Reps. Eliot Engel and Debbie Wasserman Schultz Accompany President Obama to Israel

John Tackeff — March 22, 2013 – 2:04 pm | Barack Obama | Democrats | Israel Comments (0) Add a comment

Democratic National Committee Chair Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL) and Representative Eliot Engel (D-NY) accompanied President Barack Obama on his trip to Israel.  The trip highlighted the unbreakable bond between the United States and Israel, and NJDC is happy to see that Representatives Engel and Wasserman Schultz were part of the delegation representing our country.   

Photo Credit: Rep. Eliot Engel

Representative Wasserman Schultz pointed out she was proud of President Obama for his work to strengthen the U.S.-Israel relationship in a statement:

As the President stated unequivocally in his speech to the people of Israel today, ‘Israel is not going anywhere… so long as there is a United States of America, ah-tem lo lah-vahd (you are not alone).’ President Obama’s speech and entire visit reaffirmed this message and the strong bonds of friendship between the U.S. and Israel - from our shared values and dreams, to our shared priorities of security, peace, and prosperity. His message restated America’s unwavering commitment to protecting the Jewish State - a commitment whose necessity we remember even today, as two rockets from Gaza landed in Israel this morning.

Sharing his personal connection to the Jewish and Israeli story, President Obama touched on Israel’s origins and the long journey of the Jewish people to achieve their historic homeland. With this powerful backdrop, President Obama spoke directly about our shared vision for a just and peaceful future in the region, hopeful that as we continue bolstering Israel’s stability and security, Israelis and Palestinians can come together to achieve a lasting two-state solution through direct bi-lateral negotiation.

As Jews, our tradition and history compel us to pursue justice and tikkun olam, in our own backyards and in our communities around the world. Like President Obama, I too believe we must unite to meet the challenges before us as we work to repair the world.”

Photo Credit: Rep. Eliot EngelRepresentative

Wasserman Schultz also participated in an interview with the Miami Herald following the trip:

[Miami Herald] So what happened to all the talk about tensions between Israel and Obama?

Wasserman Schultz: “Those criticisms were always nothing more than utter fabrications by Republican Jews in America who never supported Barack Obama and did everything they could to defeat him. And they were unsuccessful because the Jewish community in America overwhelmingly supports the ideals and values of the Democratic Party and strongly supports Barack Obama….”

“It would be hard for me to overemphasize the enthusiasm and warmth in which President Obama was received here - and also just in observing the interaction between him and Prime Minister Netanyahu, their back and forth, their interactions….

[Miami Herald] What do you remember most?

DWS: “The overwhelming response in support of the president’s comment during his speech about the importance of there being two states, that peaces results from two states, that the Palestinians deserve justice and fairness, too, just like the Israelis do. There was a standing ovation. A standing ovation. Given all the banter back and forth in the United States and the criticism that President Obama has unfairly endured, it was heartening to see that, what so many people criticize President Obama for, the Israeli people overwhelmingly support.

Photo Credit: Rep. Eliot Engel

Representative Engel stated that President Obama’s visit was a powerful reminder of the unbreakable bonds between Israel and the United States in a post on his Facebook page:

I was honored to join President Obama and Rep. Wasserman-Schultz on the President’s Middle East trip. Israel is one of our closest allies in the world and President Obama’s visit is a powerful reminder of the unbreakable bonds between our two nations. Israel continues to thrive as a nation, even as it is forced to confront a wide array of threats to its security, including Iran’s nuclear weapons program, the terrorist group Hizballah, and the civil war in neighboring Syria. There is no more powerful message to send across the world, to friends and foes alike, than a U.S. President standing shoulder to shoulder with the Israeli people.

In speaking to LoHud.com, Rep. Engel mentioned at the conclusion of the trip that it was a “very, very positive trip in so many ways”:

The congressman, who flew to Israel with the president this week as the ranking Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said he felt the trip solidified the bond between the U.S. and Israel, making a clear statement that the two countries are still strong allies. 

“I think this is a very, very positive trip in so many ways,” Engel told The Journal News in a telephone interview. 

“I think the president, time and time again, reaffirmed the strong bond between the United States and Israel, reaffirmed his personal commitment to Israel and working with Israel to take care of their own security,” the congressman said. 

“This was his first trip to his first country in his second term. It was no accident” he chose Israel, said Engel, whose district includes southern Westchester. “He emphasized the only way peace could come was face-to-face meetings (with the Palestinians) with no pre-conditions. He made it clear he would go to seek to do what he could to effect the peace process.”

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