In a June 5 article, Washington Post foreign service writer Kevin Sullivan reported: “In Israel, [political scientist Eytan] Gilboa said, [Sen. Barack] Obama's openness to” meetings with the leaders of Iran, Syria, and other nations “has contributed to a sense that his Middle East policies are too soft. When a leader of Hamas, the Palestinian organization that the United States and Israel call a terrorist group, expressed a preference for Obama earlier this year, many Israelis were turned off even more.” But the Post did not note that after Hamas adviser Ahmed Yousef said, “We like Mr. Obama, and we hope that he will [sic] the election,” the Obama campaign reportedly responded: “Senator Obama has repeatedly rejected and denounced the actions of Hamas, a terrorist organization responsible for the deaths of many innocents, that is dedicated to Israel's destruction. As president, Obama will work with Israel to isolate terrorist groups like Hamas, target their resources, and support Israel's right and capability to defend itself from any attack.”

In the article, Sullivan also failed to report that following Obama's June 4 speech before the American Israel Public Affairs Committee -- in which he said that “we must maintain the isolation of Hamas and other extremists who are committed to Israel's destruction” -- Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri reportedly told Reuters that “Hamas does not differentiate between the two presidential candidates, Obama and [Sen. John] McCain, because their policies regarding the Arab-Israel conflict are the same and are hostile to us, therefore we do have no preference and are not wishing for either of them to win.”

Additionally, the Post did not note that Obama has repeatedly stated that his willingness to meet with international adversaries "does not include Hamas," and that he "does not support negotiations with Hamas until they renounce terrorism, recognize Israel's right to exist, and abide by past agreements."

From the June 5 Washington Post article:

In many nations, Obama's youth and color also represent a welcome generational and stylistic change for America. “It could help to reduce anti-U.S. sentiment and even turn it around,” said Kim Sung-ho, a political science professor at Yonsei University in Seoul.

In terms of foreign policy, Obama's stated willingness to meet and talk with the leaders of Iran, Syria and other nations largely shunned by Bush has been praised and criticized overseas.

In Israel, Gilboa said, Obama's openness to the meetings has contributed to a sense that his Middle East policies are too soft. When a leader of Hamas, the Palestinian organization that the United States and Israel call a terrorist group, expressed a preference for Obama earlier this year, many Israelis were turned off even more.

Many people in Israel said they preferred Clinton, who is well regarded because of her support for the Jewish state in the Senate and her husband's pro-Israel stance during his presidency.