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Obama's Israel Record

By wt

This Jerusalem Post opinion piece compares the candidates on their friendliness toward Jews and Israel.

It finds that Ron Paul and Mike Huckabee are both hostile to Judiasm and/or Israel, but takes comfort in the fact that they aren't strong candidates for their party's nomination.

On the other hand, it says, Barack Obama is potentially his party's nominee, and his record on Jews and Israel is a weak one.

Obama belongs to the Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago. Its minister and Obama's spiritual adviser is Rev. Jeremiah Wright Jr.

In an investigative report on Obama published last week by the American Thinker Web site, Ed Lasky documented multiple examples of Wright's anti-Jewish and anti-white animus. Wright has called for divestment from Israel and refers to Israel as a "racist" state.

...

Wright is a long-time friend of the virulently anti-Semitic head of the Nation of Islam - fellow Chicagoan Louis Farrakhan. The two traveled together to Libya some years ago to pay homage to Muammar Gaddafi. Last year Wright presented Farrakhan with a "Lifetime Achievement" award.

Although last week Obama issued a statement condemning Farrakhan for his anti-Semitism, he did not disavow Wright - who married him and baptized his daughters. Obama has taken no steps to moderate his church's anti-Israel invective.

Obama is in a sticky position here. He's denounced Farrakhan. But he hasn't distanced himself from Reverend Wright.

But on the other hand, distancing himself from his Christian church, in the midst of the Muslim rumors, isn't the best political move either.

Still, I think it shows poor judgment on Obama's part to get mixed up in this kind of organization in the first place. And given that, he may want to distance himself from it if he thinks the Jewish vote is important.

Just as some argue that Ron Paul has an obligation to be extra careful about his neo-Nazi ties, I think Senator Obama has an obligation to be extra careful about his ties to black nationalism or black anti-Semitism.

Not because he's black. But because these groups are more than happy to associate themselves with him.

Full post as published by Expressio Unius on January 31, 2008 (boomark / email).