Israel
The United States is a country founded upon the principles of religious freedom and democratic government, the same basis upon which the modern State of Israel was established. As a nation, Israel is more than three thousand years old. Its people were violently dispersed about 2,000 years ago. Yet, in a unique turn of history, Israel managed to maintain its religious and cultural identity and return to its homeland in 1948. Since then, Israel has grown into the most important ally of the US in the Middle East region, sharing common values, a democratic form of government, and strategic interests in common with the United States... The heinous events of September 11, further demonstrate our need to work with this most trusted ally in the War on Terrorism.
The War on Terrorism
There can be no middle ground on the War on Terrorism. As a proponent of the Bush Doctrine, I appreciate that Israel, like America, is on the front lines in this battle. The governments of countries such as Iran, Iraq and North Korea, which were labeled an axis of evil, must be induced to reform or changed to eliminate the threat that weapons of mass destruction will fall into the hands of terrorists and murderers who will not hesitate to use them for their evil ends. Terrorists have no conscience. Terrorists will not be concerned with the deterrent effect of ?mutually assured destruction? because, in the final analysis, they seek destruction. Countries such as Syria and Saudi Arabia must either stop their support of terrorism or be considered an enemy of America and the civilized world.
The Peace Process
It is clear that Israel has taken extreme risks in its efforts to find an accommodation with its neighbors and to achieve a just and lasting peace in the region. Yet, the most significant obstacle, it is clear, is that Israel?s partners for peace are inherently flawed; they are dictatorships, not democracies, and they approach the peace process not with a desire to further the interests of their constituents, but to further their own interests. The evidence is clear that Arafat, as well as the Palestinian Authority, have abrogated their commitments under Oslo. It is also obvious that Arafat and his administration, rather than preventing terrorism, have been authorizing, promoting, financing and organizing terrorism. Rather than using the foreign aid, which he has received since the 1993 Oslo Agreements, to build the infrastructure of a future state, Arafat ignored his people?s needs and used these funds to build an infrastructure of terror and murder, to enforce his police state and to continue his goal of destroying Israel. Arafat has been a disaster for both the Palestinian population at large and Israel. Arafat and the current leadership of the PA should be removed from the area so that new leadership may arise that is willing to pursue the interests of peace.
Foreign Aid to Israel
Since just the mid-1970s, the United States has provided Israel with about $3 billion per year of combined military and economic aid. In return, the US has received invaluable military intelligence, Israeli insight, expertise and improvements to our weapons systems and a stable democratic partner in the Middle East, a region that would otherwise be home to not a single democracy. In addition, we have not fought any wars for Israel and we have not sacrificed any soldiers in her defense. Unlike the billions in assistance provided to our other allies, money that they spend overseas, Israel is required to spend nearly all her US aid buying US products in the USA. Our aid to Israel is clearly the greatest bargain in our foreign aid program.
For this reason, I am particularly concerned that America has failed to fulfill its pledge to Israel on an $800 million supplemental aid package that was promised to her to offset the costs of withdrawal from Lebanon. America is a country that keeps its promises and this pledge must be honored.
Jerusalem
Jerusalem is the capital of Israel, a recognized ally, and a sovereign nation. The administration should comply with the Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995 and move the US Embassy to Jerusalem.
Judea & Samaria
At the conclusion of Israel?s 1948 War for Independence, the world imposed, not peace, but a mere truce on the infant country, and part of the terms of this armistice was the further imposition of, not permanent borders, but mere armistice lines. In a classic case of ethnic cleansing, Jordan ejected the Jews from the "West Bank" (Judea and Samaria) and East Jerusalem and destroyed the ancient Synagogues and ancient Jewish communities that had existed there. And the armistice lines were inherently unstable and mortally dangerous. These lines have been called ?Auschwitz Borders? by military experts in our own armed forces, as well as by members of Israel?s military. These lines, tempting to those who readily discerned Israel?s vulnerability, eventually seduced Israel?s enemies into threatening Israel, in the most violent terms, with a second war of total annihilation in May 1967 and to closing the Straits of Tiran to Israeli shipping. As the Arab ?street? launched into a frenzy of war cries reminiscent of what is happening today, Israel turned the tables and regained the "West Bank" in a clearly defensive war.
While Israel has not annexed this land, and it has given authority over the areas in which the vast majority (98%) of the Palestinian people live, Israel has a clear legal basis for keeping any part of this land it needs for security and its citizens. The US should not prejudge this issue.
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Mr. Scott Garrett, a senior Assemblyman for New Jersey?s 24th Legislative District, is seeking the Republican nomination for the United States Congress, in New Jersey?s Fifth District. He has been endorsed by the local New Jersey Jewish newspaper, The Jewish Voice and Opinion. The above are excerpts from Garrett?s policy paper titled, ?Where I Stand - The Middle East.?
The United States is a country founded upon the principles of religious freedom and democratic government, the same basis upon which the modern State of Israel was established. As a nation, Israel is more than three thousand years old. Its people were violently dispersed about 2,000 years ago. Yet, in a unique turn of history, Israel managed to maintain its religious and cultural identity and return to its homeland in 1948. Since then, Israel has grown into the most important ally of the US in the Middle East region, sharing common values, a democratic form of government, and strategic interests in common with the United States... The heinous events of September 11, further demonstrate our need to work with this most trusted ally in the War on Terrorism.
The War on Terrorism
There can be no middle ground on the War on Terrorism. As a proponent of the Bush Doctrine, I appreciate that Israel, like America, is on the front lines in this battle. The governments of countries such as Iran, Iraq and North Korea, which were labeled an axis of evil, must be induced to reform or changed to eliminate the threat that weapons of mass destruction will fall into the hands of terrorists and murderers who will not hesitate to use them for their evil ends. Terrorists have no conscience. Terrorists will not be concerned with the deterrent effect of ?mutually assured destruction? because, in the final analysis, they seek destruction. Countries such as Syria and Saudi Arabia must either stop their support of terrorism or be considered an enemy of America and the civilized world.
The Peace Process
It is clear that Israel has taken extreme risks in its efforts to find an accommodation with its neighbors and to achieve a just and lasting peace in the region. Yet, the most significant obstacle, it is clear, is that Israel?s partners for peace are inherently flawed; they are dictatorships, not democracies, and they approach the peace process not with a desire to further the interests of their constituents, but to further their own interests. The evidence is clear that Arafat, as well as the Palestinian Authority, have abrogated their commitments under Oslo. It is also obvious that Arafat and his administration, rather than preventing terrorism, have been authorizing, promoting, financing and organizing terrorism. Rather than using the foreign aid, which he has received since the 1993 Oslo Agreements, to build the infrastructure of a future state, Arafat ignored his people?s needs and used these funds to build an infrastructure of terror and murder, to enforce his police state and to continue his goal of destroying Israel. Arafat has been a disaster for both the Palestinian population at large and Israel. Arafat and the current leadership of the PA should be removed from the area so that new leadership may arise that is willing to pursue the interests of peace.
Foreign Aid to Israel
Since just the mid-1970s, the United States has provided Israel with about $3 billion per year of combined military and economic aid. In return, the US has received invaluable military intelligence, Israeli insight, expertise and improvements to our weapons systems and a stable democratic partner in the Middle East, a region that would otherwise be home to not a single democracy. In addition, we have not fought any wars for Israel and we have not sacrificed any soldiers in her defense. Unlike the billions in assistance provided to our other allies, money that they spend overseas, Israel is required to spend nearly all her US aid buying US products in the USA. Our aid to Israel is clearly the greatest bargain in our foreign aid program.
For this reason, I am particularly concerned that America has failed to fulfill its pledge to Israel on an $800 million supplemental aid package that was promised to her to offset the costs of withdrawal from Lebanon. America is a country that keeps its promises and this pledge must be honored.
Jerusalem
Jerusalem is the capital of Israel, a recognized ally, and a sovereign nation. The administration should comply with the Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995 and move the US Embassy to Jerusalem.
Judea & Samaria
At the conclusion of Israel?s 1948 War for Independence, the world imposed, not peace, but a mere truce on the infant country, and part of the terms of this armistice was the further imposition of, not permanent borders, but mere armistice lines. In a classic case of ethnic cleansing, Jordan ejected the Jews from the "West Bank" (Judea and Samaria) and East Jerusalem and destroyed the ancient Synagogues and ancient Jewish communities that had existed there. And the armistice lines were inherently unstable and mortally dangerous. These lines have been called ?Auschwitz Borders? by military experts in our own armed forces, as well as by members of Israel?s military. These lines, tempting to those who readily discerned Israel?s vulnerability, eventually seduced Israel?s enemies into threatening Israel, in the most violent terms, with a second war of total annihilation in May 1967 and to closing the Straits of Tiran to Israeli shipping. As the Arab ?street? launched into a frenzy of war cries reminiscent of what is happening today, Israel turned the tables and regained the "West Bank" in a clearly defensive war.
While Israel has not annexed this land, and it has given authority over the areas in which the vast majority (98%) of the Palestinian people live, Israel has a clear legal basis for keeping any part of this land it needs for security and its citizens. The US should not prejudge this issue.
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Mr. Scott Garrett, a senior Assemblyman for New Jersey?s 24th Legislative District, is seeking the Republican nomination for the United States Congress, in New Jersey?s Fifth District. He has been endorsed by the local New Jersey Jewish newspaper, The Jewish Voice and Opinion. The above are excerpts from Garrett?s policy paper titled, ?Where I Stand - The Middle East.?