ISRAELI ROOTS: He may be a ‘Zionist,’ but Emanuel could push Israel toward territorial concessions
US President-elect Barack Obama’s first official move following his election was to appoint Rahm Emanuel, a congressman from Illinois and son of an Israeli immigrant, as his White House chief of staff.
Israeli radio and newspapers reported Emanuel’s appointment with the same energy and excitement that characterized coverage of Obama’s electoral victory. With his Israeli roots and seemingly strong pro-Israel record, the assumption is that having Emanuel in such a high position could only be beneficial for the Jewish state.
But Emanuel is not the first Jew who could be similarly described as a “Zionist” to hold a high position in the American government, and the precedent has been anything but beneficial for Israel.