Obama in Israel

[IndianaGreen]

Here is the view from Israel (Haaretz) and the importance all Israelis give to Obama's visit:

Israeli officials attribute great significance to Obama's visit. The preparations for his visit have been much more intensive than those for that of Obama's Republican counterpart, John McCain, a few months ago.

Obama's large entourage includes his Middle East advisers Dennis Ross and Daniel Kurtzer, both of whom have close ties with Israel and the PA. The press corps traveling with Obama consists of about 100 U.S. and foreign journalists.

The senator is to have breakfast this morning with Defense Minister Ehud Barak, followed immediately by a meeting with opposition leader and Likud chairman MK Benjamin Netanyahu.

After that, Obama is to go to the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial, where he will be given a tour of the museum and lay a wreath at the Hall of Remembrance.

Obama's will end his morning with a meeting with President Shimon Peres at the President's Residence.

Wednesday afternoon, Obama will travel to the Muqata in Ramallah for a meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas before returning to Jerusalem for a brief meeting with Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni. Following their meeting, Obama and Livni will be joined by Defense Minister Ehud Barak for a helicopter tour of the "seam" between Israel and the West Bank.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1004496.html

Bush has been AWOL for nearly 8 years. We need Obama in the White House if we want peace in the Middle East.

[babylonsister]

1. Can you even believe this agenda by Obama? I really admire him.

He's 'getting it done', as they say. He is on a mission, and I'm very impressed, again.

[IndianaGreen]

2. Meanwhile the Chimp is talking about Wall Street being "drunk."

while McFossil is practically accusing Obama of supporting Al-Qaeda. November can't get here fast enough for me!

[babylonsister]

4. No kidding!

After the grueling primary, I'm 'almost' ready to see it over.

But then, there's Germany Thursday and the happiness of Europeans, the Dem Convention, the debates... I want there to not be a shadow of a doubt that everyone in this country needs to vote for him. That should do it. :D

[Rosa Luxemburg]

3. Obama's motto should be 'Getting Things Done'

Obama has an incredibly high Jewish vote!

(the problem is with the predom. RW Isreali government not the Israeli people. Most of them want peace and I think Obama can give them peace.

[scarletwoman]

5. Meeting with Netanyahu but not with Olmert?

I suppose Olmert doesn't want to offend his BFF Bush, but Netanyahu -- ugh. Likud/PNAC/neocon all the way. I'm sure it's good politics, but -- ugh.

sw

[IndianaGreen]

6. Obama is also meeting Olmert and Shimon Peres

The Iranian issue is expected to be a central focus of the talks Obama will hold with the top tier of Israel's leadership, including President Shimon Peres, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Defense Minister Ehud Barak, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, Public Security Minister Avi Dichter and opposition leader Binyamin Netanyahu.

http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1215331060115&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull

Keep in mind that Olmert is in legal jeopardy and may be forced to step down before the year is out.

[babylonsister]

7. The AP doesn't totally suck..

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5giFJHDWVc-7JEA1oBY0rEmZ-muqAD9238BA80

snip//

In addition to Abbas, Obama's meeting list for the day includes Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and members of his Cabinet as well as Benjamin Netanyahu, head of the opposition Likud party and a former prime minister.

At the news conference, Obama alluded to the internal domestic problems facing Olmert, who is accused of corruption, and the political schism among Palestinians.

"One of the difficulties that we have right now is that in order to make those compromises you have to have strong support from your people, and the Israeli government right now is unsettled," he said. "You know, the Palestinians are divided between Fatah and Hamas."

He compared the existing circumstances with those that permitted Egyptian President Anwar Sadat and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin to sign a peace treaty in 1979.

"Those leaders were in a much stronger position to initiate that kind of peace," Obama said.