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Last update - 15:43 01/11/2008
Former World Jewish Congress chief Bronfman endorses 'tough idealist' Obama
By Haaretz Service
Tags: Israel News, Barack Obama 

Barack Obama gained the support of one of the Jewish world's most prominent leaders Friday, when Canadian philanthropist Edgar M. Bronfman gave the Democratic presidential candidate his endorsement.

In a column on the Huffingtonpost, Bronfman asserted that Obama is the candidate who will act in the best interest of Israel. Of Obama's Republican rival, the philanthropist said: "As an American Jew who loves Israel, I cannot support John McCain."

Bronfman, a former head of the World Jewish Congress, wrote in the piece titled "Israel's Best Interest is a Morally Strong America" that an honest broker was needed to push Israelis and Palestinians toward a two-state solution.
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He said the Illinois senator could fill this role, being "a tough idealist who has the courage to imagine an America that may inspire hope, not fear, in the Middle East and around the world."

Conversely, Bronfman scathingly criticized President George W. Bush's policies in the region, which he said McCain would continue, as only increasing the dangers Israel faces from its enemies. The philanthropist said the most immediate of them was from a nuclear Iran, adding that, "Under the Bush administration, conversations with the Iranians began only at the end of May 2007 and have been badly mishandled."

Bronfman, 79, is best known in the financial world as the owner for many years of Seagram's Whiskey. He recently published a book, "Hope, Not Fear," in which he preaches for comprehensive reform of the content of Jewish life, and calls for changes in the conduct of its religious streams - particularly in the relationships between them.



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      1.   Is he right? 19:15  |  JW 31/10/08
      2.   An Idealist, So was Napoleon!!!!!!!!!! 19:19  |  Ben Lolo 31/10/08
      3.   ALL HIS CHILDREN MARRIED NON-JEWS... 19:24  |  Joel Stein 31/10/08
      4.   What a Joke! 19:49  |  Ben Packer 31/10/08
      5.   SUPPORT OF OBAMA 19:52  |  CA WALTRIP 31/10/08
      6.   Hope in instead of endless cynicism 19:56  |  Robert 31/10/08
      7.   Bronfman as McCain gets senile 20:24  |  z 31/10/08
      8.   edgar bronfman endorses OBAMA 20:25  |  Miriam 31/10/08
      9.   Pushing Israel is not what is needed 20:49  |  Dan Chazan 31/10/08
      10.   Jewish Realism, Inteligence & Morality 21:01  |  PunditRich 31/10/08
      11.   There are two kinds of Jews who endorse Obama 21:02  |  Gene 31/10/08
      12.   Another Jewish Fool 21:03  |  Tod Zuckerman 31/10/08
      13.   Mr. Bronfman 22:07  |  Harry 31/10/08
      14.   Ridiculous 22:17  |  guy 31/10/08
      15.   Endorsing Obama? 23:23  |  Brod 31/10/08
      16.   Bronfman 23:49  |  Jason 31/10/08
      17.   Bronfman endorsement of Obama 00:12  |  Allen 01/11/08
      18.   Yes Gene.... 00:17  |  Meir Moses 01/11/08
      19.   elite cosmopolites aren`t Israel`s friends 00:31  |  Amy 01/11/08
      20.   OT: What Sussex plans to do with Sarah Palin 00:37  |  Clickfool 01/11/08
      21.   For Gene, on "Real" Jews # 4 00:41  |  Clickfool 01/11/08
      22.   Apparently he imbibes his production - Huffingtonpost?! 01:02  |  17 01/11/08
      23.   Well come Who ever willpush for 2 St Israel Jewish Jordan Pales S 01:29  |  e.m.Jordan is Palest 01/11/08
      24.   In the "super right-wing" Israel of 2008..... 01:47  |  Swiss (Dino) 01/11/08
      25.   Israel doesnt need anyone to push Israel into anything! 01:50  |  A|an SA 01/11/08
      26.   Only a "super left wing" Dino can call Livni "super right" 02:23  |  Rob AA 01/11/08
      27.   OF COURSE HE WOULD ENDORSE OBAMA 03:25  |  indrajaya 01/11/08
      28.   Looks a lot like jumping on the bandwagon to me 04:27  |  Bitin Dawg 01/11/08
      29.   No surprise. 05:32  |  Mark Lincoln 01/11/08
      30.   Same ole stale, failed leftist rhetoric! 06:19  |  Mark 01/11/08
      31.   known by the company he keeps 06:35  |  Georges Makhtouf 01/11/08
      32.   # 30, MARK 06:51  |  indrajaya 01/11/08
      33.   Pushing Israel to commit suicide 07:42  |  Gregor 01/11/08
      34.   Bronfman - Too little, too late! 10:50  |  Manny Goldstein 01/11/08
      35.   As for the quality of the opposition to Obama... 11:02  |  Esther 01/11/08
      36.   # 27 Indy And you`re an expert in Indonesia? 13:02  |  Petra 01/11/08
      37.   Manny #34 13:03  |  Esther 01/11/08
      38.   # 35 Really? Tony Rezko? Rasheed Kahlidi? Wright? Farrakhan? 13:04  |  Petra 01/11/08
      39.   Napoleon broke down the walls of Europe`s ghettos 15:20  |  Steve G 01/11/08
      40.   CALL ME ON THE 5TH NOVEMBER EDGAR 16:09  |  victor hardman 01/11/08
      41.   Bronfman`s nationality 16:16  |  hollingsworth 01/11/08
      42.   oh thank you Oligarch Bronfman 17:33  |  Shlomo 01/11/08
      43.   Edgar Bronfman`s correct and timely endorsement of Obama 17:45  |  Mehr Kalami 01/11/08
      44.   #29 Mark Lincoln....so, half of the US are traitors? 17:59  |  Lynn 01/11/08
      45.   Money launderer Bronfman`s trying to be nice to prospected winner 18:37  |  Aounist 01/11/08
      46.   Too Much Of his product? 18:49  |  Ray 01/11/08
      47.   Bravo Bronfman, bravo Barack Obama! 22:14  |  Ivar 01/11/08
      48.   #40 Hey Paul Harris 22:56  |  ballistic 01/11/08
      49.   #38 Petra 22:59  |  ballistic 01/11/08
      50.   Victor Hardman 01:20  |  Mark Lincoln 02/11/08
      51.   Why so much hatred toward Obama? 18:06  |  Gabriel 02/11/08
      52.   Edgar Bronfman:incorrect and inappropriate 20:13  |  Alan 02/11/08
      53.   perceptions vs. facts 22:36  |  hollingsworth 02/11/08
      54.   ballistic---Obama`s Civilian National Security Force 16:31  |  Patrick Warner 04/11/08
      55.   Mark Lincoln is a moron 20:23  |  hollingsworth 04/11/08
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