Allies of Palestinians see a friend in Barack Obama

[oberliner]

CHICAGO -- It was a celebration of Palestinian culture -- a night of music, dancing and a dash of politics. Local Arab Americans were bidding farewell to Rashid Khalidi, an internationally known scholar, critic of Israel and advocate for Palestinian rights, who was leaving town for a job in New York.

A special tribute came from Khalidi's friend and frequent dinner companion, the young state Sen. Barack Obama. Speaking to the crowd, Obama reminisced about meals prepared by Khalidi's wife, Mona, and conversations that had challenged his thinking.

His many talks with the Khalidis, Obama said, had been "consistent reminders to me of my own blind spots and my own biases. . . . It's for that reason that I'm hoping that, for many years to come, we continue that conversation -- a conversation that is necessary not just around Mona and Rashid's dinner table," but around "this entire world."

Today, five years later, Obama is a U.S. senator from Illinois who expresses a firmly pro-Israel view of Middle East politics, pleasing many of the Jewish leaders and advocates for Israel whom he is courting in his presidential campaign. The dinner conversations he had envisioned with his Palestinian American friend have ended. He and Khalidi have seen each other only fleetingly in recent years.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-obamamideast10apr10,0,2195251.story

[Vegasaurus]

1. Obama won't speak to Hamas either

recognizing them as the terrorist group they are.

[ProgressiveMuslim]

2. He's a fool too, as are all who support that absurd policy. nt

[Vegasaurus]

3. If you think Obama is a fool

I wonder what you think of hillary or McCain!

There is no US politician who will support Hamas over Israel. You may think it is absurd or foolish, but those are the facts.

Hamas is a terrorist organization, sworn to the destruction of Israel, one of the US's most important allies.

No presidential candidate, who has any hope of getting elected, will choose to align himself/herself with Hamas.

[ProgressiveMuslim]

4. It's not a matter of support

but I don't expect you to be able to discern that.

So, Vegasaurus, what's the most informative thing you've read on the conflict lately?

[barb162]

5. Very interesting....