mean being critical of the United States of America or its public, those who did and those who didn't vote for Obama. Also, being critical of Obama, for us, Israelis, doesn't mean that we are critical of his administration with regard to issues which don't touch Israel, both domestic and international. And we are certainly not critical of the person himself, whom we don't really know for the most part. Having said the above, there is much to be critical of Obama's approach to the Jewish people and its national homeland of Israel. His knowledge, understanding and appreciation - or lack thereof - of Jewish history, including the history of modern Zionism and the establishment of the state of Israel, and the Jewish people's affinity to the Land of Israel approaches zero. He has demonstrated his level of knowledge and understanding – or lack thereof - more than once, in speeches, demands of Israel and the analysis and handling of affairs in our region. It is also not entirely clear that his knowledge of the Arab world is any better, also demonstrated by his speeches as well as attempts to implement policies that with a bit more understanding, he should have known, could simply not be implemented in the Arab world, and not knowing to anticipate the reactions that he did when he attempted certain moves. With this background, coupled with ideological concepts derived from various sources, including those of Rev. Wright's, Rev. Jackson's and Min. Farakhan's, one can't but be critical of the Obama administration and the person who heads it. We can only hope that, being as intelligent as he appears to be, he will know to recognize his shortcomings and will correct them fast, before delivering a disaster to our region, with the best of intentions of course…

obama does not like israel: he was brought up in indonesia with a moslem stepfather and attended (though denied praying in ) mosques. his preacher (which he listened to for 20 years) preaches against america. he expels the jewish representatives from meetings and instead puts in a groups funded by arabs and anti-israel jews (j-street). the only difference between him an jimmy carter is that he does not says what he thinks. he still feels he needs to pretend not to not be our complete enemy in order to maintain his power. that will all chnage if (heavan forbid) he is re-elected.

...then he is a particularly treacherous friend.

the entire world is starting to see the real obama. obama had better wake up and start genuinely supporting peace and justice for the native palestinian people. the EU is already passing america in terms of economic output and political involvement in the peace process. american prestige is still in pretty bad shape because of its continued blind support for apartheid.

plus "Monroe Doctrine of 1823:Foreign affairs

Mr. Benhorin wrote: "All American Administrations since the Six-Day War, including George W. Bush’s Administration, objected to the settlements and endorsed the two-state solution." I am a thirty eight year (conservative) Republican who reluctantly voted for George W. Bush in 2000. After Mr. Bush unveiled his "vision" for a Muslim-enemy state in Israel's heartland he became my enemy. I did not vote to re-elect him in 2004. Neither was he "my" president after 9/11, after he betrayed Israel. Bush sold Israel out to our jihadist enemies. How much more is Obama my enemy? Let us be clear, America is a nation built on aggressive conquest, the ethnic cleansing of native peoples, expansive settlement, plunder, dispossession, etc., by white European interlopers. Who among the international community is complaining today? America's example is the history of the world. The Jews by contrast returned to their / our own historic homeland. Consequently, the Americans have a lot of nerve lecturing tiny Israel about the disposition of land; about giving up land to inveterate enemies; something the Americans would never contemplate themselves. The admission that "the Israeli public does not grasp the extent of Israel’s dependence on the US," lies at the heart of the problem. Were Israel's leaders foresighted and wise, they would work to gradually wean Israel off this unhealthy dependence on the US in a number of ways. If Israel does not begin this weaning process, she is headed for some mighty difficult days ahead. Do not be fooled. America is turning against Israel and will continue to do so as the months and the years progress. America has interests in the region. Israel and the Jews are increasingly seen as an obstacle to those interests.

...when all the laughter dies down, let us know how that turned out fer ya...

...President Obama is applying the Rule of Law equally to Israel for the first time in recent memory and I know that chafes your tender spots. And I just love how folks like you underestimate President Obama's intellect, particularly when it comes to the Middle East. I am quite sure that President Obama is aware that Israel became a state in 1948, and with that came a number of responsibilities, especially when Israel was allowed to enter the UN. Israel has yet to even comply with those responsibilities along with many more since then. I'm quite sure those dinners with Rashid Khalidi were quite enlightening. There's no doubt that President Obama has a far better grip on reality and the facts than you could ever hope to.

#2 (David NY) . has it exactly correct.Even Obama's "antisemitism" recent appointment is an anti-Israel J Street type.

Self-hating Americans like you have many things in common, for instance a poor understanding of history or current events. Fortunately, you're in the small minority.

B"H Just because ynetnews doesn't report certain news items and its editors censor some of my informative comments, as if to show "who is the boss here", doesn't mean that people don't know about American embassy interference in determining Knesset schedule (google "Kahane memorial" or "entry visa refusal for MK Ben Ari" or "Israeli spy Jonathan Pollard held in an American prison for 25 years now"). In times of Internet the old, bolshevic style control on information doesn't work any more, thank G-d.

"Israeli public does not grasp the extent of Israel’s dependence on the US, and takes the security and intelligence cooperation for granted. " how about 1 example of this...

you pointed so many mistakes of the obamadmisnistration that it seems it is "une équipe de bras cassés" (an amateur team)

Just completed hajj to Mecca. This president does not have Israel's security at heart. No American president ever has. We learned that in 1973. Learned it again after Israel took out the Osirac reactor in Baghdad. It's a good thing Israel's security does not depend on the United States. Of course, I do note that while no American soldier has ever been asked to place his life in jeopardy to ensure Israel's security, the same does not hold true for ensuring the security of Arabs and Moslems. Ten thousand dead and counting in Bosnia, Somalia, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, Iraq Redux, Afghanistan and now Waziristan and Pakistan. Come to think of it, Israel is better off without United States "security." Judging how the U.S. military has acquitted itself in its forays in the Arab and Islamic world --- the U.S. would just get in our way. A handful of barefoot warlords using World War II vintage weapons brought the U.S. to its knees in Somalia. With the entire United States Sixth Fleet anchored just off Mogadishu. Help like this, Israel does not need. Or want.

You say I have a poor understanding of history and current events, but you've not been specific. I'd like to read where or how you believe I am wrong about American history and current events. President Bush failed in so many respects; the most significant of which was that he failed as a self-professed Christian believer. Bush failed terribly as a Christian. In fact I would go so far as to say Bush mislead American Christians to think he was a faithful Christian conservative. Bush was no conservative. Neither was he a faithful Christian. I hold President Bush and his many millions of loyal supporters responible for the current mess in which America currently finds itself. Who do you hold responsible Chonny?

I'm inclined to agree with pretty much everything you have said, and thank you for your extremely insightful and articulate post. I disagree with you with respect to your characterization of Israel's dependence on the United States. Israel learned a very valuable lesson in 1973 -- when it refused to send needed spare parts to Israel and did not do so until Israel had turned the tide of battle and stood on the West Bank of the Suez Canal, poised to march on Cairo and, similarly, had the Syrians in full retreat, with Damascus well within shelling range. Since 1973, Israel's defense requirements are no longer dependent upon the largesse of the United States. A significant portion of U.S. foreign aid to Israel takes the form of military credits, which must be spent in the United States and whereby Israel is obligated to make available to the United States all improvements. Which Israel has done, considerably to the benefit of the United States. Another significant portion of U.S. aid to Israel takes the form of joint venture investment capital. While the most impressive results to these U.S.-Israel joint ventures have been in medicine and in information technology, the military sector has benefited as well, so much so that the United States purchases weapons systems from Israel. Right now, America is severely over-extended militarily. Iraq, Afghanistan -- and now Waziristan and Pakistan takes up a huge amount of America's available troop strength. There is a qualitative issue as well -- an all-volunteer military attracts a particular type; the draft IS missed. The U.S. maintains an extensive deployment throughout the Middle East, in non-combat situations -- Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, the Emirates, Turkey, Uzbekistan -- and probably more than I don't know about. Moreover, the U.S. has quietly doubled the number of troops deployed in South Korea (North Korea is more of a threat than is realized). Iran must be dealt with, and the United States knows it -- as has been the case since the Korean War, the people of the United States have no stomach for long, drawn-out wars which have produced mixed results. The foregoing notwithstanding, the American president should be focusing more on the worsening domestic situation -- the U.S. not in good shape, and we know this. I, for one, found Obama's program of Israel-bashing, and his excessive zeal with respect to settlements which are quite legal under international law most distasteful. I am Jewish, but I know plenty of non-Jews who were quite offended by Obama's policy of appeasement of terrorists and his hands-across-the-ocean-in-friendship policy toward ruthless Arab and Islamic regimes. We don't like them. We know exactly who is responsible for the events of September 11, 2001, as well as prior acts against the United states (the bombing of two U.S. Embassies, the bombing of the USS COLE, et cetera). This president's approval rating and popularity rating have plummeted like a stone. He has inherited a mess in the Middle East, and has dug himself an even deeper mess. Right now, believe it or not, the United States needs Israel far ore than Israel needs the United States. Really.

changed: Demonizing Israel; Delegitimize it; Demanding of Israel standards not demanded of anyone else.

- AND THERFORE AN PERIL TO ISRAEL. IF AN UNMATURED, GETS MORE POWER, THAN HE IS MATURED TO HANDLE, AND BECAUSE OF THAT POWER, FORCES HIS WAYS ON OTHERS, HE IS AN HOSTILE ENEMY, ALBAIT IGNORANT OF THAT HIMSELF. OBAMA IS IN HIS IGNORANCE A FOOL !!!. AND TO LET FOOLS RUN BUISINESSES , IS ALWAYS DANGEROUS. HE WILL CAUSE DISASTER, WORSE THAN CLINTON. Arn-Orao.

more 'democratic' pastures, in the Arab press, in Beirut, Ramallah, Amman or Cairo, as it has been invited to do by various posters. Maybe him being a German Catholic has been in the way?

Benhorin does not know what he is talking about pertaining to Obama. The fact is the latter is worst than Carter. He has a personal agenda that is instigated by his personal close friend and adviser-a vitriolic AntiSemite-Islamist-Jihadist intellectual-Rashid Khalidi and is obsessed in crusading Jihadism on Israel. No other American President has ever been so obsessed. This is largely due to his background and associations. It is wrong to assume that Israel is dependent on America. The fact is America is dependent on Israel in all areas of interests-science and technology, intelligence, regional security and stability, counterbalancing of competing global powers, and deterrence. Israel is also the only Democracy in a sea of dark forces in the region. Israel and America have shared Judeo-Christian values. And Israel is the only reliable friend and Ally of America in the region. These are America's national security interests. Obama's personal agenda may be in conflict with America's national security interests. Israel needs to know this and expose it to the American people. Crusading his personal agenda tainted in the ideology of Islamist-Jihadism will prove Obama's political downfall and a free fall for the Democrats in the coming elections in 2010 and 2012. This will be the price the Democrat will pay for having a rookie with questionable background and associations as their candidate and leader.

I can see you are knowledgeable of and interested in the details, to your credit. I am looking at the larger picture. We know for instance, during the nineteen fifties the US imposed a punitive arms embargo on Israel, during the Truman and Eisenhower administrations. Israel managed to survive without US largess. Kennedy sold some advanced jet fighters to Israel. It was in the aftermath of the 1967 Six Day War and as as you say the 1973 Yom Kippur War that the US began infusing significant aid to the Jewish state. Why? Officials in Washington, particularly the US State Department, were pretty certain Israel would not survive the overwhelming Muslim-Arab onslaught; "Israel's days are numbered" was the thinking. These two wars significantly undermined this notion. My concern is this. America does not give aid gratis. Diplomats who are honest acknowledge foreign aid buys influence. There are strings attached. The US demands immoral, even suicidal concessions from Israel in return. This is why Israel must wean herself from this unhealthy dependency. We see leaders in Israel calling the former president "Israel's best friend ever," and the current prime minister routinely referring to Obama as a good friend. To me this is very troubling. I don't enjoy watching Israel's leaders abasing themselves in Washington, in the White House, like schnorers. America has interests in the region. In my view, the Jews are expendable. PM Netanyahu is has an abiding faith and confidence in the Americans. Though America is in steep decline, she is still a powerful nation. This faith and confidence in America and her good will on the part of Israel's leaders is very troubling to me as Jew. It should be troubling to Christian supporters of Israel as well.

...how many wingnuts here believe that Israel does not need the US for security? Do you not understand the damage that this particular wingnut, Sarah B., does when she writes comments like the following: "It's a good thing Israel's security does not depend on the United States." Sarah B. and those of her ilk are the number one reason that I, as an American, want my government to terminate every dime's worth of military aid (don't bother telling me it all comes back, it does not) - but not only that, there should be a Presidential directive, and Executive Order, making it illegal for a US national to send one thin dime to fund Israel's illegal colonial enterprise in the occupied territories. Reagan held back aid, so did Bush senior, keep on pushing President Obama and listening to Sarah B. She does not have Israel's true best interests at heart. She's a Muslim hater, nothing more. Her tangential mention of the President's mother proves she is evil. Push those like her away Israel, before it is too late.

of showing that either myself nor Matty is writing anything even vaguely antisemitic. I've never seen anything from Matty that's antisemitic. I don't know about Matty, but to that end I made it a policy years ago to never even offer an example of real antisemitism because I simply don't ever want to be associated with it, even by countering the many wrong examples promulgated by people like you, in forums like these. Both you and Shulamit are just making things up. Like this "German Catholic" thing. I'm an atheist, I don't know what Matty is and I don't care anymore than I care what religion you have or don't have. But I can read and Matty says he is not "German Catholic". In addition, what does the "Arab press, in Beirut, Ramallah, Amman or Cairo" have to do with this article about President Obama and Israel? That's right, nothing. Because these wingnuts do not have the intellect to focus on facts, nope, they just make things up and somehow believe that helps Israel and its image around the world. I'm literally here to tell ya, they are making it worse for Israel. Y'all need to start better policing your wingnuts. We keep ours corralled up at FoxNews.

...clearly you just have never paid attention because I have yet to see you get one right. So here, let me fix it for you. In an article with Jeffry Goldberg: "Goldberg: "Do you think that Israel is a drag on America's reputation overseas?" Obama: "No, no, no. But what I think is that this constant wound, that this constant sore, does infect all of our foreign policy. The lack of a resolution to this problem provides an excuse for anti-American militant jihadists to engage in inexcusable actions, and so we have a national security interest in solving this, and I also believe that Israel has a security interest in solving this because I believe that the status quo is unsustainable.'" That's funny, his answer sounds exactly like what I have been telling you for years. Cool huh? So now that you know that President Obama is indeed working on the root problem of the jihadis you search for under your bed every night, you can stop lying about him.

But of course this being singles out the Jewish people of all other peoples to be denied its right to exercise the right of national self-determination and independence afforded all other peoples. Instead, it persistently demonizes this people's national home, Israel, and attempt to de-legitimize it, and obsessively holding it to standards not applied to any other people or any other state. And he still claim not to be anti-Jewish, anti-Semite, and despite its previous admission of having attended a German Catholic school and having graduated from it, this being denies it now. Wow!

Israelis have no one but themselves to blame for the current " patron -client" status it finds itself in with the US. As an enclave-sized state of limited resources and population, surrounded by eternal enemies sworn to her destruction, it was inevitable that Israel would seek a powerful patron and umbrella that could provide the very best in economic, political, and military advantages over the decades. But nothing in this life is free, and moments will come when the US will seek to balance those long years of largesse & open hands. Even Sarah, with all that "uber patriot" chest beating from the ramparts, (as much as I like her vibe & get a kick out of it) can ignore or dismiss the reality of the ties that bind and oblige. There is no "going it alone" or "dwelling in splendid isolation" for Israel. Israel will have to bend somewhat to the pressure from the Obama administration during the next few years, and it's only a question of how far, and to what degree. I tend to favor Israel in most matters, but this a truth that is unavoidable. Realpolitik.

...it never has, never will. Israelis, not just Jews you racist, all Israelis, have every right to self-determination and independence. Within their own borders! The US has no intention of moving the citizens of Trenton, New Jersey to Falluja, Iraq, or Kabul, Afghanistan. It would be illegal anyway as we all full well know. I am fully in favor of a safe and secure Israel, within its own borders! What part of this fact that is true all around the world do you not get? It has nothing to do with religion! I do not care what religion a person is in these debates, it has no (or should have no) bearing on a GOVERNMENT'S actions. About sixty percent of Israelis agree with me on a two state solution. For that matter 64% favor *direct* talks with Hamas. (Like Obama and Iran) You don't even read the articles here and elsewhere do you? Have you ever done the slightest research? Do you know what kind of damage your misinformation does to Israel? P.S. I'm BBSNews, not Matty.

Hello, fellow posters, BBS is a permanent resident on Haaretz where he is peddling his crap 24/7 to the attentive Communist-Neonazi crowd. Matty Groves, - formerly from "Afghanistan" - is jumping from one Jewish forum to the next - regurgitating all the Antisemitic garbage he/she can find in the trash. These two creep spend all their times on Jewish forums, reading and vomiting their primitive garbage while their head is deeply immersed in the Messiah Joker's behind. The Chicago thug is their true voice for the Moon-God. Ha Ha Ha! What a miserable sustenance of life bashing the Jews as the only achievement they can be proud of.