News From Israel You May Have Missed

Obama's campaign last week plastered the entrance to the Western Wall with official campaign posters. Israeli police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld confirmed that movie posters that adorned police barricades erected at the Western Wall plaza for Obama's visit were distributed by the presidential candidate's campaign.

"These posters were his campaign and not the doing of the police," said Rosenfeld, whose police department coordinated security and provided protection for Obama's visit to the holy site.

Asked if it was traditional practice for politicians visiting the Western Wall to bring along campaign materials, Rosenfeld said it was not.

Obama campaign posters can be seen in media footage of the Illinois senator's early morning surprise visit to the Western Wall. The posters display Obama's name in Hebrew. One poster erected on the main police barricade used by Obama to enter the holy site boasts the official red, white and blue campaign "O" symbol and advertises the candidate's campaign's website. A second poster also displays Obama's name in Hebrew and contains an image of Israeli and American flags.

July 30, 2008