Political notes: Obama, Kerry, McCain, Soros

I was entrusted with the challenging task of presenting the phenomenon called Barack Obama to Israelis in 600 words or less.

Not an easy task, I can tell you after writing, talking and writing some about him more last night (hopefully it will be published here on Thursday). But it allowed me to make some calls to political sources and to have some fresh thoughts about Israel and the 2008 presidential elections - most of them related to The Israel Factor, the rating of the candidates you all know and admire.

Kerry

The Israel Factor panel got it right on Kerry and Syria. Would he support renewing negotiations between Israel and Syria, we asked, and the candidate who's visiting Syria now, talking to Bashir Assad on Wednesday, was the one to come first in this question, with 8.25.

One must confess, though, to the shortcomings of that round. The panel was likely wrong about Christopher Dodd, the other Senator visiting Syria Wednesday. Dodd was ranked far bellow Kerry, with a mere 6.50, trailing also after all other Democrats and Condi Rice, too. This is the same Rice who vehemently opposes American engagement with Syria.

McCain

On McCain and Syria, the panel seems to have got it right, at least for now. In his meeting with Israel's Prime Minister this week, the Senator told Olmert that now is not the right time for negotiations with Syria. And he did not keep the reasoning to himself: It's not about Israel and the Golan Heights but rather about Lebanon and Iraq. These are mostly American interests, rather than Israeli. No wonder Olmert encounters difficulties in explaining his policy to the average Israeli on the street, and that he faces increasing pressure to start talking to the Syrians.

Factor

The next Israel Factor survey is in preparation, and we are ready to take suggestions from readers regarding the questions about the candidates and Israel. The more obvious questions have already been used and it's time for innovation.

You can review all the questions we've already asked at survey results. Your suggestions for new questions should be sent to rosnersdomain@haaretz.co.il.

Soros

Remember the reports on the new left-leaning Jewish lobby? Back when it started, I wrote about a group of Leaders from several organizations and movements who are trying to raise funds and resources for the establishment of a new, strong and efficient body that would lobby the U.S. Congress and government to increase their involvement in solving the Arab-Israeli conflict peacefully.

Now, two things bothered the founders of this new lobby as the first reports about it began circulating. First, they said, it's not about confronting AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs Committee). Here's what I wrote about it: The real fuss surrounding the new group stems from the perceived challenge it poses to AIPAC, the prominent pro-Israel lobby group whose character is perceived by some of its more dovish members as being overly rightist. But the denials vis-a-vis the perceived challenge have been extensive.

Enter Gregory Levey in Salon on Tuesday, and here's what he has to say: That is where billionaire financier George Soros may come in, along with a group of other left-leaning philanthropists, many of them Jewish. In the relatively close-knit Middle East lobbying community, it is something of an open secret that this past September, Morton Halperin, who served in both the Nixon and Clinton administrations and is now director of U.S. advocacy for Soros' Open Society Institute, met with a group of lobbyists, political strategists and former politicians who are seeking to create a new well-funded, well-organized, left-leaning Israel lobby, as an alternative to AIPAC.

Alternative to AIPAC? Did they really tell him that? Levey, former speech writer for the Israeli government, say they did. And on the second thorny issue ? the Soros factor, how much of it is his lobby ? Levey is not afraid to say that "The idea by this point" has "labeled the 'Soros Initiative'" ? but also quote people who are still uncomfortable with the label, like Daniel Levy, who said that it is "a misnomer" even to call it the 'Soros Initiative,' because, as one of his allies said, it's not Soros' baby. He doesn't want to be out front on it.'"

There are no other major revelations in the article, but it reflects the difficulties still ahead for this group. My take on this hasn't changed: In any case, this initiative also has a positive aspect, which must be recognized by those who do not support its political grounding: Many American Jews who cannot identify with the existing pro-Israeli bodies have chosen to give up, disengage and alienate themselves. A new lobby, reflecting their worldview, would provide them with a convenient channel to express their sympathy for Israel. This is assuming, of course, that they are ready for the commitment.