Subscribe to Print Edition | Wed., August 05, 2009 Av 15, 5769 | | Israel Time: 09:26 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
Haaretz Toolbar
Diplomacy
Defense Jewish World Opinion National
Print Edition
Car Rental
Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate Maccabiah Travel Week's End Anglo File
Share |
Last update - 10:48 03/08/2009
The United States and Israel remain united
By Eric Cantor
Tags: Isreal News, Mideast, Hamas 

As relations between Washington and Jerusalem veer onto unusually rocky terrain, two separate delegations of Congressional Democrats and Republicans will visit Israel in the next couple of weeks bearing a crucial message to the Israeli people: Congress' commitment to the U.S.-Israel relationship remains steadfast.

America stands with Israel for both moral and strategic reasons. Israel is not only a democratic ally and our only true friend in the Middle East; it is also a vital pillar of U.S. national security strategy. When it is strong - its borders secure, its people free from the threat of Iran and its terrorist proxies - the Middle East is a much more stable and peaceful place.

On the other hand, if Iran, Hamas and Hezbollah are allowed to grow stronger at Israel's expense, the resulting victory for radical forces would deal a blow to U.S. anti-terrorism efforts. Terrorism gains legitimacy and momentum when it is shown to work.
Advertisement
Members of Congress from both sides of the aisle are on their way to Israel to affirm that she does not stand alone on the front lines of the ideological battle against extremism. We come to get an up-close view of the geostrategic threats facing our two nations and to discuss solutions with our Israeli counterparts.

But this year the public disagreement between the governments of the United States and Israel over "natural growth" in neighborhoods of Jerusalem and the West Bank has given renewed urgency to our mission. Rumors of a potential aid cutoff or the imposition of other sanctions from the U.S. Defense Department and State Department may not even be true, but they have succeeded in rattling the Israeli people.

Some of my colleagues in Congress do not agree with me that Israel has a right to accommodate the natural growth of its population in its settlements. But nearly all of us are united in our determination to preserve the vibrant U.S.-Israel relationship. We flatly reject the notion of putting sanctions on Israel.

There are two critical reasons why, especially at this time, we oppose applying undue pressure on Israel.

First, it is counterproductive to the U.S. goal of promoting Mideast peace. Without requiring simultaneous Palestinian concessions, we would be signaling to the Palestinians that it is only Israel that has to do the heavy lifting. This may explain why the Palestinian Authority has spurned the Netanyahu government's standing offer to engage in peace talks.

Instead, we must demand that the Palestinians stamp out anti-Israel incitement and stop dragging their feet on fighting homegrown terrorism. And we also ought to insist that Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Jordan move the Arab world toward a normalization of relations with Israel.

Second, the excessive hand-wringing over natural growth is a diversion from the main threat in the Middle East: Iran. We need to exert all of our efforts in rallying the international community around a program of sweeping economic sanctions against the Islamic Republic - and we can't do it too soon. As Iran pushes forward on its illegal nuclear program and uses its terrorist proxies in the region to foment violence against our friends, America must not shy away from the threat. We must stand with our allies.

On that score, the good news is that U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates traveled to the Middle East this week to emphasize that America is determined not to allow Iran to go nuclear.

We in Congress agree. With the stakes this high, our presence in Israel will reassure both the Israelis and the international community that America won't lose sight of the big picture.

The writer is the Republican whip and the representative for Virginia's 7th District in Congress. He also serves as chairman of the Congressional Task Force on Terrorism and Unconventional Warfare.
PROMOTION: Mamilla Hotel
Bookmark to del.icio.us  
 
Online bloodbath
New video game based on Tarantino film lets you bash Nazis with a bat.
Showing support
WATCH: U.S. gay Jews rally in solidarity with T.A. shooting victims.
  1.   Grow strong 11:13  |  AB 03/08/09
  2.   Cantor: Placing Israels interests before American interests 11:41  |  Natallie Durson 03/08/09
  3.   An important restatement of a fundamental political truth 11:45  |  Shalom Freedman 03/08/09
  4.   An important restatement of a fundamental political truth 11:45  |  Shalom Freedman 03/08/09
  5.   What Weasal Wording 12:15  |  Mark of Lewiston 03/08/09
  6.   Leftover Bushwacko 12:25  |  Yehuda Yannay 03/08/09
  7.   What a Retarded Comment 12:59  |  Jessie 03/08/09
  8.   MARK OF LEWISTON The racist hatred & rejection from Hamas 13:06  |  PETER SM 03/08/09
  9.   NATALIE The Arab allies of the USA are NOT happy about a nuclear 13:10  |  PETER SM 03/08/09
  10.   With Bibi in power, the world doesn`t care if Iran gets nukes. 13:30  |  Michael 03/08/09
  11.   PETER SM 13:45  |  Natallie Durson 03/08/09
  12.   Encouragement for Israel from a Jewish republican. 13:53  |  Axel 03/08/09
  13.   Peter SM - Hamas Writ 13:58  |  Mark of Lewiston 03/08/09
  14.   Cantor the diplomat 14:13  |  Solow 03/08/09
  15.   Who does Cantor represent? 14:46  |  W 03/08/09
  16.   NATALIE Self interest again.Selling a"benign"nuclear Iran 14:46  |  PETER SM 03/08/09
  17.   Cantor is another Pollard 14:58  |  American in NY 03/08/09
  18.   MARK Of L.Israel wont let PA go where Hamas is?? Come on 14:59  |  PETER SM 03/08/09
  19.   Laughing....... 15:48  |  William 03/08/09
  20.   PETER SM - Refresh my memory please 16:28  |  Natallie Durson 03/08/09
  21.   funny.... 16:46  |  rm 03/08/09
  22.   What Mr Cantor hasn`t said 16:49  |  Stephen L 03/08/09
  23.   Natalie Durson doesn`t get it on Iran 16:58  |  dnh 03/08/09
  24.   Eric Cantor : AIPAC`s errand boy 17:06  |  Ray Gordon 03/08/09
  25.   15 He represent the old republican neo cons 17:14  |  Dror 03/08/09
  26.   dnh - Iran has politically imploded? 17:27  |  Natallie Durson 03/08/09
  27.   GOR for Isreal? 17:43  |  zack 03/08/09
  28.   Job Application 17:58  |  ccb 03/08/09
  29.   No really gets it...do they? 18:02  |  Lucy 03/08/09
  30.   Obama will not be attacking Iran because of Israel 18:05  |  dnh 03/08/09
  31.   Cut the clichés 18:29  |  Peter 03/08/09
  32.   He`s right about undue pressure 18:30  |  sh 03/08/09
  33.   Cantor... Go to Hell!!! 18:34  |  Kevin 03/08/09
  34.   Cantor is right and represents the best American interests 19:00  |  arik 03/08/09
  35.   Cantor will Chose Israel`s Interest over the US` in a Heart Beat! 19:21  |  Monitor 03/08/09
  36.   Good Job Cantor 19:27  |  Paul 03/08/09
  37.   Israeli Occupied Territory 19:32  |  Janice 03/08/09
  38.   To Kevin in Pennsylvania 19:54  |  Lucy 03/08/09
  39.   Cantor needs to be removed from office 20:26  |  George 03/08/09
  40.   Cantor, another Congressional shill for Israel 20:31  |  JH 03/08/09
  41.   LOVE YA ERIC CANTOR!!!!!!! 21:11  |  Petra 03/08/09
  42.   Jews don`t need protection from Christ`s Followers 22:03  |  Or do they? 03/08/09
  43.   Politicians can change! 22:07  |  robk 03/08/09
  44.   I love it. Proud to be an American citizen. Sorry Nobama. 22:41  |  4:20 03/08/09
  45.   Hussein should listen to this wise man 23:10  |  JP 03/08/09
  46.   AIPAC test - pass 23:52  |  Joshua 03/08/09
  47.   The 5th column 00:34  |  Mizo 04/08/09
  48.   Kudos to Cantor, a true mensch 01:41  |  flyingdoc57 04/08/09
  49.   NATALIE take the range of the Shihab 5 and draw a circle 02:16  |  PETER SM 04/08/09
  50.   To #27 02:50  |  DrBrooks 04/08/09
  51.   People Like Cantor Are The Problem 03:12  |  Boyd 04/08/09
  52.   US does Israel`s work 03:57  |  Waldo Rung 04/08/09
  53.   Eric Cantor 06:23  |  Hilda 04/08/09
  54.   # 9 PETER SM...imagine 07:12  |  maoriboy 04/08/09
  55.   # 18 PETER SM 07:15  |  maoriboy 04/08/09
  56.   # 46 PETER SM...bombs away!! 07:30  |  maoriboy 04/08/09
  57.   Cantor is American Jewish Taliban 07:58  |  steve 04/08/09
  58.   PETER SM - "wipe Zionists of(sic) the map"!? 08:03  |  Christopher 04/08/09
  59.   Mr Cantor and "TERRORISTS"... 08:22  |  PADDY 04/08/09
  60.   MAORIBOY The Sunnis do not want a nuclear armed Iran either 12:39  |  PETER SM 04/08/09
  61.   CHRISTOPHER"Wipe Israel `off the map` Iranian says" 13:14  |  PETER SM 04/08/09
  62.   Response to both of Lucy`s comments 16:30  |  Nyarlathotep 04/08/09
  63.   # 60 PETER SM 22:31  |  maoriboy 04/08/09
Special Offers
Advertisement
hotel Jerusalem
David Citadel Hotel, come stay at the finest of Jerusalem hotels.
Master's Program in Desert Studies
An innovative, multidisciplinary, international program specialized in Desert Research
Dead Sea Cosmetics .Summer Specials
Velvet Hand Cream just $14.90
Handmade In Tel Aviv
Itay Noy, Timepiece Maker
ISRAEL ARMY SURPLUS STORE
IDF insignia,Uniforms, Paladium Boots Watches, Israel Army T-shirts & Collectibles
Dead Sea Salt Beauty and skin care
From the Dead Sea Coupon cofe Haaretz for 10% off!
Eldan Rent a Car
Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on online reservations
Junkyard
Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt
More Headlines
02:20 Washington summons Israel envoy over East Jerusalem eviction
02:23 Editorial / Israel must allow evicted Arab families to return home
05:08 Avi Issacharoff / Forecasts of West Bank violence may well come true
08:38 Coastal Road terrorist refuses to apologize, says peace 'important'
04:22 Lieberman wants fence through disputed border town of Ghajar
09:22 Ahmadinejad sworn in as Iran president for second term
06:05 Who needs the outdoors? A list of fun Web sites to explore
00:15 WATCH: Daily news round-up from Israel
22:32 Peres: Absence of peace means uncontrollable nuclear Mideast
08:57 Police looks to witnesses for lead into Tel Aviv gay center shooter
09:03 Anarchy still reigns within Fatah, but Abbas rule still stable
06:08 Labor rebels: If Barak's constitution passes, it will split party
05:16 Antiquities Authority to search for hidden treasures in attics
Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Site rules |
| Israel 2009 election results | Makom: Engaging on Israel
| Search engine marketing
Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.
© Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved