I think if were truly honest with ourselves RACE always plays a factor just like many people would not accept a Black President in the USA and I am sure Israel would not accept a Black Prime Minister even if he could claim his Jewishness and his right to live in Israel...
This is Arik Ze'evi, who just won the bronze in judo for Israel. Do we know what his race is exactly? Who cares. Israelis have risked their lives to bring Ethiopian Jews, Yemenite Jews and others to Israel. It was never about color.