May 19, 2011

Contact: Rina Shah

304-237-6489

rina@fredkarger.com

LONDON – Continuing his first foreign trip as a Presidential candidate, Californian Fred Karger arrived in London yesterday to appear as a guest on the prestigious BBC interview show HARDtalk.  He will be interviewed by host Stephen Sackur today, May 19th at 3:00 pm (British time), 10:00 am (EDT) and 7:00 am (PDT).

This follows a full five days in Israel where Karger met with top government and LGBTQ leaders, laid a wreath at Yad Vashem – the Holocaust Memorial, and met with members of the media.

Karger’s trip and his campaign for President were front page news in a big story by Melanie Lidman in Israel’s #1 English language daily newspaper, the Jerusalem Post:

First gay Jewish Republican presidential candidate visits Israel

By MELANIE LIDMAN

05/18/2011 00:57

For link to story, Click Here

Fred who? Karger, in Israel, talks to ‘Jerusalem Post’; calls candidacy “platform” for advocating gay rights.

Over the past few months, major Republican presidential candidates have strode the halls of the Knesset in hopes of boosting their foreign-relations credibility.

Karger is accompanied by campaign Jewish Outreach Director, Brad Hertz.  It was a jam-packed five day schedule in Israel.

Fred lays a wreath at Yad Vashem, the

Fred’s visit to Israel triggered this story back home in the New York Jewish Week by James Besser:

Submitted by James Besser on Tue, 05/17/2011 – 17:36

For link to story, Click Here

Being a political reporter means getting a lot of strange calls, letters and emails, so I wasn’t surprised yesterday when a friend forwarded me a press release from the Jewish gay guy who’s running for the 2012 Republican presidential nomination on a pro-gay rights, pro-choice platform.

What, you never heard of Fred Karger? He’s a California political consultant and gay rights activist who’s running against slightly better known folks like Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich… (more)

Karger toured the famous Shaare Zedek Medical Center, well-known as a trauma hospital that treats victims of terror attacks.  He attended a briefing by the Prime Minister’s office at Media Central on this week’s border incursions from Lebanon and Syria, was a guest in the gallery to hear Prime Minister Netanyahu’s speech to the Knesset and met with leaders of several of Israel’s political parties.  Fred also toured the ancient City of David, had a lunch meeting with the first openly gay elected member of the Knesset, Nitzan Horowitz and had a formal meeting at the Foreign Ministry with Deputy Foreign Minister and former U. S. Ambassador Danny Ayalon, his senior staff and Los Angeles Consul General designee, David Siegel.

He was interviewed by Idele Ross for Israeli radio, and by Turkish National Television on his views on Israeli – U. S. relations and the Middle East in an interview at his hotel.

“It was a very full schedule and I could not be more pleased with the tremendous reception I received in Israel.  I have visited Israel three other times, including in 2005 on a Republican Jewish Coalition mission, but returning as the first ever Jewish Republican candidate for President, made for a very special visit,” said Karger.  “I made many new friends and look forward to a return visit soon.”

Here are some photo highlights from the trip:

Fred leaving a prayer at the Western Wall

Fred being interview by Turkish National Television

Fred with Deputy Speaker of the Knesset Danny Danon right after the Prime Minister’s speech

Fred and Knesset member Nitzan Horowitz after their lunch meeting

After London, Karger and Hertz travel to Washington, DC to attend the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) annual gathering from May 22nd to 24th.  President Obama will address AIPAC on Sunday and Prime Minister Netanyahu on Monday.

“I am really looking forward to networking with over 8,000 Jewish activists from all over the United States,” added Karger.  “l learned much about the fragile situation in the Middle East while in Israel.  I want to do whatever I can to further the peace process and work toward a two state solution if and only if Mr. Abbas and the Palestinian Authority recognize the existence of the State of Israel.  Their private words need to match their public words.”

“It is so wonderful to see how well this small country has done and how much diversity there is within its borders.  It is truly inspiring to see the country of my heritage thrive.”

“I will advocate for peace and a two state solution so that future generations of Israelis and Palestinians can finally live in peace.”