Obama: Pro Israel does not mean Pro Likud
Posted on February 26, 2008
Filed Under Barak Obama, Israel
How refreshing to have a presidential candidate tell us the truth, even if it runs counter to their political aspirations. Â Barack Obama, campaigning before jewish leaders in Cleveland said this regarding U.S. Israeli policy:
“I think there is a strain within the pro-Israel community that says unless you adopt an unwavering pro-Likud ap-proach to Israel, then you’re anti-Israel, and that can’t be the measure of our friendship with Israel.  If we cannot have an honest dialogue about how do we achieve these goals, then we’re not going to make progress.” Â
Obama disputed the notion that anyone asking tough questions regarding the Palestinian issue or suggesting alternative approaches to merely “crushing the opposition” is anti-Israel.  With Ohio’s pivotal primary coming next Tuesday it would have been very easy for Obama, who has been the target of a vicious email campaign claiming he is Muslim, a Farrakhan proxy, and an anti-Semite, to pander instead of delivering unsavory medicine.  Â
More and more I am coming to the belief that Obama holds certain things higher than his immediate political interests.  Most importantly, he nailed this tricky issue.  Israel can not thrive over the long haul with successive U.S. administrations acting as their enabler.  2/3 of Israeli citizens want peace with the Palestinians, yet our government has thwarted that process in the name of real security for all parties.  It is time to reclaim our middle eastern policy from the neo-conservatives.    George Bush ran as a man who could reach across party lines to get things done.  We know how that worked out.  Is Obama the man George Bush promised he was? Â
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