Israel Matzav

Are Barak and Peres letting the Obama campaign use them?

On Monday night, reader Sunlight sent me the video below, which is being promoted by the Obama campaign.

Let's go to the videotape. More after the video.



I responded that the Obama campaign was taking clips of interviews with Barak and Peres (admittedly two flaming Leftists and in Peres' case a well-respected figurehead but a figurehead all the same) and using them, and that there is nothing that they could do to stop it even if they wanted to stop it. I also suggested that, as Bret Stephens writes in Tuesday's Wall Street Journal, in the second of the two paragraphs below (Hat Tip: Soccer Dad):

Maybe President Obama is, as some senior Israeli decision makers claim, a sincere and fabulous friend of Israel.

Or maybe such statements are simply a matter of being polite about an administration that knows it has a problem with disenchanted Jewish voters and distrustful donors.

If it's the latter, then Barak and Peres (and other Israeli politicians and diplomats) most certainly ought to stop singing Obama's praises - as Prime Minister Netanyahu has done, because in a close election, the Obama campaign is using these statements to its advantage to reassure doubting Jewish Democrats (Hat Tip: Sunlight).

Delaware Governor Jack Markell spoke briefly, citing just “public schools” and Israel as reasons to support Barack Obama. Evidence: Defense Minister Ehud Barak and Preaident Shimon Peres have said relations between the U.S. and Israel have never been stronger. A word I believe I did not hear during the time I was in the meeting: Netanyahu.

National Chairman Debbie Wasserman Schultz spoke ans was warmly received as she extolled Obamacare (Democrats are using the term) and said she has heard Israel’s Ambassador Michael Oren say, in her words, “what the Republicans is dangerous for Israel.”

In that regard, it's worth noting that Netanyahu planned to replace Oren with Ron Dermer, but is holding off for a year because of Iran. Maybe Netanyahu is just tired of Oren's left-leaning politics on the 'Palestinians.' But regardless, shouldn't Israel's 'leadership' learn to keep its collective mouth shut? Since when does our leadership - even unintentionally take sides like that in a US election?

Sunlight is suspicious that this might be caused by what she calls 'green slush' - heavy US subsidies for Israeli companies in 'green industries' - and that could be correct, although if it were, I would expect to see a more direct connection to the Israeli government as opposed to private Israeli individuals. But regardless of the motivation, our 'leadership' should not allow itself to be a part of Obama's campaign!

Labels: Barack Hussein Obama, Campaign 2012, Ehud Barak, Michael Oren, Shimon Peres

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 9:46 AM