JERUSALEM (AP):Israelis yesterday welcomed Barack Obama's impassioned speech to Jewish political activists in Washington, predicting it could mark a turning point in the way previously suspicious Israelis viewed the Democratic presidential candidate.
But some of Obama's comments angered the Palestinian leadership, which has been hoping that Obama might bring a more even-handed approach to the conflict than President George W. Bush.
'Unbreakable' bond
Obama told the American Israel Public Affairs Committee on Wednesday that the bond between Israel and the United States was "unbreakable" and that as president "I will never compromise when it comes to Israel's security".
Unlike John McCain and Hillary Clinton, Obama is a relative unknown in Israel and many have wondered if he shared the staunch pro-Israel stances of the other presidential hopefuls.
His stated willingness to speak with Israel's arch-enemy, Iran, has irked many Israelis, while others have been deterred by rumours that Obama, whose middle name is Hussein, is a closet Muslim, and because his former pastor praised black Muslim leader Louis Farrakhan, who has made anti-Semitic remarks. Obama, a devout Christian, has disavowed the pastor's remarks and later stepped down from that church.
Yesterday's papers in Israel all featured Obama on their covers, with one headline blaring 'A hug for Israel', and another quoting Obama as saying "Israel's security is sacrosanct".
Danny Ayalon, a former Israeli ambassador to the US, said the more Israelis got to know Obama, the more they would feel comfortable with him as president.
Very comfortable
"McCain and Clinton are known quantities for many years, so Israelis were very comfortable with them," he said. "In light of his (Obama's) rhetoric yesterday at AIPAC and other places, it will allay a lot of fears."
In his speech, Obama cited e-mails that circulated recently with false accusations about his alleged antagonism to Israel. "Let me know if you see this guy named Barack Obama because he sounds pretty scary," he told the crowd.
