Unsure about Obama

RHONDA SPIVAK

Most Israelis were aghast to learn that a student at a Jewish seminary removed the note that U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama placed in the Western Wall while visiting Israel this summer. The contents of the note were published by the Hebrew daily Ma'ariv, which received heavy criticism for invading Obama's privacy and relationship with God.

After criticizing Ma'ariv, other daily Israeli newspapers also proceeded to print the contents of Obama's note, in which he wrote: "Lord, protect my family and me. Forgive me my sins, and help guard against pride and despair. Give me the wisdom to do what is right and just. And make me an instrument of your will."

Rabbi Shmuel Rabbinovitz, who is in charge of the Western Wall immediately criticized Ma'ariv for intruding on Obama's intimate relationship with God. He told Israeli Army Radio that, "The notes placed between the stones of the Western Wall are between a person and his Maker. It is forbidden to read them or to make any use of them." Rabinovitch said that he would post custodians at the Kotel, who would prevent the removal of notes.

After the incident, some Israelis called on the public to stop purchasing Ma'ariv newspapers, as a protest for its treatment of Obama. Yediot Achronot announced that it had also obtained the note but had chosen not to publish it to respect Obama's privacy.

Some wondered whether a yeshivah student would have been as likely to have violated the privacy of President George Bush, a political figure who has attracted more support from Orthodox Jews than has Obama.

On the upside, most Israelis seemed to take from the note the fact that Obama is a man of faith, something that could make them feel more at ease if he were to become president of the United States. Yet, many Israeli Jews remain deeply suspicious of Obama's leadership and how it would affect them.

For starters, Obama's father was a Muslim and his middle name is Hussein. Obama's former pastor, Jeremiah Wright, is seen by many as anti-Semitic. Israelis noticed when an adviser to the leadership of Hamas, Ahmed Yousuf, told a New York radio show: "We hope he [Obama] will win the election." They also are aware of a polls by the Arab-American Institute showing that Arab Americans strongly support Obama.

As Eyal Dayan, a former security guard, said, "We did a disgusting thing to Obama by taking out his note from the Kotel. A yeshivah boy sold it to a Ma'ariv journalist and no one will say for how much money. Everything here is done for money. But, I don't think Obama has got any experience. He's got no record. He doesn't seem as serious a candidate as [John] McCain. McCain is a war hero."

Dayan's younger brother, Roey, who is a communications student at the Herzylia Interdiscipliary Centre, said, "Obama looks good. He speaks well. I don't know if I like him. I'm not sure yet." He paused and added, "But, I'll tell you one thing. All of the professors with doctorates who teach me say that the U.S. is not ready for a president who is black and that McCain will win in the end. They say there's still too much racism in the U.S. for him to win. We'll see if they are right."

Ariel Avior, who immigrated to Netanya from the United States, commented, "No one I know in Israel can understand the U.S.'s love affair with Obama. If Israel is in the position of having to attack Iran and Iran strikes back, what will the U.S. do? If it's Obama who is president, he won't do anything."

Amir, from Amir's Taxi in Tel Aviv, is more optimistic: "I think Obama will be good [if he's president]. He is part black and part white. He symbolizes that people [from different ethnic backgrounds] can get along with each other."

One high-profile Israeli who thinks Obama would be preferable to Republican candidate McCain is Uri Savir, the former Foreign Ministry directorate general who was Israel's chief negotiator of the Oslo Accords. Savir, who currently serves as president of the Peres Peace Centre in Tel Aviv, believes that Obama would put more emphasis on foreign policy and an active American diplomacy; that he would also make the United States more popular overseas and thus he could serve as a better broker for the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.

Rhonda Spivak is a freelance writer who divides her time between Winnipeg and Israel.

^TOP