Christians' Israel Public Action Campaign (CIPAC)
Shavua Tov ( Good Week!) CIPAC Members & Friends,
I am convinced that national security, not jobs or deficits, is the biggest issue at stake in Tuesday's elections for Congress. Survival trumps prosperity.
Last week's terrorist threats from air freight parcel bombs should remind every voter that in this time of war on a number of fronts, the Obama administration is remarkably careless with defense issues, including relationships with key allies like Israel, Britain and Canada. This should cause security concerns to compete with, if not eclipse, such issues as jobs, Obamacare, and overspending for voters.
The attacks highlight the fact that US national security, closely entwined with Israel's security, is critically at issue in Tuesday's pivotal elections.
Just as the onrushing elections are a referendum on the administration's domestic and fiscal policies, so too should they be a vote on foreign policy, national security and particularly on how Obama has dealt and plans to deal with Israel. If Obama continues to curse and not bless Israel, he will reap curses for America (Gen.12:3).
Today Obama is well on the way to be what Dick Morris predicted two years ago: the most anti-Israel president in over 50 years. He already is worse than Jimmy Carter in blaming only Israel for lack of peace.
Now, unless blocked by Congress, Obama clearly plans to blame Israel again (wrongly) for the continuing peace talks impasse and then help the UN drive a new Palestinian state into Israel's heartland, with Jerusalem as its capital. This will threaten 600,000 Israelis with expulsion from their homes and render most of historic Israel and ancient Jerusalem impossible for Jews to inhabit peacefully and securely.
While foreign policy has come to be considered solely the president's job, Congress in fact is a co-equal foreign policy making branch of government constitutionally. Thus a return to divided government through election of a GOP majority in the House – or better yet in the Senate as well – would give hope that Congress can block such rash and unfair actions by Obama. Most Americans will back Congress in this.
Despite exceptions like Shelley Berkley (D-1 NV). Brad Sherman (D-27 CA) and Steve Israel (D-2 NY) in the House and Joe Lieberman (I CN) in the Senate, the most pro-Israel bills and other actions have been by GOP members - with no Democrats as co-sponsors and no legislative action due to Democrats who run the House and Senate deferring totally to Obama on foreign policy. Among the measures blocked are, e.g. bills ,
- of GOP members Louie Gohmert (R-1 TX) to recognize Israel's need to defend herself from Iran's genocidal threats and the weapons to carry out such threats,
- of Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-18 FL), to call the UNRWA's terrorism-sponsoring Palestinian refugee camps to account, and
- of Dan Burton (R-5 IN) to place the US Embassy in Jerusalem, Israel's capital, where it belongs after too long a wait.
- Senate candidate Congressman Mark Kirk (R-10 IL) also has been strongly opposed to foreign aid for US arming of PLO terrorists and enabling Hamas and UNRWA.
- Senators. Brownback, Cornyn, Kyl, Lieberman, McCain and Vitter have a bill like Burton's to move our embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, which the Democrats in power have failed to consider.
Despite their minority status Republicans have found effective ways to bolster Israel's position, including
- a strong letter of encouragement to Israel PM Bibi Netanyahu from Chairman Tom Price (GA) of the Republican Study Committee, the largest caucus in Congress, affirming Israel's fight against terror and the right of Jews to live in peace and security throughout historic Israel, a right the Saudi (Arab) peace initiative Obama backs would render null and void. This letter brought Israel a respite from US attacks on even the "natural growth" of settlements, which was the policy Obama began with.
- And Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) managed to get bipartisan passage of a strong resolution defending and supporting Israel against attacks on its handling of the Gaza blockade-running ship from Turkey.
But with GOP members like the above leading the 112th Congress Israel will enjoy still greater favor.
Recommended Action: Unless you know that your senator or representative, like those mentioned favorably above, has gone beyond the perfunctory vote for aid to Israel (which some Israelis are saying is no longer needed and may not be worth the resultant US pressure and negative image of foreign aid), you should vote for conservative GOP, Blue Dog Democrat or Tea Party/independent candidates. With our urging these likely will raise the bar for what it means to be Pro-Israel.
Most importantly, they will help block Obama's moves to create a new unstable, terror-sponsoring, Palestinian ministate in Israel's historic heartland. They also may block Obama's efforts to keep Israel from disarming Iran's nuclear weapons if we do not do it.
CIPAC is crafting a bold new lobbying agenda and strategy for the new Congress and the Knesset to do everything possible to prevent the impending genocide threatened by Iran and its axis of genocide comprising Syria, Hezbollah, Hamas and radical PLO elements. To join this new Campaign Against Genocide, which we are forming now, go to www.cipaconline.org to join CIPAC at any level – or make a special tax-free contribution to MERCL, our sister think tank.
Don't forget to vote and urge all you know to vote!
Many thanks
Richard A. Hellman
President & Founder
The Ronald Reagan Building
1300 Pennsylvania Ave., Ste. 700
Washington, D.C. 20004-3024
Tel. 202-234-3600
