"TB, you've told us repeatedly that there's a difference between being liked and being respected. So why would we want to be Israel's "friend?" Better we should have their respect (which it's obvious we don't always have) than their friendship, no?"

A friend of Israel means a ally or supporter of Israel.
Which doesn't *necessarily* mean that this nation or majority of people of Israel are friendly or are friends with America the State or it's peoples or the individual known as Senator Obama.

The question isn't, does or will the people of Israel or state of Israel like or is friendly towards an American with the name Senator Obama. The question is does and will Obama continue US policy of being an dependable ally with Israel.

Will Obama as a US president strengthen this relationship? If so, that is what would qualify him as friend of Israel.
Neglecting or harming this relationship would qualify as being not a friend of Israel

For example there is no doubt that Bush is a friend of Israel. And whether Bush has a high or low opinion poll rating in Israel isn't the issue- though he probably does have fairly high opinion poll {they aren't stupid}.