U.S. Republican Ari Fleischer: Obama forcing Israel to make ‘harmful concessions’
By Mordechai I. Twersky, HAARETZ
The former White House press secretary for the Bush administration has assailed President Obama for “pushing Israel around” and forcing the Jewish state to “make harmful, unwise concessions.”
Addressing a group of dual Israeli-U.S. citizens Tuesday night at a get-out-the-vote event in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Mishkenot Sha’ananim, Ari Fleischer questioned Obama’s commitment to Israel.
“I do not ever want to have a president in the Oval Office who will make us scratch our heads and wonder, ‘does he or does he not have Israel’s back,'” said Fleischer, alluding to President’s Obama’s pledge, last March, at the AIPAC Conference in Washington. “I don’t want to have a president in the Oval Office who makes me wonder what next will he do to put pressure on Israel and make Israel make harmful, unwise concessions.”
At Tuesday night’s sparsely attended event, sponsored by relatively new iVoteIsrael organization, Fleischer urged a mostly senior crowd of about 80 people to register to vote, coming on a day two leading U.S. polls showed Obama and his Republican challenger locked in a dead heat.
“You’re the size of Dayton, Ohio. You’re the size of Ft. Lauderdale, Florida,” Fleischer told the Israelis gathered. “You’re a longer plane trip from New York from those places, but you’re equally important.”
Matt Brooks of the Washington-based Republican Jewish Coalition, who launched into a blistering attack of Obama in his opening remarks, noted, almost parenthetically, that Romney would be visiting Israel “in three weeks.” When asked later by Haaretz for a more specific date, Brooks said he meant “somewhere between July 15 and July 30.”
Though both Fleischer and Brooks trumpeted the symbolism of Romney’s decision to visit Israel in this relatively late, pre-party convention stage in the presidential election season, they were strong on message but short on policy specifics.
When asked by an audience member to state Romney’s position regarding clemency for the convicted Israeli spy, Jonathan Pollard, Fleischer and Brooks exchanged glances.
“I don’t know his position on that,” Fleischer said.
When asked whether Romney would move the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, Fleischer reminded the audience that he was not a spokesman for Romney, but was “here to support him, because I think he’d be wonderful for Israel.”
“Governor Romney is on the record as saying that he would like to move the embassy from Tel Aviv to Yerusahlayim,” continued Fleischer, employing the Hebrew for Israel’s capital. “But he wants to consult with Israeli leaders first about the best way to get that accomplished.”
After hearing some howls and interruptions from the audience, Fleischer attempted to explain:
“What Romney is saying when he says that is he’s aware of the broader implications where Jordan and others and the sensitivity and whether or not such a first move would be seen as so provocative that it might not accomplish the goals that he and the Israel government want to accomplish,” conceded Fleischer. “So he’s hedging his bets on that one. Ultimately, I don’t know what he’s going to do.”
Fleischer was asked whether Romney would recognize a unified Jerusalem capital.
“I don’t know,” said Fleischer who said he would share feedback from his visit with Romney’s “team” following his return to the States. “This is one of those statements that I think when he comes here we’re all going to have to listen carefully to what exactly he says.”
Fleischer added: “There is a tendency in American politics for people to pull back a little bit and give themselves a little bit of leeway and negotiating room…The most important thing is to deliver…My hope is, if he doesn’t intend to move the embassy, then don’t say it. If you’re going to do it, do it.”
Fleischer and Brooks will be speaking at several local events aimed at registering the country’s estimated 150,000 U.S. citizens eligible to vote in the upcoming presidential election in November.
@ James B – Montreal:
I didn’t insult you, I just stated a fact you refuse to acknowledge. I even provided you with a link that if you had just skimmed the details therein you might not be so huffy-puffy and arrogantly defensive as you are displaying now.
PS, According to my Jewish and Zionist POV, there shouldn’t be any Jews in Montreal or even in Canada. When things go really south(bad) for you Canadian Jews don’t come running to us, you have all those Christian friends? Run to them…. 🙂
It is disturbing. It disturbs me too. 78% of US Jews voted for Obama. Schumer will most likely be in Washington for life. 66% of US Jews will once again vote for Obama.
facts are friends
I wish it were not the case. I wish Jews stuck together. In Montreal, The Jewish community was effectively erased due to Quebecois nationalism and the Jewish community itself. There are not many young Jews here. I put a lot of blame on the Jewish community for not supporting the Jews here.
My point is that Jews do not stick together when the rubber hits the road. I have lived through periods of Quebecois nationalism, something you will never understand and the Jews did NOT stick together and fled like mice they way the fled to Obama and any ” moderate muslim “. @ Canadian Otter:
Yamit, in all due respect, is there someone you have not insulted on this site? You have nothing good to say about anyone including yourself.
I was waiting until you were going to insult me. What would please you? Israel dropping a nuke on Washington?
I owe you no apologies and I stand by my comment. THE AMERICAN EVANGELICAL ARE ISRAEL’S TRUE FRIENDS AND ARE SOMETIMES MORE WORTHY OF BEING CALLED THE NEW HEBREWS. They are still making lots of babies, they visit Israel and do not vote for Democrats. Not that I am pro Republican, they are the best horse in the glue factory; full of devils: Bush, Abrams, Hatch,,,
@ James B – Canada:
@ Canadian Otter:
You write:
Your statement is extremely disturbing.
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I’d call that statement extremely ignorant if not outright stupid.
@ James B – Canada:
You misunderstood. My comment was a denunciation of government policy. Not of the Jews of Israel.
Israeli Zionists are definitely worthy of the country.
They face terrorist threats to themselves and to their families every day.
They have to contend with a government that uses tyranical methods of discouraging dissent.
Example: Jews are deported from their towns without charges being laid. Just for vague and unnamed “security reasons” – http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/157814 –
And still, Zionist Jews persevere. And if called to defend the country, they don’t hesitate to do so. They are heroes and they make us proud.
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You write:
Your statement is extremely disturbing.
Israel is unworthy of her ancestors. Bat Yeor. Thank you so much Canadian Otter for articulating what I long believed. Israelis do not see anything wrong with being ghetto Jews as do Jews in the diaspora. THE AMERICAN EVANGELICAL ARE ISRAEL’S TRUE FRIENDS AND ARE SOMETIMES MORE WORTHY OF BEING CALLED THE NEW HEBREWS@ Canadian Otter:
It’s downright insulting how both parties try to garner Jewish votes based on outright lies. Day after day. Year after year.
Neither the Republicans nor the Democrats differ in their contempt for Israel and the Jews. Or in their demands for Israel’s partition.
It’s hard to understand how they manage to maintain this myth of support for Israel, considering how much the country has lost since 1967, and how much it is still being demanded to give up.
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By the way, shall we remind the Republicans of the time when they made the Israeli delegation to the Annapolis Conference use the SERVICE DOOR so that the Saudi delegation would not be offended by Jews using the same front entrance to the building?
Atlas Shrugs:
(Remaining at the conference was the Israeli government’s decision. Joining a steady and still non-ending stream of Israeli government attitudes and policies lacking self-respect and respect for the people of Israel who elected them to office.)
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No wonder American politicians continue to use and misuse the fate of Israel for their own gain.
They take Israel’s submissiveness for granted. All that matters for them is which of the political parties will get the Jewish votes and the Jewish money.
The Jews of Israel will get bullied and abused no matter who gets into the White House and Congress.
Israel is letting itself get pushed around.
Dem, Repub, no change.
Here is an article by Daniel Pipes no longer defending American elite devil, James Baker III:
http://www.danielpipes.org/blog/2006/12/what-went-wrong-with-james-a-baker-iii
I was in Israel when James Baker III ( II were enough ) publicly told Israel to belittle Israel:
When you are serious about peace, call us at 1-XXX . Doing his bidding for his Arab muslim masters.
This did not prevent 9/11 and USS Cole nor prevent any American soldiers deaths.
Fleischer should look at his own party.
And Heinz Kissinger? Another elite American devil with a German name.