'Obama, come to the square'

Mayor invites Obama to Tel Aviv

Ron Huldai joins thousands of Israelis who call on US president to speak at Tel Aviv's Rabin Square

Gilad Morag|Published: 02.11.13 , 23:07

Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai is joining thousands of Israelis who are calling on US President Barack Obama to speak at the city's Rabin Square.

"Like many others, I too am excited by the news of the upcoming visit of President Barak Obama in Israel," he wrote on his Facebook page.

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"Shortly after the White House announced the visit, many Israelis raised their hope that the President will speak to the Israeli public, here in Tel Aviv's main square. I join these voices."

The initiative has already received more than 8,000 likes on Facebook. It aims to persuade Obama to speak to hundreds of thousands of Israelis at Rabin Square.

Facebook initiative

"Just as President Obama spoke to large audiences in other parts of the world, I would be happy and honored to invite him to Tel Aviv-Yafo where he is welcome to address the Israeli public at Rabin Square – a location that is a symbol of the Israeli Democracy and of our ongoing desire to live a peaceful and normal life," Huldai wrote.

One of the people behind the initiative is Peace Now Secretary-General Yariv Oppenheimer who said that there "is a significant voice in the Israeli public that needs to be heard."

He hopes that with tens of thousands of likes the page would attract the attention of world media "and perhaps even Obama himself."

Ad for Facebook campaign

Oppenheimer revealed that Peace Now is planning to hold a large rally at the square during Obama's visit which he said was a "historic opportunity to bring the peace camp back to the streets."

Huldai's deputy, Arnon Giladi (Likud) is not so keen on the idea. "I share the mayor's excitement over the president's visit but I think this is no more than a gimmick," he said.

"Talks and political moves do not belong on stages meant for concerts and rallies. The government must be left to run state matters and foreign relations."

'Let's ruin Left's plans'

Obama is also being invited to Samaria. A right-wing Facebook page titled "Obama come to Samaria" has thus far received 800 likes.

"If we get tens of thousands more people on board there is a good chance that Obama will calm down and not listen to the leftist madness. Let's try to do something big and ruin the Left's plans," the page stated.

Shmulik Fixman of the Shomron Settlers' Committee said, "I have nothing against leftist activists but let him come to the other side of the country. If we're talking about peace, here is where the conflict with the Arabs is. There are no Arabs at Rabin Square."