Rosen: Obama’s Track Record on Israel Deserves Jewish Support

Gabe Cahn — September 24, 2012 – 10:48 am | Barack Obama | Israel Comments (1) Add a comment

Jack Rosen, chairman of the American Jewish Congress and a supporter of former President George W. Bush, argued in The Jerusalem Post that “the heat of the political moment” should not distract us from President Obama’s irrefutable support for Israel. Rosen wrote: 

A vigorous debate with a range of opinions aired is a healthy exercise. But as the saying goes, everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but not to their own facts. And on the big questions concerning Israel, I believe the facts support the president.

By the most important benchmark - security - the Obama administration has invested more in Israel’s defense than any of its predecessors. Specifically, the president spearheaded funding for the Iron Dome system to shield families in Sderot and Ashkelon and Beersheba from ongoing rocket attacks from Gaza.

Under the president’s leadership, cooperation between the US and Israeli militaries, intelligence communities and defense establishments has become closer and deeper than ever. He clearly appreciates and has delivered on Israel’s need to have a qualitative military edge over declared enemies who vastly outnumber the Jewish state. He has pledged to ensure Israel can defend itself, by itself, from any threat - and he has provided Israel the tools, resources and means to get the job done.

Don’t take my word for it. Listen to Israel’s leaders and to military commanders in the United States and Israel: all agree there never has been a time of better security collaboration between our two countries.

On an equally vital matter, a major Palestinian and global initiative is well under way to try to delegitimize Israel, to use international institutions to elevate Palestinians while diminishing Israel at every opportunity…

But at the UN, when Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas tried to circumvent the peace process to get premature UN endorsement for a Palestinian state - with the world expecting Abbas would succeed - President Obama stood firm and spoke eloquently in opposition.

A large majority of well over 100 countries was arrayed against Israel and the US, but the plan fell apart in the Security Council after effective US lobbying derailed the vote. The mischief makers who often hold sway at the UN and at various international forums were stopped cold thanks to President Obama’s leadership.

On the single greatest threat to Israel’s security, the prospect of a nuclear Iran, President Obama has dramatically tightened the screws on Tehran through a series of economic sanctions. He argued for sanctions in the US Senate, and under his leadership the UN has passed measures that many doubted could be achieved.

Few imagined President Obama could unite Europe. Almost no one believed Russia and China would provide support, albeit to a more limited extent. But thanks to President Obama, the sanctions regime has a chance to work.

In the end, no one can be sure if the mullahs in Tehran will relent. Diplomacy is not the goal; it is a tool. The bottom line is that the president has made it plain that Iran will not be allowed to intimidate and threaten the security of Israel, the entire Middle East, or the US and its allies.

To the American people, to Israel, and to Iran, President Obama has given his word: US national security interests demand that we not take any option off the table to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

These are the things that matter most. On each one - security cooperation with Israel, combating international efforts to undermine Israel’s legitimacy, and pursuing a policy that prevents Iran from developing nukes - the president’s actions have backed up his pledge to support Israel.

To read Rosen’s full op-ed piece, click here.

Comments