From the JTA:
The United Jewish Communities condemned a speaker who told a Florida Jewish federation that U.S. Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) is an anti-Semite.
…”Barack Obama is an anti-Semite,” said [Brigitte] Gabriel, who founded the nonprofit organization American Congress for Truth following the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. “No Jews should support him. Jews should vote for Hillary Clinton.”
…The local federation disassociated itself from Gabriel’s comments. The UJC, the national arm of the federations, went further.
UJC President Howard Rieger told JTA that his organization “condemned such expressions in the strongest possible manner.”
Gabriel, a US-Lebanese, has made a career out of absurdly inflammatory and hate-mongering rhetoric, which she serves up for eager readers of websites like Frontpage. Here’s her most famous rumination, delivered at the 2007 CUFI (Christians United for Israel) conference, hosted by “New World Order” conspiracy-theorist Pastor John Hagee:
The difference, my friends, between Israel and the Arab world is the difference between civilization and barbarism. It’s the difference between good and evil [applause] …this is what we’re witnessing in the Arabic world, They have no SOUL !, they are dead set on killing and destruction. And in the name of something they call “Allah” which is very different from the God we believe [applause] …because our God is the God of love.
(Gabriel has also been credited by some sites with originating the content of the notorious “Can a good Muslim be a good American?” email chain message, although I haven’t been able to track down an authoritative source.)
Back in October Gabriel was in London, where she attended a charity reception hosted by Lady Jakobovits. Jakobovits, the elderly widow of a former UK Chief Rabbi, appeared with her in a photograph which was published in the Jewish Chronicle. Doubtless Gabriel gained credibility from the association, but it must surely be to the detriment of the person shown standing next to her. However, it seems that at least one Jewish group has now wised up to what she stands for, and has made an appropriate response.
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