Obama Defends Israel Policy at Manhattan Home of American Jewish Congress Chairman

As reported in a Reuters article in The Jerusalem Post entitled "Obama defends Israel policy at New York fundraiser" (http://www.jpost.com/DiplomacyAndPolitics/Article.aspx?id=247683), Obama yesterday participated in a fundraiser at the home of Jack Rosen, Chairman of the American Jewish Congress, which raised $300,000 for Obama's re-election campaign. After Rosen stated, "it would be remiss for me not to say there are many in the Jewish community who are concerned" about the relationship between Israel and the US, Obama replied:

"I try not to pat myself too much on the back, but this administration has done more for the security of the state of Israel than any previous administration. We don't compromise when it comes to Israel's security ... and that will continue."

Also as reported by Reuters, Rosen sought to reassure the president by observing:

"America has never been as supportive of the state of Israel as President Obama and his administration."

The article goes on to state that Obama has "been credited for taking a tough line with Iran, Israel's arch-enemy."

Unlike Rosen, I live in Israel, not in Manhattan, and still serve in the IDF reserves. My oldest son serves as a reservist in the paratroops, my daughter serves as a medic in an elite combat unit, and my youngest son has just received his first enlistment order. Unlike Rosen, I do not believe that the Obama administration "has done more for the security of the state of Israel than any previous administration," and I am convinced that his re-election would threaten the existence of Israel.

The central premise of the Obama administration's foreign policy in the Middle East, stitched together by radical Israel-hater, Samantha Power, is that Israel foments all tension in the region. This thesis has been disproven by the so-called "Arab Spring," yet the Obama administration persists in demanding compromise only from Israel, notwithstanding the refusal of Palestinian President Abbas to acknowledge the legitimacy of a Jewish state. Freed from the constraints of re-election, no one knows what life-threatening concessions Obama and Power might seek to ram down Israel's throat.

Although I am not a supporter of the Likud, I am appalled by the manner in which Obama has sought to demonize and delegitimize Netanyahu, by showing him out the back door of the White House and villifying him in discussions with Sarkozy, for which he has yet to apologize.

After becoming president, Obama was quick to visit Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Turkey, but pointedly avoided landing in Israel. Today, given the hostile reception he would face in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, there is little chance of an Obama visit. I suppose one should be asking, who knows better about Israel's security, Jack Rosen or those living in this country and facing 50,000 Hezbollah rockets and missiles?

Obama has taken "a tough line with Iran"? Poppycock! Obama spent his first year in office appeasing this tyrannical regime. His secretary of defense, Leon Panetta, recently ruled out any military option to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons (see: http://jgcaesarea.blogspot.com/2011/11/barack-obama-on-iran-more-delay-from.html), and unlike the UK, Obama refuses to sanction Iran's central bank.

With friends like Obama, who needs enemies?

Concerning the American Jewish Congress, go to their website (http://www.ajcongress.org/site/PageServer?pagename=homepage), and you will find three requests for donations: "Donate" in the upper toolbar, "Make a Donation Online" midway down on the left, and "Support the vital work of the American Jewish Congress, Donate" at the bottom. My thought about donations to the American Jewish Congress and the funds collected for Obama's re-election at Rosen's home: A pity the $300,000 was not given instead to those living in the impoverished southern Israeli town of Sderot, who live under constant threat of bombardment from Gaza and whose homes were never visited by Obama.