Meretz youth party for Obama

Leftwing activists, Democrats advocate peace, social justice.

By JOSEPH STRICH, JERUSALEM POST CORRESPONDENT
Meretz Party Mesiba 370 (photo credit: Meretz Facebook )
Meretz Party Mesiba 370
(photo credit: Meretz Facebook )
Some 200 young men and women activists of the Israeli leftwing Meretz party aged between 18 and 35 held a party late on Tuesday night in Tel Aviv.
The party was thrown in support "their" American candidate Barack Obama, while waiting for the results of the election to be broadcast on large screens by American and Israeli TV.
The party was held on the roof of the Meretz office, which is also the headquarters for their campaign for the upcoming general elections.
Concino Street 13, a half-industrial, half-night life area of south Tel Aviv in front of the Azrieli towers, is a trendy and hip location for the party's party.
Eila Eitan, a Meretz spokesperson, explained to this correspondent that they were "the supporting party for Obama".
Alcohol was given out freely, but the Spanish champagne, Cava, was being kept for the victory. Maybe this was a sign of optimism.
The party started around midnight, and ended at dawn, when the first results from the USA began to appear on the screen.
Amongst all the big wigs of Meretz pitched to attend, such as MK's Zahava Gal-on and Nitzan Horowitz, only former Deputy Mossi Raz made an appearance . After all, he will be a candidate in the primaries for the party list which is to be held next Sunday in Ganei Ha'ta'rucha in Tel Aviv.
Raz's presence was part of his comeback effort after 10 years in the wilderness.
Tamar Zandberg, another candidate in the primaries and a member of the Tel Aviv City Council, turned up "to dance" after attending the party organized for the Election Day by the US embassy at the Dan Panorama Hotel in Tel Aviv.
"Here it's much more fun", the young woman told this correspondent, smiling.
Mr Raz explained to the Jerusalem Post: "The connection between Meretz and Obama is obvious, both [are] fighting for human rights, social justice, environmental issues and peace in the Middle East through the two states solution.”
He added: "If he [Obama] wins there, then the democratic camp can win here too."
Meretz campaign video: The Left succeeded in America, soon in our (country) too.
The general secretary of Meretz, Dror Morag, believes an Obama victory "will accelerate a victory of the Left all over the world."
Morag continued: "A second mandate for him will boost us [in Israel] and be significant for the peace process with the Palestinians".
Tom Cohen, a young supporter from Ramat Aviv, expressed similar sentiments: "We (Meretz) are the most liberal and democratic here, so we are for Obama. Otherwise Romney will drag us into a war with Iran".
He is proud of his success in converting almost all his family, his mother Isabelle and his sister Danielle, into Meretz supporters - though not his brother Yaniv who lives in Paris.
According to Tom, the party on the roof is "a part of a larger national political campaign" over the next few months leading up to the Israeli legislative elections.
Nimrod Barnea conveyed the same wish, hoping that “as many young people as possible will be exposed to the Meretz message."
On the other side of the roof, a group is standing and speaking in French. Benoit and Valentine work at the French Cultural Institute belonging to the Embassy. For them being at the pro-Obama party is natural since they are democrats.
Another party-goer, Sarah Gabriel came with her dog Skaty and husband Shai who "believes deeply in Obama and his courage to face and confront Israel, even if it's not popular."