Surprisingly, Barack Obama is not on this list.
4. Manmohan Singh
Prime Minister of India
The largest customer of Israeli military equipment and Israel’s second-largest economic partner, Indian ties with Israel are now stronger than ever and advanced negotiations for an extensive bilateral trade pact are well under way. Singh is largely responsible for cultivating and developing this crucial alliance that is vital to Israel’s economic stability and continued growth.
3. John Boehner
Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives
Among the many friends of the Jewish community in the U.S. Congress, Boehner’s recent actions have made him stand out. Centrally involved in the recent invitation of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to address a joint session of Congress, Boehner provided the platform for the Jewish narrative to be conveyed to a pivotal audience at an important time.
2. Rupert Murdoch
CEO of News Corporation
At an American Jewish Committee dinner honoring Murdoch he opened his acceptance speech by saying, “over the years, some of my wildest critics seem to have assumed I am Jewish. At the same time, some of my closest friends wish I were. So tonight, let me set the record straight: I live in New York. I have a wife who craves Chinese food. And people I trust tell me I practically invented the word chutzpah.”
As CEO of News Corporation, Murdoch has continued to ensure that the outlets under his direction, including The London Times, Fox News and The Wall Street Journal, are fair and honest in their coverage of matters relating to Jews and Israel.
1. Stephen Harper
Prime Minister of Canada
Recently winning a majority government for his conservative party, Harper has been a great friend to Canada’s Jewish community as well as an outspoken supporter of Israeli positions in the international political arena, saying last year, “When Israel, the only country in the world whose very existence is under attack, is consistently and conspicuously singled out for condemnation, I believe we are morally obligated to take a stand.”
His recent blocking of a G8 resolution in support of President Obama’s Middle East policy speech that would mention the call for a Palestinian State based on the 1967 lines, while not incorporating other elements of the speech, earns him the top spot this year.
