Washington – Congressmen Meet Obama Urge Him to Take Personal Interest in Israel

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    FILE - Palestinian girls walk near a billboard with a picture of U.S. President Barack Obama, in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Monday, May 3, 2010.Washington – US President Barack Obama met with 37 Jewish members of the Democratic caucuses Tuesday afternoon, to discuss a range of issues important to US foreign policy.

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    According to the White House Media Affairs Office, the conversation included an update on proximity talks and administration efforts to strengthen Israel’s security, including the administration’s recent decision to provide Israel with an additional $205 million in funding for the Iron Dome missile defense system.

    The president also briefed the Jewish senators and congressmen on the proposed draft of UN Security Council sanctions resolution against Iran.

    The meeting was described as a “wide ranging and productive exchange about their shared commitment to peace and security in Israel and the Middle East.”

    The senators urged Obama to increase his involvement in Washington’s Israel-related policies, and not leave things to the lower ranks of the administration.

    Such involvement, they advised, would help clear up any misconception as to his attitude towards Israel. The senators and congressmen also suggested Obama visits Israel again.

    The 90-minute meeting also included US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and her deputy, James Steinberg.

    Congressman Steve Rothman (New Jersey) said that much of the meeting focused on Iran, as well as the Republican Party’s efforts to misrepresent Obama’s stands on the issue and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

    Rothman added that he believes that Obama was the best president Israel ever worked with, in terms of security and intelligence cooperation.

    Obama reportedly told the Jewish mission that he made some mistakes he when he stepped onto the “minefield” that is the Middle East, triggered several of them and “lost some fingers.”

    Nonetheless, the president stressed that Washington’s relations with Jerusalem are strong, and that the reports of tension between the two were overrated.

    The meeting came at a delicate time, with U.S.-brokered peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians getting under way. It also follows a diplomatic spat between the U.S. and Israel in March that occurred when an Israeli panel announced construction plans in contested east Jerusalem in the middle of a visit by Vice President Joe Biden.

    The Obama administration strongly rebuked Israel over the incident, but some, particularly conservatives, criticized the U.S. reaction as too strong and unfair to Israel.

    “It was agreed that both the Israelis and the U.S. government probably could have handled that situation a little better,” Rothman said, while asserting that from a military and intelligence-sharing perspective, the Obama administration is the best U.S. administration Israel has ever had.

    He said administration critics were trying to distort that, and Obama and his Jewish supporters in Congress needed to set the record straight.

    Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., however, said that while she believed the president thought he was doing what was right for Israel and the U.S., concerns remained for those steeped in the issue and highly sensitive to nuances.

    “I do want to see the president step up and vocalize his support for Israel far more than he has. He just needs to do that,” Berkley said.

    Obama supports a two-state solution for Israel and the Palestinians. Berkley said most lawmakers in the meeting did too, but not at the expense of Israel’s security, and it couldn’t be a U.S.-imposed peace.

    Berkley said Obama assured the group he had no intention of imposing an American plan on the two parties.

    Congressman Eliot Engel (New York) told reporters that the US and Israel cannot allow “recent misunderstandings,” as he called them, to cloud their relationship and distract them from their mutual goals.

    Much like in a family, he said, sometimes there are misunderstandings that have to be resolved through dialogue.

    “It was one part group hug and one part gripe session,” said Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-Brooklyn-Queens.)

    “The President gets it,” said Weiner. “The President was reminded and conceded that there were missteps taken.”


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    16 Comments
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    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    remember its election year

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    keep dreaming… he is just an outright anti semite thats has angenda .let us not be fooled and come begging to him..

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    Thats the problem. He has taken a personal interest in the problems and issues of EY in reaching a peace settlement with the Palestinians.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    he will do anything till after nov
    noone buys it anymore
    abama
    blah blah blah

    heshey j
    heshey j
    13 years ago

    I do not believe the president gets it. His liberal backround is anti Israel. Just imagine if he was doing the things he is doing to Israel to the black communnity. What would the black leaders do. Our leaders, for the most part, are spineless. They make statements and then they back down, It is time that they truly support Israel with action and not words.

    Yossi
    Yossi
    13 years ago

    Keep your hands eyes and nose out of Israel

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    give him the respect he deserves as a president, but you must show him the door, otherwise you will end up with bin ladin as secretary of defense

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    The president is clearly not pro-Israel, everyone knows it, and that’s why 37 Jewish Democrats were forced to call this meeting. Their own heads are on the line, especially in Jewish voting districts. And that’s why after a lengthy wait, Sen. Schumer and Cong. Anthony Weiner were also forced to go public with a lukewarm anti-Obama critique…Schumer on Nachum Segal’s show and Weiner in the Jewish Press — all preaching to the choir. Where were they in the general media where it would take some courage?

    fingers
    fingers
    13 years ago

    Oh, he “lost some fingers,” so HE is now the victim here?

    Foolish Jews will buy his b.s. All he has learnt is to be a little more careful for the time being in how he comes across. He will screw Israel over, but just make it look like it was “their fault”. Just like they did with the Biden incident. The next one will come, but he will just be more clever and backhanded about it.

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    Congressman Steve Rothman is at best an Idiot and at worst a selfhating Jew.
    Obama is absolutly the WORST American President for Israel. No jew even a Democrat can ever vote for Obama or Clinton who have demostrated for all to see that they are absolutly ANTI ISRAEL. Remember that and vote them OUT of officce!!

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    Tell him to stay away from Israel – we have Hashem who will help us all the way!!!

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    “Rothman added that he believes that Obama was the best president Israel ever worked with, in terms of security and intelligence cooperation.”

    Really now, and how so? Besides what was that picture of him with his feet on the table while talking to the Israeli PM, is that standard?

    Anonymous
    Anonymous
    13 years ago

    President Obama is a Ohev Yiroel and has a compassion for mankind! His nature is such that he tries to please every one. Experience is teaching him “Mi Keamcha Yisroel” – he will yet turn out to be oir best ally. Remember lev Melochim vesorim beyad Hashem

    Allan
    Allan
    13 years ago

    Can anyone tell me why the picture of Obama is up on the west bank ( as shown in the file photo) and also what does it say .

    jimmy37
    jimmy37
    13 years ago

    These moonbat Democrats are out of their mind. They’re going to destroy Israel. They should be encouraging the Communist-in-Chief to leave Israel alone. May the Lord bless him and keep far away from us. He talks out of both sides of his mouth. If Arabs want peace, let them show it. They’re not getting Jerusalem and they’re not coming back.The rest is negotiable.