President Barack Obama is rejecting talk that U.S.-Israel relations are in a meltdown. Relations have been strained since administration officials delivered rare harsh public rebukes after an Israeli announcement of approval of new housing units in East Jerusalem during Vice President Joseph Biden’s visit there last week.
Asked in a Fox News interview Wednesday whether the falling out amounted to a “crisis,” Obama said flatly, “No.”
“Israel’s one of our closest allies and we and the Israeli people have a special bond that’s not going to go away. But friends are going to disagree sometimes,” the president said. “There is a disagreement in terms of how we can move this peace process forward…The actions that were taken by the Interior Minister in Israel weren’t helpful to that process, Prime Minister Netanyahu acknowledged as much and apologized for it.”
Obama insisted that despite the highly-public criticism of Israel by various U.S. officials, including Biden and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the U.S. is being fair to both sides.
“Yesterday, when there were riots by the Palestinians against a synagogue that had been reopened we condemned them in the same way because what we need right now is both sides to recognize that it is in their interests to move this peace process forward,” Obama told Fox.
During a hallway exchange that followed a lengthier interview on health care reform, Obama was also asked if his foreign policy would be “a failure” if Iran manages to build a nuclear weapon.
“It is one of our highest priorities to make sure that Iran doesn’t possess a nuclear weapon. That is why I’ve worked so hard to mobilize the international community, successfully, to isolate Iran,” the president said.
Obama acknowledged that his early ambitions of drawing the Iranian regime to the negotiating table have met with little success.
“The Iranian government has been more concerned about preventing their people from exercising their democratic and human rights than trying to solve this problem diplomatically. That’s why we’re going to go after aggressive sanctions,” the president said.
Obama said he hasn’t “taken any options off the table” for resolving the nuclear impasse. “It’s a problem we need to solve because, if Iran gets a nuclear weapon, you could potentially see a nuclear arms race throughout the Middle East and that would be tremendously damaging to our national security interests,” he said.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Obama on Israel: Friends disagree
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Oren: For Israel and America, a Disagreement, Not a Crisis
For Israel and America, a Disagreement, Not a Crisis
Washington
ISRAEL and America enjoy a deep and multi-layered friendship, but even the closest allies can sometimes disagree. Such a disagreement began last week during Vice President Joseph Biden’s visit to Israel, when a mid-level official in the Interior Ministry announced an interim planning phase in the expansion of Ramat Shlomo, a northern Jerusalem neighborhood. While this discord was unfortunate, it was not a historic low point in United States-Israel relations; nor did I ever say that it was, contrary to some reports.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had no desire during a vice presidential visit to highlight longstanding differences between the United States and Israel on building on the other side of the 1949 armistice line that once divided Jerusalem. The prime minister repeatedly apologized for the timing of the announcement and pledged to prevent such embarrassing incidents from recurring. In reply, the Obama administration asked Israel to reaffirm its commitment to the peace process and to its bilateral relations with the United States. Israel is dedicated to both.
We should not, however, allow peace efforts, or the America-Israel alliance, to be compromised by Israel’s policy on Jerusalem. That policy is not Mr. Netanyahu’s alone but was also that of former Prime Ministers Ehud Barak, Yitzhak Rabin, Shimon Peres and Golda Meir — in fact of every Israeli government going back to the city’s reunification in 1967. Consistently, Israel has held that Jerusalem should remain its undivided capital and that both Jews and Arabs have the right to build anywhere in the city.
This policy certainly applies to neighborhoods like Ramat Shlomo, which, though on land incorporated into Israel in 1967, are home to nearly half of the city’s Jewish population. Isolated from Arab neighborhoods and within a couple of miles of downtown Jerusalem, these Jewish neighborhoods will surely remain a part of Israel after any peace agreement with the Palestinians. Israelis across the political spectrum are opposed to restrictions on building in these neighborhoods, and even more opposed to the idea of uprooting hundreds of thousands of their fellow citizens.
Though not uncontested, Israel’s policy on Jerusalem did not preclude the conclusion of peace agreements with Egypt and Jordan. Nor did it prevent the Palestinians from negotiating with Israel for more than 15 years after the Oslo accords of 1993. Consistently, Israelis have demonstrated remarkable flexibility as well as generosity to any Arab leader genuinely offering peace.
Indeed, while maintaining the longstanding Israeli position on Jerusalem, the Netanyahu government has unilaterally frozen new construction projects in the West Bank and has removed dozens of roadblocks to allow Palestinian transportation and commerce. The Israeli government acknowledges that the Palestinians have their own stance on Jerusalem, which they will surely raise at the negotiating table.
Unfortunately, Palestinian leaders have balked at face-to-face negotiations, insisting on new preconditions, including the annulment of Israel’s Jerusalem policy. Recently they have encouraged violent demonstrations in the Old City, and have named a square in the West Bank city of Ramallah in honor of Dalal Mughrabi, a terrorist who in 1978 killed 38 Israeli civilians, among them 13 children, and an American photographer, Gail Rubin. Israel expects the Palestinians to stop such incitement and to cease sponsoring attacks against Israel’s legitimacy, like the deeply slanted Goldstone report on the Gaza war.
Despite these Palestinian actions, Israel wants to begin “proximity talks” — indirect negotiations involving United States intermediaries — which we hope will lead to a direct dialogue and a historic and permanent peace. But the only way to negotiate a peace agreement is to begin negotiations.
To achieve peace, Israel is asked to take monumental risks, including sacrificing land next to our major industrial areas and cities. Previous withdrawals, from Lebanon and Gaza, brought not peace but rather thousands of rockets raining down on our neighborhoods.
Though Israel will always ultimately rely on the courage of its own defense forces, America’s commitment to Israel’s security is essential to give Israelis the confidence to take risks for peace. Similarly, American-Israeli cooperation is vital to meeting the direst challenge facing both countries and the entire world: denying nuclear weapons to Iran.
Israel appreciates President Obama’s commitment to a comprehensive peace that guarantees Israel’s security and Jewish identity, and provides for a Palestinian state. To ensure that such a state is peaceful, Prime Minister Netanyahu has said that it must be demilitarized and that Palestinians must recognize Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people, just as Israel is asked to recognize a future Palestinian state as the nation-state of the Palestinians.
Though we may disagree with the White House at certain stages of the peace process, we must never allow such differences to obscure the purpose we share or to raise doubts about the unbreakable bonds between us.
During his visit, Vice President Biden declared that support for Israel is “a fundamental national self-interest on the part of the United States” and that America “has no better friend in the community of nations than Israel.” The people of Israel, in turn, view the strengthening of their relations with the United States as a paramount national objective. Because we share fundamental values — democracy, respect for individual rights and the rule of law — our friendship can sustain occasional disagreements, and remain unassailably solid.
'Simpsons visit Israel' to be aired March 28
The first images from the upcoming episode of The Simpsons, in which the animated family visits Israel, were released this week after six months of buzz over the special show to be aired in the United States on March 28.
The episode, titled "The Greatest Story Ever D'ohed," includes scenes of Homer and Bart at the Western Wall with their Israeli tour guide, who will be voiced by British comedian Sascha Baron Cohen, of Borat and Bruno fame.
CUFI activists e-blast White House on 'crisis'
WASHINGTON (JTA.org) -- Pro-Israel U.S. Christians are e-mailing the White House every several seconds urging President Obama to "end the crisis" with Israel.
Christians United for Israel sent an action alert on Tuesday to its membership urging them to ask Obama to roll back criticism of Israel after last week's controversy, when Israel announced approval of a plan to build 1,600 apartments in a fervently Orthodox eastern Jerusalem neighborhood during a visit by U.S. Vice President Joe Biden. U.S. officials condemned the announcement as an "insult" and an "affront."
The CUFI action alert asks the president to "end this unnecessary crisis, return to a more productive approach, and stand with our ally Israel."
As of Tuesday evening, CUFI said more than 11,000 emails had been sent -- a rate of one every one or two seconds.
"The strong response of the Christian Zionist community on this issue reflects their steadfast commitment to standing with Israel," Ari Morgenstern, a CUFI spokesman, told JTA. "Christian friends of Israel are capable of distinguishing between temporary disputes between friends, and the deeper ties that bind our two countries.”
CUFI held one of its signature "Nights to Honor Israel" in Jerusalem last week. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the event, attended by over one thousand CUFI activists. The CUFI leadership also met with other Israeli leaders, including President Shimon Peres and Defense Minister Ehud Barak.
Israel's ambassador and White House deny 'crisis quotes'
March 17, 2010
Oren, White House deny 'crisis quotes'
WASHINGTON (JTA.org) -- Israel's ambassador to Washington and the White House denied remarks that have fueled the current Israel-U.S. crisis.
Israel's Michael Oren was quoted this week by Ha'aretz as saying that relations were at a 35-year-low after Israel embarrassed Vice President Joe Biden during visit to the region by announcing a massive housing start in Jerusalem.
On Tuesday evening, Oren issued a statement flatly denying that account of a conference call he had Saturday night with Israeli diplomats.
"I was flagrantly misquoted about remarks I made in a confidential briefing this past Saturday," Oren said in a statement. "Recent events do not -- I repeat -- do not represent the lowest point in the relations between Israel and the United States. Though we differ on certain issues, our discussions are being conducted in an atmosphere of cooperation as befitting long-standing relations between allies. I am confident that we will overcome these differences shortly."
Separately, numerous media quoted senior White House officials as denying an account in Yediot Achronot last week that Biden had told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Israel was endangering the lives of American troops in the region.
"He never said that, and there's no basis to assert that he did," The Atlantic quoted one official as saying. "What he did say in a meeting with the prime minister and his senior advisers and his own team was that the U.S. is doing a number of things in our national security interest, and in Israel's national security interest, and they include a strong effort to build a coalition against Iran's nuclear program; deploying 200,000 troops in conflict areas in the region; standing against efforts to delegitimize Israel in various international bodies, sometimes virtually alone; acting decisively against terrorists in very significant ways; and building probably the strongest defense cooperation relationship with Israel that we've seen, including on missile defense."
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Israeli police predict continued violence in Jerusalem on Wednesday
Fifteen police officers and some 40 Palestinian protesters were injured in East Jerusalem on Tuesday in a series of clashes during the orchestrated "Day of Rage" announced by Hamas.
Police predict that Palestinian rioters will continue to stage violent protests on Wednesday in East Jerusalem and elsewhere. [ Ha'aretz, http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1157014.html ]
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Several buses stoned in Jaffa
Two buses travelling through Jaffa were pelted with stones on Tuesday evening. There were no reports of injuries and no suspects were arrested, but one of the vehicles' windowpane was smashed. The incident took place on two of Jaffa's main streets - Jerusalem Avenue and Yefet Street.
The circumstances of the incident were unclear, but the police were looking into a possible link to the "day of rage" events in Jerusalem. [ ynet http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3863821,00.html]
Conference of Presidents on U.S. -Israel Relations
STATEMENT BY CONFERENCE OF PRESIDENTS CHAIRMAN ALAN SOLOW AND EXECUTIVE VICE CHAIRMAN MALCOLM HOENLEIN ON U.S.-ISRAEL RELATIONS
New York, March 16, 2010 … Alan Solow, Chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations and Malcolm Hoenlein, Executive Vice Chairman, issued the following statement.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s upcoming visit to the United States, coming shortly after Vice President Biden’s visit to Israel, provides an important opportunity for long time allies to reassert their shared interests, including the fight against extremism, the necessity of stopping Iran from developing nuclear weapons capability and the importance of moving forward expeditiously on a viable peace process. During his time in Israel, the Vice President forcefully affirmed that the bond between the United States and Israel was unbreakable, and that progress in the Middle East peace process can only be made when there is no daylight between Israel and the United States when it comes to the security of Israel.
The controversy which has arisen regarding Israel’s planning process for future development in its capital city in the form of the construction of 1600 new housing units within the declared municipal boundaries of Jerusalem was addressed during Vice President Biden’s trip by Prime Minister Netanyahu’s apology and Vice President Biden’s statement of understanding and recognition of the importance of a continuing close relationship. The unusually harsh comments made since then by members of the Administration have resulted in increased tensions. The interests of all concerned would best be served by a prompt commencement of the proximity talks that had been previously agreed to by all parties, and all parties should act in a manner that does not undercut such talks. We urge the United States and Israel to resolve the controversy with the use of language reflecting their historic friendship.
Israel has consistently stated that it is prepared to return to direct negotiations with the Palestinian Authority without preconditions, and recently has agreed to enter into proximity talks that would lead to face-to-face discussions. The Palestinians also had agreed to such proximity talks. Notwithstanding that apparent sign of progress, the Palestinians and their supporters in the Arab League have repeatedly looked for ways to avoid discussions that might lead to a peace agreement and have imposed conditions never demanded of previous Israeli governments. Despite this, Prime Minister Netanyahu and his government have declared an unprecedented settlement freeze in the West Bank and have taken important steps to remove roadblocks and to otherwise promote conditions to improve life in the Palestinian territories. This conduct by Israel, supported by the United States, together with action undertaken by the Palestinian Authority, has resulted in tangible improvement for those living under the control of the Palestinian Authority. The United States of America should capitalize on these improved conditions and insist that the Palestinians operate in good faith and live up to their commitment to begin new talks.
The recent disclosure by Israel of its intention to build additional housing units in eastern Jerusalem at a future date does not contradict its announced commitment to freeze settlement building for a limited period, and a cessation to building in Jerusalem was never a condition of the proximity talks. Israel has always claimed a right to build in its capital city. The apparent refusal by the Palestinian Authority to avoid discussions now until the plans regarding the 1600 future units are withdrawn is yet another instance of the Palestinians missing an opportunity to move toward a resolution of the conflict. The true test of peaceful intentions is the willingness to engage in negotiations.
Israel’s commitment to participate in proximity talks is in sharp distinction to the continued incitement by the Palestinian Authority and its public relations organs which have consistently acted in violation of its agreements with Israel. Only last week, coincident with the visit of Vice President Biden to the region, the Palestinians went ahead with the dedication of a public square in honor of Dalal Mughrabi, a terrorist who was responsible for the massacre of 37 Israelis and American photographer Gail Rubin in 1978. It is such conduct which merits the attention and condemnation of those who seek to achieve peace.
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The Conference of Presidents is the central coordinating body representing 51 national Jewish organizations on issues of national and international concern.
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