Is Obama 'Damaged Goods' for Jewish Voters?

Muslim world turning against Pres. Obama 

President Obama won a first term in office because he had formed a winning coalition of young liberals, blacks, Jews,  union members and independents fearful of Sarah Palin's know-nothing style of politics.   But why would 85% of the Jewish electorate give their vote to an African-American with a Muslim sounding name?  Actually, that may be precisely the reason.  Obama campaigned on a solid, pro-Zionist platform, showing greater support for Israel than many in the Jewish community, who had become weary of that nation's embrace of right-wing settlers intent on expropriating as much of the Palestinian territory as they could get away with.

Nevertheless, the thinking within the American Jewish community had been that what Israel needed most, was a friendly face in the White House, a man whose background and credentials would also appeal to the Arab Middle East.  All went well for a year or so because the newly elected President wowed the Arab world with charismatic speeches and the personal narrative of having a Muslim father.

But then something unexpected happened -- the Arab Spring.  The overthrow of America's dictatorial allies in the Middle East radically changed the power equation within the region.  Arab public opinion, suppressed by leaders like Hosni Mubarak of Egypt, had never stopped being hostile to Israel.  So within this new more democratic climate it is being heard, and will soon be acted upon. Obama's political unwillingness to sacrifice the American Jewish vote by supporting the Palestinian U.N. initiative for statehood has shocked and embittered many in the Arab world.  They feel betrayed that this American president with the Muslim name would push the same Zionist agenda as his predecessors.

Obama has lost his value to the Zionist cause, because he is now reviled in the Arab world, more so than his predecessors.  There was no reason for Arabs to expect anything else from conservative Republican upholders of the status quo. 

While political commentators have dismissed the loss of Anthony Weiner's 75% Democratic district in New York to an unknown Republican challenger, there is indeed a message in all this.  It is true that  the primary constituency of that district is conservative Jews, whose views remain on the fringes of  the larger, more secularized Jewish community.   But it is also true, that Obama may have undercut his usefulness to the Zionist cause by, ironically, doing their bidding and thus enraging the Arabs.  That  anti-Obama vote in New York could very well become a harbinger of things to come.

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