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Opening Statement
Let me start by expressing my appreciation to Rabbi Lisa Malik and to B'nai Aaron for inviting us here to participate in this discussion, and thanks to all of you who have come to inform yourselves as we are approaching an extremely important Presidential election which may determine the future of our nation, the State of Israel and indeed the world.
The Bush campaign is trying to sell us the idea that Bush is a rock of support for Israel. They are trying to convince you that you should vote for them, even if you disagree with Bush on a host of other issues.
The undisputed facts however paint a different picture. The facts show that Bush is at best an inconsistent supporter of Israel.
While Bush has done some things for Israel, this morning I will detail to you how George W. Bush has condemned Israel when it has gone after Hamas terrorists. How Bush has obstructed Israel building of the security fence. And how he has punished Israel for building that fence.
In contrast, John Kerry in word and in deed is a stronger supporter of Israel. Ten years before Bush entered public life, Kerry was already making a name for himself as one of Israel's strongest supporters in the Senate.
This isn't just my view. This is the view of the most pro-Israel organization out there: the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. According to AIPAC (ay-pac), John Kerry has a perfect, unblemished 20-year voting record on Israel in the United States Senate -- including some 60 pro-Israel votes and signatures on key congressional letters. He took a leadership role in cosponsoring many of these efforts.
When Kerry says he supports Israel, you can trust him.
To achieve a 20-year 100% pro-Israel voting record you have to be there for Israel day-after-day, year-after-year, not just on popular votes.
Here's one telling quote from just a few months ago:
"Israel should freeze settlement construction, […] and not prejudice final negotiations with the placement of walls and fences".
Who would say something like this?
The speaker is George W. Bush.
You can read these remarks yourself on the White House website!
To Bush, these weren't mere words for a European audience. Unfortunately, he was serious, and immediately put his words into action.
On his return from London, he summoned the representatives of the Israeli government, called them to the carpet for having constructed the security fence, and fined them to the tune of a $289M deduction from U.S. loan guarantees that earlier administrations made to Israel. In other words, Every shekel Israel spent on the security fence to protect its citizens has been deducted from the loan guarantees. This includes the parts of the fence west of the so-called Green Line, which don't even touch so called Palestinian land.
In contrast, from day one, John Kerry has always supported the construction of Israel's security fence to stop terrorists from entering Israel. Unlike Bush, Kerry understands the security fence is an act of self-defense that Israel needs to defend itself.
Kerry believes the security fence is a matter for Israel to decide.
That on matters of vital security these decisions should be Israel's to make.
Kerry opposes this President's attempts to reduce US Loan Guarantees to Eretz Yisrael in order to coerce Israeli policy.
Israel has a democratic decision making process. On vital security matter, these decisions should be Israel's to make.
Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld and the other neo-cons don't have to live with the life-or-death consequences of those decisions.
Israel's security must not be gambled away as part of this administration's risky ill-planned and dangerous neo-con vision for the Middle East.
President Bush has also condemned Israel on numerous occasions when it has gone after Hamas terrorists. For example, when Israel targeted Hamas leaders Yassin and Rantisi in March. Bush said he was (quote) "deeply troubled".
In stark contrast, Kerry was among the first to express support. As Kerry says; if the U.S. "has a right to respond in Afghanistan to suicide bombers in New York City, and we do, then Israel has a right to respond to suicide bombers" where they hide.
Bush has demonstrated that he will say anything to any audience to please them. On the one hand he has spoken out against anti-Semitism, but last May, Bush shared a stage with Crown Prince Abdullah of Saudi Arabia. The Prince who was speaking about the terrorist attacks in his own country Saudi Arabia. The Prince blamed (quote) "the Zionists". Bush was standing right next to him. He didn't condemn that disgusting comment then, and he hasn't since.
Bush has failed to consistently support Israel in the UN. Last May, for example, when Arab nations sponsored a resolution condemning Israel, Bush shocked Jews around the world by not vetoing this resolution. Bush ordered our UN representative to abstain, as we almost never do, and because of this the anti-Israel resolution passed …. 14-0.
John Kerry has always believed the US must stand solidly behind Israel at the UN. He has stated that he would (quote) "never hesitate to wield a US veto on the Security Council in the face of anti-Israel/anti-Zionist resolutions".
In Spring 2002 when Israel launched Operation Defensive Shield to root out terrorists in Jenin and elsewhere, Kerry co-sponsored a resolution in support of Israel, while the Bush administration called for an investigation by UN observers.
I will speak more about why a vote for Kerry is a vote for Israel's security, but now let me turn to a few domestic issues, and their relationship to Jewish values.
Bush does not share our values.
In 1997, then Gov. Bush signed a bill that allowed Texans to bring their guns into churches and synagogues He signed another bill proclaiming "Jesus Day" in Texas.
Bush's inaugural speech was sandwiched between an invocation and a closing prayer both made specifically in the name of Jesus, as one pastor proclaimed "Jesus the Christ (is) the name that's above all other names."
Even now, Federal Courts have determined that Bush has unconstitutionally hijacked the Americorp program to endorse religious Christian.
Bush is currently planning to appoint Dr. W. David Hager to head an influential FDA panel on women's health policy. In Hager's book, Stress and the Women's Body, Hager emphasizes (quote) "the restorative power of Jesus Christ" and recommends that women relieve pre-menstrual symptoms with readings from scripture.
The list goes on and on, and I will say more later. Don't take my word for it or Len's word for it either. Do your own research. I will put full details on my website
There is a potential conflict for American Jews between their domestic agenda (healthcare, reproductive rights, homeland security, separation between church & state, Assault Weapon Ban, …) and our support for Israel. Fortunately, in this election we need not be torn between two allegiances. This conflict resolves the same way along both axes. Kerry will offer Israel stronger support, more sincere support, and more consistent support.
Thank you very much.
Daniel E. LOEB,
eMail: daniel.loeb at verizon.net
