Barack Obama heckled as he visits Western Wall

London Times ^ | July 24, 2008 | James Hider and Tim Reid

[Zakeet]

Barack Obama completed his trip to the Middle East with a pre-dawn visit to the holiest place in Judaism where he received a mixed reaction from Orthodox Jews.

The US presidential nominee was heckled as he visited the Western Wall in the early hours of Thursday morning, bowing his head in prayer and observing traditional custom by placing a folded piece of paper into the crevice of the wall.

Orthodox men interrupted their morning prayers to catch a glimpse of the Illinois senator, reaching out to shake his hand as he passed them by. But not all were taken by the Democrat. One yelled out: “Obama, Jerusalem is not for sale!” before Mr Obama was whisked away to his waiting plane.

Mr Obama’s visit to the wall ended a packed trip to Israel during which he also stopped at the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial and visited a house hit by Hamas rockets.

During his week-long tour of the Middle East Mr Obama met Ehud Olmert, the Israeli Prime Minister, Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian President, and King Abdullah II of Jordan.

He now travels to Europe where he will visit Germany, France and England.

[OKSooner]

Western Wall or Wailing Wall?

[uptoolate]

I would have liked for him to have visited with the Jews BEFORE visiting with Hamas.

[autumnraine]

I hate that, but it’s true. I have doubted an apocolypse or an antichrist, but even I have to take notice of the oddity of all of these things and the symbols they are taking on.

[ml/nj]

observing traditional custom by placing a folded piece of paper into the crevice of the wall

I'm not sure how traditional it is. I've stood there with a siddur in one hand and my other hand on the wall. I'll probably do this again next month, b'ezrat Hashem. I've never seen any of the obvious Kotel regulars stick anything in the wall. My own impression is that the note in the wall thing is sort of like writing to Santa Claus.

ML/NJ

[ml/nj]

The Democrat Jewish vote is a lock for Obama as it always is for the Dims.

I wouldn't be so sure. I know quite a few who would NEVER vote for Obama. Some will vote for McCain. Others will vote for Nader; and still others will stay home. Obama's percentage of the Jewish vote will be the lowest, by far, of any Democratic nominee in a long time, or possibly ever. I wouldn't even be surprised to see Obama lose New York.

ML/NJ

[ml/nj]

Western Wall or Wailing Wall?

Western Wall, Wailing Wall, Wall, Kotel, Kosel; all the same thing.

ML/NJ

[redstates4ever]

Good Gawd almighty, I didn’t think Christians wore yarmulkes to the Western Wall. Is there anything this man won’t do for a vote?

[Bluebird Singing]

14 But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains:

Mark 13:14

I see these photos, and my stomach turns.
The obamanation is standing where he ought not.

[Miss Didi]

Fox reported that Little Barry visited the Wall while loud bystanders raised chants both for and against him. The Jerk had the audacity to scold the crowds saying that he expected more “reverence” at the site.

Rrrrrrright...reverence. Like this?

[Miss Didi]

If the NY papers printed those pics of the campaign signs at the Wall, Barry would lose NY.

[Niuhuru]

“I saw elderly rabbis being pushed out of the way so the cameraman could get a clear shot of the messiah.”

Bastards. Right when you think his entourage can’t get any more disgusting....

[ml/nj]

I don't really think the pictures would do him any harm. Most people who consider themselves Jewish probably would not even know specifically where those pictures were taken.

To support my claim I offer this photo and caption that ran in the NY Times:

(For those who don't know, there are no gas stations on the Temple Mount, or anywhere near the Temple Mount. And the "Palestinian" is an American Jew not beaten by that policeman, but rescued by him.)

ML/NJ

[Carley]

It wasn’t about praying, it was about exploitation.

Imagine the Wailing Wall as a backdrop for a campaign ad.

[irishfox]

I wish this were true. It is unfortunate that so many Jews are liberal first and Jew second. They continually vote the liberal candidate even though liberals are clearly anti-Israel.

It’s a shame really.

[Sig Sauer P220]

Hey! Whats that Muslim doing here?! Oy vey!

[LonePalm]

Scroll the thread for the pictures we talked about this morning.

Garde la Foi, mes amis! Nous nous sommes les sauveurs de la République! Maintenant et Toujours!
(Keep the Faith, my friends! We are the saviors of the Republic! Now and Forever!)
LonePalm, le Républicain du verre cassé (The Broken Glass Republican)

[4woodenboats]

I'm not jewish, but still, I'd think that turning any religous monument, much less The wall into a political billboard for a foreign congressman would be a major sign of disrespect.

What's he gonna do next, visit the pope and expect him to wear an O rainbow t shirt?

[stevestras]

That’s pathetic.

I guess he is running for President of the USA with “voters” overseas.

[popdonnelly]

Did he mean reverence for the Wall or reverence for him?

[Arrowhead1952]

One yelled out: “Obama, Jerusalem is not for sale!” before Mr Obama was whisked away to his waiting plane.

Can't have too much of this protesting the BO before being whisked away by the SS or it may make the DBM news cycle.