Friday 2 November 2012

OBAMA AND THE JEWS.


Obama and Jews by Barry Shaw.

There is a deep divide between Israelis and American Jews over Obama. The polling and survey numbers prove the gaping gap between Jews in Israel and those in America when it comes to Obama and Israel.
As Herb Keinon pointed out in the Jerusalem Post (Nov.2) if Israel were to be America’s 51st state its 13 electoral votes (based on population size) would go to Romney. In other words, Israel would line up like Texas, Nebraska, and Indiana.   This is in deep contrast with the voting trends of American Jews.
An Israel Democracy Institute poll this week showed that, in terms of Israeli interests, 57.2 percent of Israeli Jews said Romney. Only 21.5% went with Obama. This figure is consistent with other polls conducted in Israel.
It is clear that Obama has not won the hearts and minds of Israelis in the last four years despite Israel acknowledging the increased defense spending that America has given the Jewish state.
In contrast, a Gallup poll found that American Jews plan to vote 64% for Obama against only 25% for Romney.
What annoys Israelis is that Israel is only down in 4th or 5th place in American Jews list of priorities when voting for their next President. It is deeply upsetting for Israeli Jews to learn that their American brethren put abortion and contraception before Israel’s survival. We think the lethal and legal challenges to our very existence should be more important to American Jews than obtaining free contraceptives and abortions. Perhaps American Jews think that Obama is the candidate that, as he has said, “has Israel’s back,” but Israel does not trust him on this.  It comes down to Obama’s personal animosity to our leader and our country. American Jews do not seem too disturbed that Obama swerved both Israel and Israel’s Prime Minister during his first term while courting our enemies. When Obama stated that “Israel is one of our closest allies in the region” this was not a slip of the tongue. His political worldview has demoted Israel to share his favors with others in the Middle East led by Turkey, a Turkey that is increasingly Islamic and has turned against Israel during Obama’s term in office.
During one of Obama’s jaunts around the Islamic capitals he did detour to visit Buchenwald with Eli Wiesel. This visit resonated with American Jews. Its significance had a completely different meaning for Israeli Jews. It said to them that Obama respects American Jews. It’s just the Israeli Jews he can’t tolerate. And yet American Jews will go to the polls on Tuesday and cast their ballot for the man who skips Jerusalem. It’s less important to them than contraceptives. 

Barry Shaw is the author of ‘Israel Reclaiming the Narrative’. Available on Amazon or at www.israelnarrative.com

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