Israelis woke up this morning to news that Barack Obama had been reelected. At 6 a.m. local time Israel Radio reported "a slight edge" for Republican candidate Mitt Romney, but by 6:20 it was clear that Obama had been reelected.
At the offices of the Association of Americans and Canadians in Israel (AACI), about two dozen former Americans gathered to watch the election results on a large screen and snack on coffee and pastries. The hall was decorated in red, white and blue, as were the AACI's employees.
"There are an estimated 200,000 Americans and Canadians living in Israel and an estimated 75,000 cast absentee ballots," Executive Director David London told The Media Line. "This is the first time we've had a facility big enough to host an event like this and we thought it would be nice for people to watch it together."
London had planned an hour-long panel discussion with journalists at 11 a.m. Israel time, but he worried that the early results might put a damper on attendance.
Israeli media reported that three-quarters of Israelis who voted cast their ballots for Republican candidate Mitt Romney, the mirror opposite of Jews in the U.S. who overwhelmingly supported President Obama.
"I'm not happy - he's going to drive Israel to accept the Saudi 'peace plan' and to allow Palestinian refugees to return here," Jack Golbert, a lawyer who lives in Efrat, a Jewish community built on land Israel captured in the 1967 war, told The Media Line. "I think he's going to withhold arms sales from Israel and replacement parts for weapons, and force Israel to become totally dependent on Obama for his survival."
The Saudi peace plan he referred to is also called the 2002 Arab peace initiative, originally proposed by Saudi Arabia, which calls for a complete Israeli withdrawal from the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem as well as a "just solution" for Palestinian refugees. The Israeli government has called the plan a "non-starter."
But others, even those who support Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party, said that U.S. support for Israel is bipartisan.
"He's not your classic pro-Israel American politician - he has a different background," Daniel Gottlieb, a local Likud activist told The Media Line. "But American public opinion is still fairly supportive of Israel as is evident in Congress. President Obama is also supportive of Israel's security needs."
There is some concern among Israelis that President Obama will try to reach a deal with Iran over its nuclear program - a deal that many Israelis believe would be a mistake.
"Obama will attempt to reach an agreement with the Iranians that prevents them from obtaining a nuclear weapon," former U.S. Ambassador to Israel Martin Indyk told Israel's Army Radio. "2013 will be a year of decision. Obama will do his best to exhaust the negotiations, but if the Iranians refuse, I believe Barack Obama will use American force to eliminate the Iranian nuclear capability."
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has been skeptical that Iran will give up its nuclear program without suffering a military strike. An Israeli TV report this week said that Netanyahu had ordered the army to prepare to strike Iran in 2010, but backed off after the army said it was not prepared.
Netanyahu, who has had some tense moments with Obama, offered his sincere congratulations and met with U.S. Ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro.
"I want to congratulate President Obama on his reelection," Netanyahu told Shapiro. "I think the United States of America again demonstrated why it's the greatest democracy on earth. The security relationship between the United States and Israel is rock solid, and I look forward to working with President Obama to further strengthen this relationship and advance our goals of peace and security."
Back at the AACI, the Obama supporters were buoyed by their candidate's victory.
"It's a sign of hope for America," Eleanor Slater, a retired writer told The Media Line, adding that she had been up watching the returns since 5 a.m. "I believe the interests of the U.S. and Israel coincide, and every American president has supported Israel so it's good for Israel too."
Israel Radio reported "a slight edge" for Republican candidate Mitt Romney, but by 6:20 it was clear that Obama had been reelected.
