Israeli Ambassador Oren Talks Obama, US-Israel Ties

Matthew Green — July 1, 2010 – 10:59 am | Barack Obama | Israel Comments (0) Add a comment

In a recent op-ed piece in The Hill, Israeli Ambassador Michael Oren underscored the strong relationship between President Barack Obama and Israel, and what it means for the peace process.

Oren wrote:

...discussions between Israeli and Palestinian leaders, though conducted indirectly through the good offices of U.S. Special Envoy Senator George Mitchell, have begun, and major efforts undertaken to demonstrate the unbreakable security bonds between Israel and the United States.

The Obama administration, for example, allocated $205 million to the Iron Dome program that is vital to protecting Israel from Hamas and Hezbollah rockets, as well as far-reaching support for other systems - Arrow III, Arrow II and David’s Sling - designed to intercept longer range missiles from Iran.

The Israeli Ambassador also suggested that the ties between the US and Israel go further than a relationship between two heads of state:

The U.S.-Israel relationship is not…confined to a rapport between two individuals or even the governments they head. Rather, it is an alliance between two peoples with deep spiritual and democratic roots.

This kinship transcends occasional policy differences and partisan politics. Indeed, the bipartisan nature of American support for Israel was recently reaffirmed in Congressional letters upholding Israel’s right to self-defense and recognizing its commitment to peace. These statements received overwhelming support from both sides of the aisle and reflect unwavering backing for Israel among the American public.

His remarks come just days before Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to meet with Obama at the White House. Regarding that meeting, Oren said:

The visit of an Israeli prime minister to Washington is always a source of popular interest. When Benjamin Netanyahu enters the White House on Tuesday, no doubt a great many cameras will follow him and commentators will parse his and President Obama’s every word. Observers can be assured, however, that the interaction, whether in public or behind the scenes, will be characterized by cooperation, candid communication and respect. Those are the cornerstones of any alliance and especially one as multi-faceted and historic as that between the United States and Israel.

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