Issue Position: The US-Israel Relationship

Issue Position

The US-Israel Relationship
An alliance rooted in common values and shared strategic interests

Updated July, 2014

Originally published May, 2014

We have all been witnessing on our living room television screens the human tragedy unfolding in the Middle East, in Gaza inflicted on Israel by the relentless actions of the Hamas terrorists now aided by a vow from Hezbollah to come to their aid.

Israel has the absolute right to defend herself and I support our friends in Israel during this current crisis. My prayers go out to the families of the Israelis who have lost their lives in this conflict.

My thoughts on Israel are steadfast and sure and a few months back I wrote about our special relationship with our great ally and thought I would share with you again.....

On aid to Israel:

At this time of tremendous turmoil in the Middle East, US financial aid is the most tangible method of demonstrating our nation's ongoing commitment to maintaining Israel's qualitative military edge over its adversaries. That is why I support our nation's continued compliance with the ten-year security assistance agreement forged in 2007 by President Bush.

My support is further based on the fact that nearly 75% of these funds are spent in the US for the purchase of weapons and other needs, this program benefits our nation both economically as well as strategically.

On the Israeli-Palestinian conflict:

I reject the notion, as recently put forward by Secretary of State Kerry before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, that the breakdown in the peace talks is due to Israel's issuance of building permits in Jerusalem.

I applaud Israel's deep hunger for peace as evidenced by its willingness to prematurely release dozens of Palestinian terrorists and for its agreement to consider all options in delineating future borders -- all in order to bring their adversaries to the peace table.

I attribute the collapse of the talks to the actions of the Palestinian Authority, whose leader, Mr. Abbas, has recently determined that making peace with Hamas, a recognized terrorist organization, is preferable to making peace with Israel.

I support Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who has asked that the Palestinians acknowledge Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people. This designation has long been recognized by both the League of Nations and the United Nations. Only be agreeing to this basic right will the Palestinians demonstrate that they are genuinely interested in peace.

I strongly disagree with recent (April 25, 2014) statements made by Secretary Kerry that suggest that Israel is, or is at risk of becoming, an apartheid state. Such comments are untrue, offensive, and move the parties further from, rather than closer to, an equitable resolution of the conflict. Contrary to Kerry's characterization, I regard Israel as a shining light for freedom and opportunity in a region plagued by terror, hate and oppression.

On Iran:

I believe that should the government of Iran fail to comply with any portion of the Joint Plan of Action as stipulated by the P5+1 -- which includes fully dismantling the Arak heavy water reactor, shutting down thousands of centrifuges, closing its underground uranium-enrichment sites, and agreeing to a twenty-year inspection regime -- the US should not agree to waive these requirements, thereby allowing hundreds of millions in sanction relief dollars to flow into Iran.
A nuclear-armed Iran represents a grave threat to world peace. Given the published statements by Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, I have little confidence in Iran's genuine intentions of abandoning its nuclear aspirations. I therefore support keeping all practical options on the table.
The Iranian regime, an open supporter of world terrorism, has repeatedly declared its desire to destroy Israel. That is why a nuclear armed Iran is not acceptable under any circumstances. Preventing such an outcome, via diplomacy if possible or via other means if necessary, must be the unwavering policy of our government.

On Syria:

I applaud the unheralded humanitarian actions of the Israeli Defense Forces in providing emergency medical treatment to military and civilian victims of the ongoing civil conflict in neighboring Syria.
I feel that the recent (April 13, 2014) reports of further chemical weapons being used against Syrian civilians is a direct consequence of the US's failure to act decisively in the wake of the August 12, 2013 attack that left hundreds of innocents dead. Despite the fact that President Obama warned of "harsh consequences" should the Assad regime fail to eliminate all chemical weapons by December 31, more than fifty percent of all such weapons remain in Syrian hands.
It is this type of hollow rhetoric that has convinced our friends they can no longer count on us and our enemies to no longer fear us. I intend to reverse this trend by holding the executive branch fully accountable for their foreign policy commitments.
While I am, in general, opposed to unnecessary government intervention into the free marketplace, I support efforts to pressure the Assad regime to abandon its aggression against its own citizens via economic sanctions issued by executive order and administered by the US Treasury Department.

On cooperation with Israel:

I am fully committed to sustaining and nurturing the long-standing alliance between our two democracies. An alliance based not only upon strategic interests, but also on our common commitment to the rule of law, freedom of religion and speech, and a devotion to human rights.
The economic benefits brought about by our Free Trade Agreement with Israel have served to benefit both nations over the past thirty years. I support further agreements that will serve to spur collaboration, innovation, and free commerce between us.
As do many Floridians, I salute Israel's evolution into a dynamo of high-tech innovation -- this despite its monumental obligation to defend itself against a host of enemies. As do most Americans, I look forward to the day when the blessings of peace will allow such promise to fully flower into fruition.

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