U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer
U.S. Senator Barbara BoxerReuters

New York attorney Mark Langfan, a staunch supporter of Israel and a regular op-ed contributor to Arutz Sheva, challenged a U.S. Senator this week after she sent an angry letter to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu. He received no response.

On Wednesday, Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA), a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, sent Netanyahu an angry letter in response to his comments that “those in the international community who refuse to place red lines before Iran have no moral right to place a red line before Israel.”

Boxer wrote Netanyahu, “I write to you as one of Israel’s staunchest supporters in Congress to express my deep disappointment over your remarks that call into question our country’s support for Israel and commitment to preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. Your remarks are utterly contrary to the extraordinary United States-Israel alliance, evidenced by President Obama’s record and the record of Congress.

“As the author of the United States-Israel Enhanced Security Cooperation Act, I know that President Obama’s support for Israel is unshakeable. I cannot tell you how proud I was to stand next to the President as he signed this important legislation into law in July, further enshrining the strong security ties and friendship between our two nations.

“As you know, this law addresses many of Israel’s top security priorities, including extending loan guarantees to Israel and increasing the U.S. weapons stockpile in Israel, which is available for Israel’s use in the event of a crisis. The bill also recommits the United States to vetoing any one-sided anti-Israel resolutions at the United Nations Security Council.

“President Obama has made clear time and time again that he will do everything in his power to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon,” Boxer went on to say. “During a speech earlier this year, he stated: ‘I have said that when it comes to preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, I will take no options off the table, and I mean what I say. That includes all elements of American power,’ including ‘a military effort to be prepared for any contingency.’ Anyone who has watched our President go after al Qaeda knows that he is resolute.

“President Obama has also reaffirmed that Israel has the right to make its own decisions regarding its security, stating that Iran ‘should not doubt Israel’s sovereign right to make its own decisions about what is required to meet its security needs.’ Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has also repeated these commitments.

“In addition, President Obama has worked tirelessly to enact a crushing sanctions regime against Iran. He has helped rally the international community to make difficult economic decisions regarding imports of Iranian oil in a time of severe economic crisis. Today, the European Union imports no oil from Iran and other countries are reducing their purchases every day. Iran is also completely isolated from international financial markets.

“In light of this, I am stunned by the remarks that you made this week regarding U.S. support for Israel. Are you suggesting that the United States is not Israel’s closest ally and does not stand by Israel? Are you saying that Israel, under President Obama, has not received more in annual security assistance from the United States than at any time in its history, including for the Iron Dome Missile Defense System?

“As other Israelis have said, it appears that you have injected politics into one of the most profound security challenges of our time – Iran’s illicit pursuit of nuclear weapons.

“I urge you to step back and clarify your remarks so that the world sees that there is no daylight between the United States and Israel. As you personally stated during an appearance with President Obama in March, ‘We are you, and you are us. We’re together. So if there’s one thing that stands out clearly in the Middle East today, it’s that Israel and America stand together.’”

Upon reading the letter, Langfan e-mailed Boxer’s press officer Zachary Coile, who refused to answer any questions except to say that the “letter speaks for itself”.

Coile asked Langfan to supply him with written questions regarding the letter, which Langfan did on Thursday. As of the time of the writing of this article, Langfan has not received a response from Boxer’s office. The following are Langfan’s questions which refute Boxer’s letter to Netanyahu:

Did Senator Boxer seek President Obama’s, or the White House’s, approval or input before issuing her Netanyahu letter?

Did Senator Boxer seek any other Senator co-signors of the letter before she sent the letter? If so, why aren’t there any more Senator co-signors?

Did Senator Boxer call Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to privately talk to him about his concerns before she issued her public Netanyahu letter claiming she is “stunned”?

If no, then hasn’t Senator Boxer’s public letter to PM Netanyahu “injected politics onto one of the most profound security challenges of our time- Iran’s illicit pursuit of nuclear weapons”?

Does Senator Boxer agree with President Obama’s “No Iranian Red Line” policy?

Is Senator Boxer aware of the Section 721 Intelligence reports issued by the United States Director of National Intelligence (USDNI) which goes back to 2008, and earlier, which shows that virtually all of Iran’s 6000K of enriched 3.8% U235 as enriched and stockpiled solely on President Obama’s watch?

In light of the USDNI’s unclassified Section 721 reports of Iranian enriched U235 stockpiles, how can Senator Boxer claim PM Netanyahu’s “remarks” “are utterly contrary to” the Iranian nuclear evidence of “President Obama’s record.”?

In light of the USDNI’s unclassified Section 721 reports, how can Senator Boxer claim President Obama has done “everything in his power to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.”?

How can Senator Boxer hope to hear Netanyahu repeat “that Israel and America stand together,” when President Obama is refusing to even sit down with PM Netanyahu this trip to the US?

Does Senator Boxer believe it is appropriate to issue such a letter to what Senator Boxer claims is a US ally on the same day an American Ambassador and 3 embassy staff were murdered by Muslim extremists?

Does Boxer agree to the following deletions in the 2012 Democratic Party Platform?

On Jerusalem - “Jerusalem is and will remain the capital of Israel…”

On Palestinian refugees - The peace process “should resolve the issue of Palestinian refugees by allowing them to settle there, rather than in Israel.”

On Hamas - “The United States and its Quartet partners should continue to isolate Hamas until it renounces terrorism, recognizes Israel’s right to exist, and abides by past agreements.”

On Israel - “Israel, our strongest ally in the region…”

(Arutz Sheva’s North American Desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Arutz Sheva articles, however, is Israeli time.)