Posted on 03/29/2010 4:26:46 PM PDT by onyx
The Obama administrations celebration of Passover is taking place amid criticism of its Israel policies.
The Israel Project, an organization that backs Israel through direct engagement with the media, said the administration has not done enough to engage in rapprochement with Israel to ease tensions between the two nations.
The group has urged its supporters to write members of Congress in a fundraising e-mail and launched a television ad campaign in the Washington, D.C. area.
"There are still some substantive issues that need to be addressed and we still have some concerns," Jennifer Mizrahi, president of The Israel Project, said in a phone interview.
President Barack Obama was widely seen as snubbing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyhau during the latters visit to Washington last week.
Netanyahus visit to the White House included neither a press conference nor a photo opportunity, which usually occur when a foreign head of state visits America.
Obama also reportedly left his meeting with Netanyahu to eat dinner in private, something viewed as a major snub in Israel.
"The prime minister leaves America disgraced, isolated and altogether weaker than when he came, the Israeli daily newspaper Haaretz, which leans to the left, wrote last week.
Obama was upset over Israels announcement earlier this month that it was constructing new settlements in East Jerusalem, which Israel claims as part of its capital but the Palestinians want as a capital city for a future state. The announcement was made during a visit to Israel by Vice President Joe Biden.
The timing reportedly angered Obama, who saw it as a slap against his administration. In order to restart stalled peace negotiations between the Israelis and Palestinians, the U.S. has requested that Israel put a blanket freeze on settlement construction in Palestinian territories.
The historic diplomatic tiff has spilled over into the Passover holiday, which begins Monday night. President Barack Obama and some members of his staff will also participate in a traditional Passover meal, called a "Seder," at the White House Monday night.
On Passover, Jews commemorate the ancient Israelites exodus from slavery in Egypt to freedom in what is now Israel.
The Israel Projects fundraising is a norm for Passover, when many Jewish and pro-Israel groups schedule public campaigns. But the timing was also notable because of the tiff between Obama and Netanyahu, who is scheduled to return to the United States on April 12.
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Stunning!!!!
I wonder if he plans to blow the chauffeur.
FYI - your Passover is actually Obama’s.
Why would a Christian celebrate passover?
Obummer shoulda been an Egyptian when first Passover happened.
I know at least a few schmendricks who’ll say “see, the man even has his OWN seder. What more proof do you need that he’s pro-Israel? So don’t give me any more of your right-wing, racist, tea party drek!”
No you piece of crap "reporter. They want to freeze construction in the capital of Israel, Jerusalem. These are not settlements. They are not in "Palestinian territories", whatever that is.
I’m only interested in his passing, the sooner the better!
Unbelievable chutzpah.
Is this from the onion?
FUBO
"This oughta bamboozle America's Jewish liberals for another couple of months!"
You BAD!!!! but very funny and probably accurate...
.
Where are the photos?
LLS
I never did understand why Christians don’t celebrate passover. Jesus celebrated it before he was crucified.
It's a cinch.
We regularly celebrate the last supper, which was the passover meal. However, the passover lamb is no longer necessary. Jesus did once and for all what the lamb did each year for each owner.
Traditionally a man's children are involved in the Seder.
Wonder if the Obama children will be present to see and understand the 5,000 + year old tradition of the celebration the Jews being delivered from slavery and given the hope of the promised land.
The very land their father would love to hand over to the white trash of the Middle East, the Palestinians
The very fact he will participate in a Seder should bring a bright burning angry for the Jewish people
You are right! I wonder what Messianic Jews do.
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