Tag Archive for AIPAC

| December 10, 2013
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Pro-Israel orgs stepping back from confrontation with White House over Iran

AIPAC’s executive director calls for pro-Israel organizations & groups to focus on passing new & stricter sanctions as a means of shaping a final anti-Nuclear deal with Iran.

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When it comes to the deal between Iran and major powers, Israel and the pro-Israel community are retreating from a strategy of confrontation and working instead to influence the contours of a final agreement.

U.S. President Obama speaking at the 2011 AIPAC convention.

U.S. President Obama speaking at the 2011 AIPAC convention. – Photo: AP

In a conference call last week, Howard Kohr, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee’s executive director, advised pro-Israel activists and leaders not to confront the Obama administration directly over the “difference of strategy” between the United States and Israel on Iran. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: , , , ,
| April 17, 2013
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US Senate FRC Resolution to Assist Israel in Iran Strike Approved

The U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee adopts a resolution which commits the U.S.to assist Israel in case of an attack on Iran.

By Elad Benari

 

The U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee adopted on Tuesday a resolution which stipulates that the U.S. will assist Israel if it is forced to take action against Iran.

US Senate

US Senate

The resolution, Senate Resolution 65, was introduced last month by Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) and was co-sponsored by 15 Senators, including Robert Menendez (D-New Jersey), Marco Rubio (R-Florida), Kelly Ayotte (R-New Hampshire), John Cornyn (R-Texas) and Chuck Schumer (D-New York).

It states that the United States has a vital national interest in and unbreakable commitment to, ensuring the existence, survival, and security of the State of Israel; reaffirms the United States support for Israel’s right to self-defense; and urges that if Israel is compelled to take military action in self-defense, the United States will stand with Israel and provide diplomatic, military, and economic support in its defense of its territory, people, and existence. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: , , ,
| April 13, 2013
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U.S. visa waiver bill hits wall over possible denial of Arab-Americans entering Israel

The American legislative effort that would allow visa-free entry for Israelis may be for naught because the Israeli gov’t is unable/unwilling to reciprocate, insisting on its right to refuse entry to certain U.S. citizens based on security concerns.

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A legislative effort led by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) to enable Israelis to enter the United States without visas may be stymied by the government – Israel’s government.

U.S. President Barack Obama shakes hands with U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer


U.S. President Barack Obama shakes hands with U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-Ca.), after he signs the U.S.-Israel Enhanced Security Cooperation Act in the Oval Office of the White House.

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Category: Israel News | Tags: ,
| March 7, 2013
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Expert: “Without Israel, Cyprus & Saudi Arabia are toast, and they know it.”

Strategy analyst Mark Langfan: “Without Israel, oil would be $1,000 a barrel. Without Israel, the US would have to fund an extra $200 billion yearly defense budget to defend southern NATO countries from a Muslim caliphate’s northward tsunami.”

By Gil Ronen

 

The U.S. is not doing Israel any favors by granting it special status as a strategic ally, according to New York based strategy expert Mark Langfan. He predicts a domino effect in which other U.S. allies in the region would collapse, if, G-d forbid, Israel does..

Domino effect“Without Israel, Cyprus and Saudi Arabia are toast,” Langfan told Arutz Sheva, “and they know it.” Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: ,
| March 6, 2013
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The US’s sequester cuts to Israel’s MilitaryAid expected to be $155 million

Israeli officials said they’re worried about the cuts, but added that they don’t expect to be exempt from them.

By JTA

 

WASHINGTON (JTA) — The sequester is expected to cost Israel $155 million in defense assistance.

US Vice President addresses AIPAC – Photo: AP

US Vice President addresses AIPAC – Photo: AP

A senior staffer on the U.S. House of Representatives Armed Services Committee told JTA that defense assistance to Israel would likely be cut by 5 percent, or between $150 million and $160 million of the $3.1 billion Israel was to have been allocated this year, under the sequester, the across-the-board cuts mandated by 2011 legislation.

A pro-Israel official confirmed the number as $155 million. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: ,
| March 5, 2013
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Apparently AIPAC went AWOL

Hagel finally won confirmation by a 58-to-41 vote, facing the greatest number of “no” votes against any Secretary of Defense in US history.
– George C. Marshall in 1950 came in a distant second, with just 11 no’s.

By Daniel Pipes

 

Chuck Hagel’s notorious 2008 statement about the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, the leading institution of the pro-Israel lobby, claimed that “the Jewish lobby intimidates a lot of people up here [in Congress]. I’m a United States senator. I’m not an Israeli senator.”

US Vice President addresses AIPAC – Photo: AP

Then a strange thing happened: No sooner did U.S.

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Category: Israel News | Tags: ,
| March 5, 2013
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US bill to Congress: Make Israel ‘major strategic ally’

Bill introduced by Ted Deutch (D-Fla.) & Ileana Ros Lehtinen (R.-Fla) to the US House of Representatives, is just in time for the AIPAC conference.

By JTA

 

WASHINGTON – A Republican and a Democrat in the US House of Representatives introduced legislation that would make Israel a “major strategic ally,” a one of a kind designation.
ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN

ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN – Photo: Courtesy

The bill, introduced Monday by Reps. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.) and Ted Deutch (D-Fla.), was timed for the annual American Israel Public Affairs Committee conference, and 13,000 activists are expected to lobby for it and for Iran-related bills on Tuesday.The
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Category: Israel News | Tags: , ,
| March 3, 2013
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Amb. Oren opens AIPAC: PM has taken risks for peace, Palestinians also must

Ex-U.S. diplomats Elliot Abrams & Dennis Ross also speak at opening session of AIPAC conference in Washington.

Abrams jokes, on Obama’s upcoming visit, the  president needs to convince Israel he’s undergone a ‘kishke transplant.’

 

Israel’s Ambassador to the U.S. Michael Oren opened AIPAC’s 2013 Policy Conference on Sunday, telling delegates that the Palestinians must follow Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s lead and take risks for peace.

People arrive to attend the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) annual policy conferenc

People arrive to attend the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) annual policy conference in Washington on March 3, 2013. – Photo by AFP

Oren and former U.S. diplomats Dennis Ross and Elliott Abrams were the first to speak at the opening plenary session of the three-day American Israel Public Affairs Committee Policy Conference at the Washington Convention Center on Sunday. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
| February 28, 2013
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No Bibi or Obama, but AIPAC event will still make noise

The event will focus on Congress enacting legislation that would designate Israel a “major strategic ally” of the US, a relationship not enjoyed by any other nation, & on facilitating a US green light should Israel decide to strike Iran.

By Ron Kampeas

 

WASHINGTON (JTA) – Next week’s annual AIPAC policy conference in Washington may be as notable for what — and who — is missing as what’s planned.

NetanyahuFor the first time in at least seven years, neither the U.S. president nor the Israeli prime minister will attend. In addition, for the second year in a row, no mention of the Palestinians, negative or positive, appears on the conference’s legislative agenda. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags:
| December 22, 2012
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73 Senators sign AIPAC-backed letter urging more restrictions on Iran

The time for limited confidence-building measures is over.

By JTA

 

WASHINGTON  — A letter backed by AIPAC urging President Obama to keep up pressure on Iran even as he negotiates with the regime garnered signatures from 73 U.S. Senators.

US Senate

US Senate

“We strongly believe there should be absolutely no diminution of pressure on the Iranians until the totality of their nuclear program has been addressed,” reads the letter, initiated by Sens. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), Kelly Ayotte (R-N.H.) and Joseph Lieberman (I-Conn.) and signed by another 70 senators. “The time for limited confidence-building measures is over.”

The letter, sent Thursday and backed by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, says the senators “remain very skeptical of any proposal that would allow the current Iranian government to possess an enrichment capability in any form, given its long track record of deceptive and illicit conduct.” Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: , ,
| November 30, 2012
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AIPAC ‘MEMO’ calls to review U.S.- Palestinian agreements

PLO Chairman Mahmoud Abbas rebuffed a direct request by Israel and President Obama not to seek upgraded status at the United Nations, which was in direct violations of the signed Oslo Peace Accords.

 

Palestinian U.N. Upgrade Undermines Peace Efforts

The U.N. General Assembly’s (UNGA) passage today (29 Nov. 2012) of a resolution granting the Palestinians non-member observer state status is a direct blow to Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts. An actual Palestinian state can only be achieved by direct negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians. UNGA recognition of a virtual state of Palestine does nothing to advance that process and hinders resumption of real peace talks. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: , , ,
| November 7, 2012
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Republican Jewish Coalition Urges Unity in Face of ‘Serious Problems’

The RJC calls on Americans to “come together to craft real solutions to very serious problems our country faces today.”

By Rachel Hirshfeld

 

The Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC) congratulated President Obama on his re-election victory, but called on Americans to “come together to craft real solutions to the very serious problems our country faces today.”

President Obama

President Obama – Reuters

In a statement released by Executive Director Matt Brooks, the RJC noted a significant decline in support for Obama among Jewish voters, with exit polls saying that Obama garnered about 69 percent of the Jewish vote, down from an estimated 74 percent to 78 percent in 2008. Continue Reading »

Category: Jewish News | Tags: ,
| March 7, 2012
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Gingrich Vows to Replace Iran’s Regime

GOP contender Newt Gingrich all but declared war on Iran’s Mullahs during the AIPAC conference saying he would do away with their regime.

GOP presidential hopeful Newt Gingrich sought to upstage his fellow Republican contenders on Tuesday by saying he would “undermine and replace the Iranian dictatorship.”

Gingrich made his pledge at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) conference on Tuesday, where would-be Republican presidential candidates are seeking to score Jewish votes.

Newt Gingirch

Newt Gingirch - photo by Reuter

“[I will] undermine and replace the Iranian dictatorship by every available method short of war,” Gingrich said via satellite to AIPAC attendees. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News, Mid-East News | Tags: , ,
| March 7, 2012
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Obama: There’ll be a price to pay for premature Iran strike

There will be consequences for both US and Israel for such a move, the US president says, warns against “casualness” of talk by American politicians “beating the drums of war.”

 

WASHINGTON – US President Barack Obama warned Tuesday that there would be consequences for the United States as well as Israel if a premature strike is launched on Iran.

“This is not just an issue of Israeli interests. This is an issue of American interests,” he said at a last-minute press conference. “It’s also not just an issue of consequences for Israel if action is taken prematurely. There are consequences for the United States as well.” Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News, Mid-East News | Tags: , ,
| March 4, 2012
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Obama: All options remain on the table to prevent a nuclear Iran

U.S. President Barack Obama addresses AIPAC conference in Washington; staunchly defends his administration’s record on Israel, citing strong security and diplomatic assistance.

U.S. President Barack Obama said on Sunday that the entire world has an interest in preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, and that all options remain on the table to keep Iran from going nuclear.

Barack Obama March 4, 2012 (AFP)

U.S. President Barack Obama addresses AIPAC conference in Washington, March 4, 2012. Photo by: AFP

“We all prefer to resolve this issue diplomatically,” Obama said in an address at the pro-Israel lobby group AIPAC’s policy conference in Washington. “Having said that, Iran’s leaders should have no doubt about the resolve of the United States, just as they should not doubt Israel’s sovereign right to make its own decisions about what is required to meet its security needs.

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