדה ×•×—×•×¡× ×” של ×מריקה יגבר, כן ייטב ×œ× ×•.
××™× × ×™ בטוח שג`ון מק`קיין ×”×•× ×”×יש ×©×™×‘×™× ×œ×©×™× ×•×™ ב×מריקה, ××™× × ×™ יודע ×× ×”×•× ×™×•×›×œ לבצר ×ת הכלכלה ×”×מריק×ית, ××™× × ×™ בטוח ×©×”×•× ×”×ž×•×¢×ž×“ הטוב לישר×ל על ××£ היותו ידיד × ×מן ×œ× ×•.
On the other hand, Barack Obama claims to have deep obligation towards the security of Israel and his VP, Joe Biden, is known to be an enthusiastic supporter of Israel, promising the continuation of the warm relations between Israel and the US. But the feeling is that Obama has not grounded his scary image, and the pro-Israeli Jew lobby is still hesitant in their support.
The Israeli consideration in these elections needs to be the US consideration, meaning, which candidate will make America strongest. Which candidate will bring America's radiance back. As America's standing and might rises, our standing will be better.
I am unsure if John McCain is the person that will bring change to America. I don't know if he can strengthen the US economy. I am unsure he is the best candidate for Israel, even if he is loyal to us.
moni writes:
I don't know if Obama is suitable to be president, but in Israel we have all learned that even an experienced leader who served top military and political roles, can fail as prime minister. A good leader is measured upon his capability to make choices, his intellectual sincerety and ability to be a solid leader. The fact that someone was commander in chief or governor does not necessarily point to a good presidential fit.
I have no clue if Obama can be a good president, but the thing that bothers me is the campaign of de-legitimization against him, which in my opinion, hurts us. Suddently you hear more and more analyses from Israelis and Jews explaining why Obama is bad for Israel, and on the other hand, Obama is forced to refer to the issue in his speeches, promising that “he has no sister” and that he has no Islamic roots.
Above the racist scent that the opposing campaign has, there is substantial harm for Israel and the Jews. The need for Obama to justify his views creates antagonism and strengthens the accusations against wide involvement of the Jewish lobby in American politics.
American Jews account for a small percetange of the population in the US, but their political influence has been substantial throughout American history. Their representation in the house and senate is rising, even though demographically Jewish community is growing smaller…
Perhaps it is time to loosen up this connection between Israel and the US. It has strategic importance to the existance of Israel, but it also obstructs Israeli economic-political development.
I do not think that Israel needs to be involved in the US democratic processes, including Israeli politicians. American communities should decide whom to support, but the Jews need to be careful or their viewpoint will act as a boomerang against them.
Also check out a highly viewed professional video clip of Israeli artists and politicians supporting and endorsing Barack Obama's pledge for change!
