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Obama's Jerusalem speech interrupted by heckler: 'it makes me feel at home' Obama's Jerusalem speech interrupted by heckler: 'it makes me feel at home'
(35 minutes later)
Barack Obama's speech to an Israeli audience in Jerusalem on Wednesday was interrupted by a heckler. American presidents abroad have faced worse. No shoes were thrown and no one barfed on a prime minister.
The heckler was drowned out by cheers from the audience, made up mostly of Israeli students. "We arranged for that because it makes me feel at home," the president responded. President Barack Obama was interrupted Thursday by a heckler during a speech before hundreds of students at the International Convention Center in Jerusalem. Obama is on day two of his first trip to Israel as president.
Earlier in his speech, Obama had said: "Israel has established a thriving democracy – with a spirited civil society, proud political parties, a tireless free press, and a lively public debate – lively may even be an understatement." The president was halfway through weaving an Obama-esque gauze of talk about peace and human dignity when a student in the crowd began shouting in Hebrew.
When he was heckled, Obama said: "This is part of the lively debate that we talked about." It's not clear exactly what the student said, and his words are barely audible in video of the incident.
Obama in Israel gets heckled during speech, responds: "I wouldn't feel comfortable if I didn't have at least one heckler" The White House pool report said the heckler was calling for the release of Jonathan Pollard, though earlier reports suggested the shout was "Free Palestine". Pollard is the American caught spying for Israel and imprisoned in 1987. There is a campaign to free him.
— MSN (@MSN) March 21, 2013
In the speech, Obama supported Israel's right to defend itself and underline America's commitment to the Iron Dome missile defence system. But he also delivered a strong message to Israelis that Palestinians had a right to a viable state.
Here's a video clip, courtesy of Talking Points Memo:
There is some confusion over whether the heckler shouted "Free Palestine" or "Free Pollard".
Pool: The Obama heckler was heckling about Jonathan Pollard.Pool: The Obama heckler was heckling about Jonathan Pollard.
— Ethan Klapper (@ethanklapper) March 21, 2013— Ethan Klapper (@ethanklapper) March 21, 2013
Jonathan Pollard is a convicted spy serving a life sentence for selling US secrets to the Israelis in the 1980s. There is a campaign to free him. The president deftly used the caesura to win his audience, who had begun to boo down the protester.
"No, no," Obama said. "This is part of the lively debate that we talked about. This is good."
Some in the crowd clapped.
"You know, I have to say we actually arranged for that because it made me feel at home," Obama said, laughing.
The crowd clapped and cheered.
"I wouldn't feel comfortable if I didn't have at least one heckler," Obama said. "Heh heh heh."
The crowd rose to its feet. It was another standing O for O.
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