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Joseph Biden shaking hands with supporters at a rally in Michigan Sunday.(AP)
Last update - 16:40 04/09/2008
Biden: Israel's decisions must be made in Jerusalem, not D.C.
By Natasha Mozgovaya, Haaretz U.S. Correspondent and Haaretz Service
Tags: Joseph Biden, Israel, Iran 

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Biden dismissed the prominent role played by the pro-Israel lobby AIPAC, saying the group "doesn't speak for the entire Jewish community," and it "doesn't speak for the state of Israel, no matter what it insists on any occasion."

The Delaware senator also attacked critics who have questioned his support of Israel saying, "I will take a back seat to no one, and again, no one in AIPAC or any other organization, in terms of questioning my support of the State of Israel."

The former chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations also criticized presumptive Republican Presidential Nominee John McCain's approach to Israel and the United States' diplomatic tensions with Iran by portraying the Islamic Republic as being in a fractured and weak state.

"McCain says it's status quo or war - and there's nothing in between. We all know Iran is weak and weak economically," Biden said. "We should stop making Iran into this 12-foot giant. They are not. They are not. The more we do that, the more we undercut our own self-interest."

Biden also questioned the wisdom of a pre-emptive U.S.-led attack on Iran, at a time when the U.S. is "bogged-down in Iraq," adding that he has been "stunned by the incompetence" of the Bush administration in its handling of the war in Iraq.

Biden defended his opposition to the Kyl-Lieberman Iran amendment, which calls for labeling Iran's Revolutionary Guard a terrorist organization and passed by a vote of 76 - 22, saying that he didn't want to help the government find a "pretext for war with Iran," especially in light of what he described as the Bush administration's inept handling of the war in Iraq.

Biden accused the Bush administration of neglecting the security of Israel's northern border after the Second Lebanon War, saying, "Look what we did in regard to Lebanon - we insisted with the French that the Syrians pull out - but we should have been fully engaged training Lebanese to fill in the void in the South so it wouldn't be filled by Hezbollah - and surprise surprise! - Hezbollah fills up the void! And when Israel pulled out, and we, instead of jumping in as I proposed, to help rebuild down there - now once again we ended with Iranians once again providing the Hezbollah with money to help people to rebuild their houses."

Meanwhile, Obama campaign spokeswoman Wendy Morigi put out the following statement late Wednesday: "Barack Obama and Joe Biden have both enjoyed close and effective cooperation with AIPAC over many years, grounded in their respect for its important mission to support Israel's security and a strong U.S.-Israel relationship.

"That is a mission they share, and they look forward to continuing to work closely with AIPAC on their common goals."


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      1.   Bidens words = Important step to fight anti-Jewish conspiracies 22:39  |  Swiss (Dino) 03/09/08
      2.   is this guy very clear?? 22:58  |  michel 03/09/08
      3.   dear senator biden 23:05  |  fsf 03/09/08
      4.   Yup Israel is on its own 23:05  |  John 03/09/08
      5.   Biden 23:10  |  silverfox 03/09/08
      6.   Mc Cain-Palin Good for America 23:21  |  Joseph.E 03/09/08
      7.   Biden 23:30  |  Michael 03/09/08
      8.   Israel is free to act - Without U.S. calling moves 23:35  |  Steve G 03/09/08
      9.   #1, Swis Dino, what about the other side? 23:39  |  DR 03/09/08
      10.   no to obama and biden 23:45  |  david 03/09/08
      11.   Good for America 23:46  |  Anthony 03/09/08
      12.   Decisions to be made in Israel 23:49  |  Anthony 03/09/08
      13.   Biden is smart 23:51  |  RepublicanStones 03/09/08
      14.   Normal Is For Obama-Biden To Seek The Jewish Vote , BUT 23:56  |  Joseph.E 03/09/08
      15.   With friends like this, who needs Arabs 23:59  |  Gregor 03/09/08
      16.   Mc Cain-Palin bad for US, Israel, and entire free world 00:01  |  Akiva P 04/09/08
      17.   Obama-Biden will keep U.S. and Israel safe 00:08  |  Proudest Zionist 04/09/08
      18.   Biden should point at OPEC not aipac 00:08  |  peter 04/09/08
      19.   mr. dr 00:09  |  fsf 04/09/08
      20.   USA 00:12  |  Abdala 04/09/08
      21.   "we all know Iran is weak" 00:16  |  Gregor 04/09/08
      22.   To fsf-Pacified Indeed! 00:25  |  Harold 04/09/08
      23.   US decisions 01:07  |  X 04/09/08
      24.   Biden already attacking AIPAC-this will be Carter II 01:14  |  Maya 04/09/08
      25.   #9 01:21  |  Sami 04/09/08
      26.   to #5 01:24  |  Shmuelshachor 04/09/08
      27.   Giants And Midgets 02:03  |  Jeff Northridge 04/09/08
      28.   #15 Hey Gregor! Were you one of those who protested... 02:14  |  Maureen Ann 04/09/08
      29.   re: Gregor 02:29  |  Thundercloud65 04/09/08
      30.   Biden `Slip Up` That Israel`s decisions must be made in Jerusalem 02:33  |  Joseph.E 04/09/08
      31.   Israel`s Right to Defend Itself Is Contingent On D.C Approval 02:40  |  Joseph.E 04/09/08
      32.   Under Kadima w/ Peres Israel Is NOT a Free and Independent Countr 02:43  |  Joseph.E 04/09/08
      33.   Biden Shouldn`t Have Spoken Against AIPAC Saying 02:48  |  Joseph.E 04/09/08
      34.   #23 Maureen Ann - Gregor may have donie it 02:48  |  * BEN JABO 04/09/08
      35.   Proudest Zionist 03:02  |  Connie 04/09/08
      36.   What America desparately needs 03:26  |  Bitin Dawg 04/09/08
      37.   AIPAC is history.. 03:36  |  watcher 04/09/08
      38.   #34 Ben Jabo. You done it! 03:40  |  Maureen Ann 04/09/08
      39.   How about decisions about Mullah`s? 04:46  |  Yuri 04/09/08
      40.   David you are wrong. Obama/Biden is good for US first 05:07  |  gus 04/09/08
      41.   Aipac? 05:17  |  Dogboy 04/09/08
      42.   EAST JERUSALEM DESTINY IS PALESTINE`S DESTINY 05:19  |  indrajaya 04/09/08
      43.   Israel leads and America follows (and foots the bill) 05:20  |  peacelover 04/09/08
      44.   Swiss(dino) all wet on AIPAC; Others Can`t Seem to Make Up Minds 05:36  |  JP 04/09/08
      45.   Translation: "I know what`s good for you" 05:38  |  Gili 04/09/08
      46.   #13 - Irish - Stolen Land 07:49  |  NYC 04/09/08
      47.   #27, Jeff Northridge 07:58  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 04/09/08
      48.   BIDEN BAD FOR THE JEWS............. 08:33  |  amir 04/09/08
      49.   Maureen Ann 08:33  |  Gregor 04/09/08
      50.   Thundercloud65 08:59  |  Gregor 04/09/08
      51.   Exactly 09:02  |  Clickfool 04/09/08
      52.   What do you mean, Swiss (Dino)? # 1 09:07  |  Clickfool 04/09/08
      53.   Of course it is, Steve G # 8 09:13  |  Clickfool 04/09/08
      54.   Biden, the Jewish question, and the American future. 09:46  |  S 04/09/08
      55.   Gili #45 09:48  |  Tareq 04/09/08
      56.   So, why did Obama go to AIPAC 09:49  |  Steve the Pals. 04/09/08
      57.   Good for Biden 10:02  |  Natallie Durson 04/09/08
      58.   # 9 DR, seems to me that the Arabs are (almost) begging for peace 11:33  |  Swiss (Dino) 04/09/08
      59.   AIPAC is a malignat growth upon US Politics That Needs Removal 11:59  |  Ari Cohen 04/09/08
      60.   Indajaya no.42: I -together with 200,000 jews live 12:39  |  Arthur 04/09/08
      61.   OPEC not aipac guiding Democrats 14:27  |  peter 04/09/08
      62.   # 59, ARI COHEN 15:08  |  indrajaya 04/09/08
      63.   #59 "Ari" 15:08  |  Not Quite 04/09/08
      64.   Bravo Peter, its OPEC and not AIPAC 15:16  |  Israeli citizen 04/09/08
      65.   Joseph.E #33 AIPAC has VETO over Presidency? 16:38  |  examiner 04/09/08
      66.   # 63 With regard to Walt/Mearsheimer, please check out this link 17:02  |  Swiss (Dino) 04/09/08
      67.   #27 Jeff Northridge `midget with a nuke`? 17:08  |  examiner 04/09/08
      68.   #31 Joseph E..Biden and his comments.I neither approve/Trust him! 17:40  |  KATHY 04/09/08
      69.   Hillary would have been a better VP 17:43  |  Anonymous 04/09/08
      70.   #10 Poor David, NY will vote Democratic ole buddy! 18:04  |  ballistic 04/09/08
      71.   #24 Maya this ones for you! 18:07  |  Big Sur 04/09/08
      72.   #14 Joseph E 18:07  |  ballistic 04/09/08
      73.   #24 Maya, hey, another New Yorker 18:08  |  ballistic 04/09/08
      74.   #38 Say Connie, try Soma, it will help!! 18:19  |  ballistic 04/09/08
      75.   TIKUN OLAM #36 open my post to find out it`s meaning. 18:20  |  Big Sur 04/09/08
      76.   #42 read McCann`s open letter from today. 18:24  |  Big Sur 04/09/08
      77.   #1 Swiss...in the meantime 18:41  |  Lynn 04/09/08
      78.   Biden is right 18:59  |  Shaiya 04/09/08
      79.   Biden merely beds with other foreign lobbies 19:00  |  Pssd Off American 04/09/08
      80.   Swiss (Dino) Did you notice where he was speaking 19:13  |  David Israel 04/09/08
      81.   Amen. Get thee behind me, AIPAC! 19:13  |  Ivar 04/09/08
      82.   # 65 Oh examiner,this so good to hear.re:Joseph Etc.. 19:18  |  KATHY 04/09/08
      83.   # 68 Joseph ..oops I meant "PASSIONATE"& not pation!! Sorry. 19:34  |  KATHY 04/09/08
      84.   #70 Poor ballistic trying hard with her "canvasing"for Obama 19:45  |  KATHY 04/09/08
      85.   CAIR is an antisemitic organization 19:54  |  Anonymous 04/09/08
      86.   #59 Second try To Ari Cohen??? 20:05  |  KATHY 04/09/08
      87.   #68 Say Kath, yep, Palin is your girl! 20:19  |  ballistic 04/09/08
      88.   No.61 peter 20:22  |  Gerald 04/09/08
      89.   Anthony--Get an education 20:48  |  Donald A. Rosenberg, 04/09/08
      90.   #79 Pssd Off American On Biden: More.Just read one Somewhere!! 21:01  |  Benny 04/09/08
      91.   65 examiner, the poster may not be right on exact details,but the 21:10  |  lakshmi 04/09/08
      92.   #80 David Israel.....CAIR and ISNA 21:16  |  Lynn 04/09/08
      93.   #40 Gus...speaking of violations of air space 21:29  |  Lynn 04/09/08
      94.   Is support unconditional? 21:57  |  A1 04/09/08
      95.   Pssd Off American: In Bed With Only Himself 22:01  |  Tex 04/09/08
      96.   51, Clickfool, Well said on AIPAC 22:18  |  Dutch 04/09/08
      97.   #68 Joseph E..Just read this.Good information.. 22:23  |  Benny 04/09/08
      98.   Not an empty promise 22:52  |  TonyL 04/09/08
      99.   #54, S, "talking is cheap for them" 22:52  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 04/09/08
      100.   RE:32 22:58  |  Thundercloud65 04/09/08
      101.   #74 BALLISTIC...About Connie,And,and,, 23:03  |  Benny 04/09/08
      102.   #68 Say Kath, it is wonderful you are for Palin/McCain 23:28  |  ballistic 04/09/08
      103.   Israel is an INDEPENDENT state not a US`s state 23:54  |  American C. 04/09/08
      104.   # 80 David Israel 00:07  |  Swiss (Dino) 05/09/08
      105.   Typical 00:16  |  DAVID KAPLAN 05/09/08
      106.   Tex surprising no one this afternoon 00:45  |  Pssd Off American 05/09/08
      107.   Dino #58: they just express themselves a bit clumsily, right? 01:13  |  ivo 05/09/08
      108.   Steve and the Facts 01:50  |  Tex 05/09/08
      109.   #77 Lynn....in the meantime 02:05  |  Roo 05/09/08
      110.   Biden 02:11  |  Bob 05/09/08
      111.   #38 Maureen Ann - You`re welcome 02:31  |  * BEN JABO 05/09/08
      112.   42 "Dual" Citizens in Upper Bush Admin. What AIPAC... 03:09  |  Gray 05/09/08
      113.   McCain`s VP bad for Jews? 03:18  |  Michelle T 05/09/08
      114.   Biden right on AIPAC not speaking for all US and Israel 03:22  |  joe fiasco 05/09/08
      115.   # 76 Big Sur..Third try..Haaretz put it out.For Big Sur! 04:03  |  Benny 05/09/08
      116.   Does AIPAC speak for Israel? 04:46  |  Meghan 05/09/08
      117.   #11 Anthony 05:40  |  John Allen 05/09/08
      118.   #43 And we love doing it. 05:42  |  John Allen 05/09/08
      119.   51 . Clickfool, Re The impact of AIPAC behind the scene 06:48  |  Dutch 05/09/08
      120.   AIPAC reader, part 1 08:56  |  Ivar 05/09/08
      121.   AIPAC reader part 2 08:57  |  Ivar 05/09/08
      122.   AIPAC reader part 3 09:00  |  Ivar 05/09/08
      123.   Both of these candidates are dumb and dumber 09:31  |  Mark O`Malley 05/09/08
      124.   #104 Dutch/Clickfool 10:52  |  Not Quite 05/09/08
      125.   # 95 ivo, you are correct, the Arabs are indeed..... 11:58  |  Swiss (Dino) 05/09/08
      126.   # 52 Clickfool, the first step is always the most important one 12:04  |  Swiss (Dino) 05/09/08
      127.   # 44 JP, will you ever get it....??? (3rd try) 12:13  |  Swiss (Dino) 05/09/08
      128.   Swiss (Dino) #104 15:44  |  David Israel 05/09/08
      129.   #84 Say Kath, Eric is a reasonable person 17:53  |  ballistic 05/09/08
      130.   #101 Say Benny, glad to see you and Kath 18:01  |  ballistic 05/09/08
      131.   #86 Say Kath re Ari 18:48  |  ballistic 05/09/08
      132.   #115 Yada, yada, yada Benny, but NY 18:50  |  ballistic 05/09/08
      133.   Biden as lobbiest 19:43  |  Donbury 05/09/08
      134.   #88 Gerald on OPEC guiding US policy not aipac 19:49  |  peter 05/09/08
      135.   Israel needs ONE vision, not fractured mess 21:50  |  MarkH 05/09/08
      136.   #79 Pssd Off American..Tell Me Are you the original one,or ,... 02:39  |  anonymous 06/09/08
      137.   steve g 8 04:18  |  potobac 06/09/08
      138.   #137 Potobac 11:08  |  Duck Soup 06/09/08
      139.   # 84 to kathy re: abandonment 03:12  |  eric 08/09/08
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