US holds contest for tix to see Obama

Fans have until Wednesday at midnight to write on Facebook why they deserve one of 20 seats up for grabs at president’s public address

He may not be Justin Bieber, the pop starlet whose 2011 visit to the Holy Land got starry-eyed teenage girls all in a dither, but Barack Obama’s got rock-star appeal — and the US Embassy in Tel Aviv is workin’ it.

A Facebook campaign launched by the US Embassy gives the Israeli public a chance to attend the president’s centerpiece public speech, likely set for Jerusalem on March 21.

To enter the contest, Facebook users must simply “like” the official embassy page, and write a “original and creative” explanation as to why they, of all the thousands of fans, should be awarded one of 20 seats up for grabs.

The campaign was initiated Sunday, and had garnered nearly 500 comments and 99 shares on Facebook by 9 p.m. The contest closes March 14, six days before Obama’s first visit here as a head of state.

Hucksters and earnest peaceniks alike took to the embassy’s page to wax poetic and peripatetic on why they should win the seats at the speech.

“Hi. I had a dream last night that I met President Obama on his trip to Israel, and he gave me 15 minutes of his time, during which I explained to him what needs to be done to solve the conflicts in the middle east,” one wrote. “He then proceeded to adopt these ideas as policies and, amazingly, within 12 months there was peace and harmony in the entire region. well, it was just a dream, but I would love to be present at his speech.”

Another highlighted a lesser known family connection to the commander in chief.

“this is actually kind of [awkward], i would really rather not share the entire story, but I am obamas son,” the jokester/lovechild wrote. “If this is not a good enough reason then I will transfer ownership of my house and all my favorite [possessions] to obama. I miss you abba.”

Obama is scheduled to land in Israel on Wednesday, March 20, and depart two days later. His trip is to include high-level meetings, tours, a trip to Ramallah and the big speech, possibly at Jerusalem’s International Convention Center. His advisers rejected the Knesset as a possible location, saying it was too much of a political symbol.

Obama may also address smaller groups of activists and students, but these will be closed to the media and will be held at as-yet undisclosed locations.