Eggs, shoes hurled at Obama poster during TA protest

Demonstration against US "brutality" held near US Embassy; ‘You are not the 12th imam,’ signs read.

By BEN HARTMAN
Obama protest (photo credit: Ben Hartman)
Obama protest
(photo credit: Ben Hartman)
Protesters threw eggs and shoes at a poster of US President Barack Obama in Tel Aviv on Monday, at protest against what organizers call the “brutal” treatment of Israel by the Obama administration.
The demonstration, which was held on the Tel Aviv promenade across the street from the US Embassy, was attended by a few dozen people, including far-right activist Baruch Marzel and organizer Ori Bar-Am.
Bar-Am told The Jerusalem Post on Sunday that the rally was meant to show that Obama’s agenda “is harming the rights of Jews in the Land of Israel, is anti-democratic, anti-America,” and asked “if Obama can be against the burning of the Koran, how can he kick around the Bible?” At the beachfront promenade on Monday, protesters held an assortment of signs, including one reading “Obama, Israel is not ketchup, so don’t squeeze” and “Obama, you are not the 12th imam.”
Some in attendance shouted insults directed at the US president, including, “Go to hell, Obama,” “Go back to Kenya” and “You are not a Christian, Obama.”
Marzel said he came because “Obama and the US are betraying their friends, betraying the Jews and betraying their voters, many of whom are Jews.”
Marzel expressed amazement that “of all times, when the US has a black president, they are the most racist toward the Jews that they have ever been.”
About halfway through the protest, demonstrators gathered around the poster, which showed Obama with his shoes on his desk in the Oval Office during a telephone call with Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, and began pelting it with eggs and an assortment of footwear.
The spectacle was not appreciated by everyone in attendance, including Elizabeth Shira, who after arguing with some of the protesters, said, “They are mimicking the Arabs. We need the Americans; they are our friends. I am opposed to the settlement freeze, but Obama is the American president and he must be treated with respect.”
Shira’s friend Rachel Naftali said, “They’re acting the same as terrorists. People will see this and say Israelis act just the same [as terrorists].”
Across the street, at the Anglo bar Mike’s Place, a group of American tourists were eating burgers and pizza, blissfully unaware of the protest against their president nearby.
One of the tourists, Cindy, said, “America is based on free speech, so it doesn’t really matter if you like Obama or not – you can say what you want.”
The rest of the crowd repeated the sentiment and continued with dinner as Bobby Bland’s “I’ll Take Care of You” played in the background.