New American ambassador to try to improve Israelis' view of U.S.

[Jefferson23]

New U.S. ambassador to Israel must battle bad PR, rivalry with American consulate.
By Barak Ravid

Dan Shapiro, the new American ambassador to Israel, has two culinary loves. The first is Spam, the preserved lunch meat that comes in a can; its Israeli equivalent is Luf, a dish that should be familiar to anyone who has served in a combat unit here.

One urban legend that has made the rounds in the White House tells of a dinner at the official residence of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem. According to legend, Shapiro, who then headed the Middle East division at the U.S. National Security Council, turned to Netanyahu and inquired about his reported fondness for the Spam-type lunch meat served in the IDF. Legend has it that Netanyahu jumped out of his chair in excitement, raced from the room and returned proudly with a can of the IDF-issued Luf in his hand. "It's my favorite food," Netanyahu supposedly pronounced.

Shapiro's second culinary love is Diet Mountain Dew, the fizzy lemon soda produced by Pepsi. At Shapiro's swearing-in ceremony at the State Department in Washington a few weeks ago, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton joked that a supply of the new ambassador's favorite soft drink would be sent to Tel Aviv each month by diplomatic pouch.

Shapiro, 42, landed in Tel Aviv last Thursday; next Thursday, he will submit his credentials to President Shimon Peres. Finding Diet Mountain Dew in Israel, no doubt, will be one of the easiest challenges he will face.

in full: http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/features/new-american-ambassador-to-try-to-improve-israelis-view-of-u-s-1.376134

[provis99]

1. Dan Shapiro eats pork?

What kind of Jewish ambassador are we sending them?

[Peace Patriot]

2. Lol! How cute that these lords of war and servants of billionaires prefer Depression-era food!

I'm just laughing my head off here.

:bounce: :puke: :bounce: :puke: :bounce:

[oberliner]

3. What makes Dan Shapiro a "lord of war" ?

What does that even mean?

[azurnoir]

5. Hmmm tell us do you wear red robes a lot ?

you seem to 'inquire' a lot?

[oberliner]

6. I have no idea what that means

So now I have two questions, the one about the "lord of war" comment and this one about "red robes" - what is the reference?

[shira]

7. Red robes, as in....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbcyiFt5VEs

[azurnoir]

8. I guess that would be your tilt

is that supposed to be a 'sly' accusation of antisemitism or something?

[oberliner]

9. Can you just explain what you meant?

I don't see why you have to be vague and mysterious or why you need to play games.

Can't you just tell me what the "red robes" comment was meant to suggest?

[azurnoir]

10. I'll leave that to your imgination

but I do wonder why the questioning about IMO relatively unimportant details on so many threads?

[oberliner]

12. You really can't just tell me?

I don't understand the point of these games.

You made a joke or reference that I do not understand.

Can you give me the courtesy of a brief explanation?

On this thread, I asked about the "lords of war" comment. I just wanted to know what the poster meant by that.

Why you felt the need to interject, I have no idea.

[azurnoir]

14. I did tell you the comment is open to interpretation n/t

[oberliner]

15. Most comments are open to interpretation

But you must have had some intention when you posted it. What was it?

[shira]

11. LOL, I thought it was funny, not antisemitic! When you wrote about red robes and 'inquiry'...

...it was obvious to me.

What else could you have possibly meant?

[oberliner]

13. What do you think of Mel Brooks?

I have mixed feelings.

[azurnoir]

4. well if 3 billion+ a year doesn't do the trick I'm not sure what will

oh wait Obama no longer being President perhaps?