Tag Archive for US Senate

| April 17, 2013
No comments

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: , , ,
| March 1, 2013
No comments

US Senators: Support Israeli military action in Iran legislation

Both Rep.& Dem. promote resolution guaranteeing Israel diplomatic, military & economic support if it chooses to attack Iran.

‘No green light, just self-defense’

By Yitzhak Benhorin

 

WASINGTON: A group of bipartisan senators are promoting legislation promising Israel US support if the former chooses to attack Iran on its own.

Sen. Lindsey Graham & Sen. Bob MenendezThe legislation is sponsored by Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham and Democratic Sen. Robert Menendez. The two hope to see the resolution accepted before Obama’s spring visit to Israel.

“No one wants another conflict anywhere in the world militarily, but we also don’t want a nuclear-capable Iran,” Graham, a South Carolina Republican and a member of the Senate’s Committee on Armed Services, said at a press conference. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: ,
| January 20, 2013
No comments

Netanyahu: ‘History will not forgive those who do not stop Iran’

In a meeting with bipartisan group of U.S. senators visiting Jerusalem, PM Benjamin Netanyahu says, “Building in Jerusalem is not the world’s problem; a nuclear Iran is the world’s problem”. His comments appear to be subtle message to the US president.

By Shlomo Cesana and Israel Hayom Staff

 

 

“History will not forgive those who do not stop Iran’s nuclear program,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told U.S. senators visiting in Israel over the weekend, in what appeared to be a subtle message to U.S. President Barack Obama.

PM Benjamin Netanyahu, U.S. Ambassador Dan Shapiro (far right) and U.S. senators visiting in Israel over the weekend discuss the need to intensify sanctions against Iran.

Continue Reading »
Category: Israel News | Tags: ,
| January 13, 2013
No comments

Sen. McConnell: Israeli & U.S. Mideast agendas are ‘the same’

The PM’s office reports Sen. McConnell as saying, “…There’s broad bi-partisan support for Israel, & our agenda in this part of the world is the same as your agenda,”

By JTA

 

Sen. Mitch McConnell said in a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the U.S. and Israeli agendas in the Middle East were identical.

Sen. McMonnellNetanyahu met Friday with McConnell, the minority leader in the U.S. Senate, who was leading a group of senators on an Israel tour.

“As everybody in Israel knows, there are a lot of things we disagree on in America, we’ve had big battles over deficit and debt, but there’s broad bi-partisan support for Israel, and our agenda in this part of the world is the same as your agenda,” McConnell said, according to a statement from Netanyahu’s office. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: ,
| December 22, 2012
No comments

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: , ,
| December 4, 2012
No comments

U.S. Senators send Morsi letter: Halt Hamas arms smuggling

“Preventing Hamas from re-arming is just one step in helping to prevent violence from erupting again.”

 

WASHINGTON (JTA) — A bipartisan slate of U.S. senators urged Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi to crack down on arms smuggling into the Gaza Strip.

“In order for the cease-fire to hold, it is imperative that your government bolster its efforts to halt all weapons smuggling taking place via both overland and underground routes,” said the letter, which was initiated by Sens. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.), and signed by another 16 senators.

In the letter, sent Tuesday, the senators said they were “encouraged” by the “constructive role” Morsi played in brokering a cease-fire to the most recent Hamas-Israel conflict in the Gaza Strip. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: ,
| December 2, 2012
No comments

Israel bids adieu to a very staunch ally in the US Senate

In a farewell interview, retiring U.S. Senator Joe Lieberman calls for American military aid for Assad’s opponents, Palestinian elections & the end to Congress’ partisan feuds.

 

+The Palestinian Authority’s demand that Israel freeze settlements is “an excuse” not to return to the negotiating table, said Senator Joe Lieberman in a wide-ranging interview with Haaretz ahead of his retirement next month.

Joe Lieberman speaking with reporters in Washington last week.

Joe Lieberman speaking with reporters in Washington last week. Photo by AP

Lieberman also called the PA’s move to upgrade its United Nations status a “mistake.” “The real answer here is for them to go back to negotiations without preconditions. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags:
| November 22, 2012
No comments

Senators Threaten Abbas to Cut PA Aid Over His UN Statehood Bid

PA Chairman Abbas was warned by a bipartisan group of Senators that he would be risking American aid if he goes forward with U.N. move.

By Rachel Hirshfeld

A bipartisan group of U.S. Senators warned Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas on Wednesday that he would be putting millions of dollars of American aid at risk if he goes forward with his planned statehood bid at the United Nations next week.

PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas

PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas – AFP photo

Sens. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine), co-authors of a Senate resolution denouncing the statehood bid, wrote to the Palestinian Authority president on Wednesday warning him that “any such efforts may cause consequences in regards to U.S. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: ,
| November 16, 2012
No comments

US Senate resolution demonstrates solid support of Israel

The U.S. Senate unanimous resolution backs ‘Israel’s inherent right to act in self-defense to protect citizens against terrorism’

Yitzhak Benhroin

 

WASHINGTON – The United States Senate sent an overwhelming message of solidarity with Israel on Thursday with the passage by unanimous consent of a resolution introduced by Senators Kirsten Gillibrand and Mark Kirk.

Barack Obama Photo: MCT

Barack Obama – Photo: MCT

The bipartisan resolution, with 62 Senators as co-sponsors joining the two, expressed firm support for Israel’s “inherent right to act in self-defense to protect its citizens against acts of terrorism.”

“As a bipartisan group of Senators committed to Israel’s security, we express our solidarity with Israel during this deeply challenging period and denounce the reprehensible and indiscriminate rocket attacks launched by Hamas and Islamic Jihad against innocent Israeli citizens,” the senators said in a joint statement. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: , ,
| June 27, 2012
No comments

US Senate urges Munich Olympic moment of silence

Legislative body passes resolution calling on Olympic C’tee to commemorate Munich massacre at upcoming London games.

By JTA

 

WASHINGTON — The US Senate unanimously passed a resolution urging the International Olympic Committee to observe a moment of silence at the 2012 London Olympics for the Munich 11.

The Senate resolution, which passed Monday,  is part of a larger global effort calling on the IOC to honor the 11 Israeli athletes and coaches who were murdered at the 1972 Games in Munich by members of the Palestinian terrorist group Black September. Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) introduced the measure.

Continue Reading »
Category: Israel News | Tags: ,
| June 5, 2012
No comments

Palestinians: US refugee amendment may delay peace deal

According to legislation, State Department must now differentiate between Palestinian refugees and descendants of refugees; former Abbas advisor: It can have a very bad reaction on the ground.

WASHINGTON – Palestinian advocates are warning that a new US Senate amendment dictating a reporting requirement on the issue of Palestinian refugees could set back efforts to reach a peace deal.

Dheisheh Refugee Camp near Bethlehem (file) - Photo: REUTERS

Dheisheh Refugee Camp near Bethlehem (file) - Photo: REUTERS

The amendment to a bill, recently approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee, mandates that the secretary of state must report how many of the Palestinians serviced by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency fled or left homes in Israelduring the War of Independence and how many are only their descendants.“It’s

Continue Reading »
Category: Jewish News | Tags: , ,
  Recent Entries »