Political Insider: Obama Defensive On Israel; Answers Nader As Jewish Republicans Weigh In
Posted By Adam DickterPolitical Insider: Obama Defensive On Israel; Answers Nader As Jewish Republicans Weigh In
Barack Obama’s campaign has responded to Ralph Nader’s charge yesterday that Obama abandoned a previously pro-Palestinian view and was now supporting the “destruction” of Gaza by Israel.
Here’s the statement:
"Barack Obama's longstanding support for Israel's security is rooted in his belief that no civilians should have to live with the threat of terrorism. In Gaza, Hamas continues to fire rockets indiscriminately at Israeli civilians every day, and that's why it is long past time that Hamas renounces terrorism, recognizes Israel's right to exist, and abides by past agreements."
The Republican Jewish Coalition wasted no time pouncing on Nader’s comments as proof of Obama’s “leanings.”
"Ralph Nader added to the debate on Senator Obama's views on Israel and the Middle East and raised serious doubts and questions about the true leanings of Senator Obama on these important issues," says RJC director Matt Brooks:
"People should be very skeptical of Barack Obama's shaky Middle East policies. When a long-time political activist like Ralph Nader, with a well-documented, anti-Israel bias, claims that Senator Obama shares this anti-Israel bias, that is alarming," said Brooks.
Interestingly, at almost the same time Nader’s criticism of Obama for not taking “a leadership position in supporting the Israeli peace movement” aired on Sunday morning, the candidate was addressing Jewish leaders in Cleveland and, according to JTA, faulting “elements in the pro-Israel community that equate being pro-Israel with being pro-Likud.”
"I think there is a strain within the pro-Israel community that says unless you adopt a unwavering pro-Likud approach to Israel that you're anti-Israel and that can't be the measure of our friendship with Israel," JTA reported Obama saying. "If we cannot have an honest dialogue about how do we achieve these goals, then we're not going to make progress."
JTA said Obama was “was addressing a series of attacks, most from Republicans, that suggest that he has surrounded himself with anti-Israel advisers. He noted that he did not take the advice of Zbigniew Brzezinski, the Carter administration national security adviser named in some of the attack e-mails.
Read the full transcript from JTA here.