Gorenberg Chronicles Obama’s Israel Accomplishments

President Obama needs to be given greater acknowledgment for all that he has accomplished in his short term in office:  withdrawal in Iraq, aligning Russia and China in Iran and allowing enough time for a viable peace in the middle east.

Great article. Some additional factors for Jews to consider about Obama:

1. It is significant that while there are many Jewish Democratic members of congress, there are no Jewish Republican senators and only one Jewish Republican member of the House of Representatives.

2. During the eight years of the Bush presidency, there was no progress toward peace in the Middle East; and Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran all became stronger

3. Most US Jews recognize that a just, sustainable, comprehensive two-state solution is essential if Israel is to remain a Jewish, democratic state, able to solve its many economic environmental and other domestic problems, and that some thoughtful pressure from the US government is essential to obtain a solution to the current conflicts.

4. President Obama, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Vice President Joe Biden and other Democratic leaders have often expressed their strong commitment to Israel’s security, while also urging Israel to make the changes that will ultimately be beneficial to both countries.

5. Some other considerations include: How will Israel solve its many environmental, economic and other domestic problems without a proper resolution of the current conflicts? How will Israel remain both a Jewish and a democratic state if it maintains the West Bank?

6. Rather than stressing obstacles to a resolution and seeing issues in terms of good versus evil while the situation worsens, isn’t it better to seek common ground and solutions?

7. There is still strong bipartisan support for Israel in the US congress. The vast majority of Democratic congress members support Israel. However, like many Israelis, they may not support every Israeli policy, just as they have disagreements with some US policies.
8. Republicans are in complete denial about climate change, and this will increasingly threaten Israel, which already is suffering from the worst drought in its history and major heat waves and wildfires.
9. The US-Israel security relationship is doing very well and getting better. The two military and intelligence establishments have been working closely and productively
10. People who argue that Obama is more sensitive to Muslims than Jews should consider that his chief of staff and main advisor are Jewish, that he picked a Jew as a Supreme Court nominee, that he is the first president to have seders in the White House and he has frequently stressed his solidarity with Jews and with Israel.
11. For more facts about President Obama and Israel, please visit:
http://www.njdc.org/media/entry/obamasecurityfactsheet072110
Among the material there are the following:
a.  President Obama requested and received $2.8 billion for directly assisting Israel’s security. This is the largest amount given to Israel in U.S. history specifically allocated for Israel’s security apparatus.
b. The Obama Administration has led the global effort to prevent a nuclear-armed Iran. Steps taken include:
Building international consensus against Iran’s nuclear program
Imposing new U.S. sanctions on Iran and those who conduct business with Iran
Imposing new sanctions against Iran’s banking sector because of its links to international terrorism
c. High-level military and intelligence personnel including Defense Secretary Robert Gates, CIA Director Leon Panetta, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen have all traveled to Israel in 2010 to discuss security cooperation vis-à-vis Iran and other situations in the Middle East.