Subscribe to Print Edition | Fri., October 31, 2008 Cheshvan 2, 5769 | | Israel Time: 06:48 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Haaretz Toolbar Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Car Rental Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate U.S. election Travel Week's End Anglo File

Internet clip has Israeli bigwigs supporting Obama campaign By Asaf Carmel Tags: U.S. elections, Israel  A clip has recently been shot for the Internet in which a number of prominent Israelis express their faith in the commitment to Israel of presumptive U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama. Among the public figures to appear on the clip, which is to air in three weeks, are former Israeli Defense Forces chief of staff Amnon Lipkin-Shahak, former MKs Roman Bronfman and Naomi Hazan, Haaretz publisher Amos Schocken and the actor Moshe Ivgi. The clip is the brainchild of Alma Harel, an Israeli living in Los Angeles. "The idea came up when the Republicans started using the politics of fear to scare people away from voting for Obama," Harel said yesterday. It saddened me that many Israelis and Jews were scared away from voting for Obama because his middle name is Hussein. So I decided to go to Israel and show that people there are not afraid of Obama." "I said that I believe Obama, like every U.S. president, will be commited to Israel's security," Lipkin-Shahak said. Hazan called it "hutzpah" to doubt Obama's commitment to Israel. Schocken's remarks were in a similar vein. "I believe in Obama's commitment to Israel's security. We don't need another George Bush in the White House." Bronfman said the world needed bridge-builders, rather than those who blow them up, and "Obama certainly appears to be such a leader, trying to build bridges between East and West, between the rich and the poor." All the figures in the clip are on the left of Israel's political map. Harel says she also lined up five prominent right-wing individuals to express support for Obama, however, "at the last minute they decided to keep their support to themselves out of concern that their voters and contributors wouldn't like it." Still, Harel, who made the clip while in Israel for the release of the new movie "Death in Love," which she co-directed with her husband Boaz Yakin, says the movie is not leftist. "I also interviewed a lot of people on the street in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, some right-wing and Orthodox, who said they supported Obama," she said. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Interview with a killer Yigal Amir describes how the idea to assassinate Yitzhak Rabin came about. Absentees for McCain Exit poll reveals U.S. absentee voters in Israel back McCain over Obama by 3-1.   1.   Not because of Hussein. Because of his friends 16:18  |  semsem 23/07/08   2.   These are our `Big Wigs` lol? 17:23  |  saus 23/07/08   3.   These big-wigs are left wing supporters of Peace Now etc 17:55  |  redmike 23/07/08   4.   I care about his lack of experience, not his middle name!! Duh! 18:13  |  Jewish State 23/07/08   5.   FACTOR RELIGIOUS DIFFERENCES 19:48  |  Barry S. Roffman 23/07/08   6.   Media cult brainwash, world loses its mind 20:58  |  Jonas Menchik 23/07/08   7.   #6 Yes Jonas 19:19  |  ballistic 26/07/08   8.   Support 01:48  |  Joseph 31/10/08   9.   Internet clip has Israeli bigwigs supporting Obama campaign 06:36  |  emile tubiana 31/10/08

Read & React Lieberman: Mubarak can 'go to hell'; Peres, Olmert apologize Responses: 161 Poll: Absentee voters in Israel back McCain over Obama by 3-1 Responses: 146 Meron Benvenisti: Peres Center training Palestinians to accept Jewish superiority Responses: 61 Barak cuts services to outposts in response to settler violence Responses: 82 Ari Shavit: The next government will not bring Israel to peace Responses: 60 More Headlines 02:33 Olmert intends to resume indirect talks with Syria 23:54 Report: Syria cuts diplomatic ties with Iraq over U.S. raid 02:16 UN watchdog: Iran holding secret tests to advance nuclear program 04:24 Hebron settlers present court with tape to settle ownership of disputed house 22:41 Yigal Amir describes how idea to murder Rabin came about 00:15 Goering's grandniece seeks closure in Israel 03:20 Holocaust denier Irving reportedly considered for 'Celebrity Big Brother' 06:01 Brothels forbid prostitutes to use condoms to prevent evidence 06:23 Son awaits trial for trying to kill mother in act he insists was mercy killing 03:56 Olmert intervenes, allocates more money to higher education 01:45 Government opposes law to fund therapy for child sex victims 18:23 Jewish delegate to Vatican: Pope ignored request to freeze Pius XII sainthood 20:44 UN Chief urges Hezbollah to turn from militia to political party Previous Editions Select Day 30 oct 29 oct 28 oct 27 oct 26 oct 24 oct 23 oct 22 oct 21 oct 20 oct 19 oct 17 oct

Special Offers Advertisement Living in Israel Studying in English Click & Meet our students from all around the world Dan Boutique Jerusalem New Dan Hotel in Jerusalem Young, Fun & Distinctively Dan Book Now Online! Fattal Hotel Chain Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel. Car rental in Israel Shlomo Sixt Receive $15.00 from our low rates. Dial 013 for your long-distance calls and get all your money back US CITIZENS Vote for real change. Request your ballot today! Eldan Rent a Car Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations Jewish Singles Personal Ads Find the love of your life on JDate.com Israel's Premier Real Estate Website www. israel-property.com Hebrew Summer courses From $39.95 Junkyard Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt

Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |

Real Estate in Israel | Travel to Israel with Haaretz | Hotels Israel | Restaurants Israel | Tourist attractions Israel | Shops Israel

birthright Israel | Search engine marketing

Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.

© Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved