8 dec 2019
The president spoke at the Israeli American Council national summit that is financially backed by one of his top supporters, the husband-and-wife duo of Miriam and Sheldon Adelson
President Donald Trump said Saturday that Israel has never had a better friend in the White House than him because, unlike his predecessors, “I kept my promises.”
Trump energized an audience that numbered in the hundreds at the Israeli American Council National Summit in Florida by recounting his record on issues of importance to Jews, including an extensive riff on his promise to recognize Jerusalem as the Israeli capital and relocate the U.S. Embassy there from Tel Aviv.
Trump said his predecessors had promised to move the embassy but only paid lip service to the issue.
“They never had any intention of doing it, in my opinion,” Trump said. “But unlike other presidents, I kept my promises.”
Trump also highlighted his decision earlier this year to reverse more than a half-century of U.S. policy in the Middle East by recognizing Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights, the strategic highlands on the border with Syria.
In his speech, the president also claimed that there are some Jewish people in America who don’t love Israel enough.“We have to get the people of our country, of this country, to love Israel more, I have to tell you that. We have to do it. We have to get them to love Israel more,” Trump said, to some applause. “Because you have Jewish people that are great people — they don’t love Israel enough.”
Aaron Keyak, the former head of the National Jewish Democratic Council, denounced Trump’s remarks as anti-Semitic.
“Trump’s insistence on using anti-Semitic tropes when addressing Jewish audiences is dangerous and should concern every member of the Jewish community — even Jewish Republicans,” Keyak said.
Trump has been accused of trafficking in anti-Semitic stereotypes before, including in August, when he said American Jews who vote for Democrats show “either a total lack of knowledge or great disloyalty.”
A number of Jewish groups noted at the time that accusations of disloyalty have long been made against Jews.
The Israeli American Council is financially backed by one of Trump’s top supporters, the husband-and-wife duo of Miriam and Sheldon Adelson, a Las Vegas casino magnate.
Both Adelsons appeared on stage to introduce Trump, with Miriam Adelson asserting that Trump “has already gone down in the annals of Jewish history, and that is before he’s even completed his first term in office.”
The Adelsons donated $30 million to Trump’s campaign in the final months of the 2016 race. They followed up by donating $100 million to the Republican Party for last November’s congressional elections.
Trump’s entourage at the event included Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson, along with Republican Reps. Jim Jordan and Michael Waltz, whom he described as “two warriors” defending him against “oppression” in the impeachment inquiry.
Trump criticized Israel’s sworn enemy, Iran, saying he withdrew the U.S. from the Iran nuclear deal with other world powers because Tehran must never be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon.
But Trump voiced support for Iranian citizens who have been protesting a decision by their government to withdraw fuel subsidies, which sent prices skyrocketing.
Trump said that he believes thousands of Iranians have been killed in the protests and that thousands more have been arrested.
“America will always stand with the Iranian people in their righteous struggle for freedom,” he said.
The president introduced his son-in-law and senior adviser, Jared Kushner, who has played a leading role in helping the administration craft its Mideast peace plan.
A self-described deal-maker, Trump said he had long been told that achieving peace between Israel and the Palestinians would be the hardest deal of all.
But ″ïf Jared Kushner can’t do it, it can’t be done,” Trump said.
The White House has said its Mideast peace plan is complete and had promised to release it after Israeli elections in September.
The long-delayed plan remains under wraps, and Israel appears headed for its third round of elections this year.
The plan also is facing rejection by Palestinian officials, who object to the pro-Israel leanings of the Trump administration.
During his speech, Trump also name-dropped Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., criticizing her for supporting the “BDS” movement against Israel: boycott, divest and sanction.
In August, at Trump’s urging, Israel denied Omar and Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich. — the first two Muslim women elected to Congress and outspoken critics of Israel over its treatment of Palestinians — entry to the country over their support for the BDS movement.
“My administration strongly opposes this despicable rhetoric,” Trump said. “As long as I am your president, it makes no difference. It’s not happening.”
Before addressing the Israeli American Council summit, Trump spoke at the Florida Republican Party’s Statesman’s Dinner in nearby Aventura. The state GOP closed the event to media coverage.
President Donald Trump said Saturday that Israel has never had a better friend in the White House than him because, unlike his predecessors, “I kept my promises.”
Trump energized an audience that numbered in the hundreds at the Israeli American Council National Summit in Florida by recounting his record on issues of importance to Jews, including an extensive riff on his promise to recognize Jerusalem as the Israeli capital and relocate the U.S. Embassy there from Tel Aviv.
Trump said his predecessors had promised to move the embassy but only paid lip service to the issue.
“They never had any intention of doing it, in my opinion,” Trump said. “But unlike other presidents, I kept my promises.”
Trump also highlighted his decision earlier this year to reverse more than a half-century of U.S. policy in the Middle East by recognizing Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights, the strategic highlands on the border with Syria.
In his speech, the president also claimed that there are some Jewish people in America who don’t love Israel enough.“We have to get the people of our country, of this country, to love Israel more, I have to tell you that. We have to do it. We have to get them to love Israel more,” Trump said, to some applause. “Because you have Jewish people that are great people — they don’t love Israel enough.”
Aaron Keyak, the former head of the National Jewish Democratic Council, denounced Trump’s remarks as anti-Semitic.
“Trump’s insistence on using anti-Semitic tropes when addressing Jewish audiences is dangerous and should concern every member of the Jewish community — even Jewish Republicans,” Keyak said.
Trump has been accused of trafficking in anti-Semitic stereotypes before, including in August, when he said American Jews who vote for Democrats show “either a total lack of knowledge or great disloyalty.”
A number of Jewish groups noted at the time that accusations of disloyalty have long been made against Jews.
The Israeli American Council is financially backed by one of Trump’s top supporters, the husband-and-wife duo of Miriam and Sheldon Adelson, a Las Vegas casino magnate.
Both Adelsons appeared on stage to introduce Trump, with Miriam Adelson asserting that Trump “has already gone down in the annals of Jewish history, and that is before he’s even completed his first term in office.”
The Adelsons donated $30 million to Trump’s campaign in the final months of the 2016 race. They followed up by donating $100 million to the Republican Party for last November’s congressional elections.
Trump’s entourage at the event included Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson, along with Republican Reps. Jim Jordan and Michael Waltz, whom he described as “two warriors” defending him against “oppression” in the impeachment inquiry.
Trump criticized Israel’s sworn enemy, Iran, saying he withdrew the U.S. from the Iran nuclear deal with other world powers because Tehran must never be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon.
But Trump voiced support for Iranian citizens who have been protesting a decision by their government to withdraw fuel subsidies, which sent prices skyrocketing.
Trump said that he believes thousands of Iranians have been killed in the protests and that thousands more have been arrested.
“America will always stand with the Iranian people in their righteous struggle for freedom,” he said.
The president introduced his son-in-law and senior adviser, Jared Kushner, who has played a leading role in helping the administration craft its Mideast peace plan.
A self-described deal-maker, Trump said he had long been told that achieving peace between Israel and the Palestinians would be the hardest deal of all.
But ″ïf Jared Kushner can’t do it, it can’t be done,” Trump said.
The White House has said its Mideast peace plan is complete and had promised to release it after Israeli elections in September.
The long-delayed plan remains under wraps, and Israel appears headed for its third round of elections this year.
The plan also is facing rejection by Palestinian officials, who object to the pro-Israel leanings of the Trump administration.
During his speech, Trump also name-dropped Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., criticizing her for supporting the “BDS” movement against Israel: boycott, divest and sanction.
In August, at Trump’s urging, Israel denied Omar and Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich. — the first two Muslim women elected to Congress and outspoken critics of Israel over its treatment of Palestinians — entry to the country over their support for the BDS movement.
“My administration strongly opposes this despicable rhetoric,” Trump said. “As long as I am your president, it makes no difference. It’s not happening.”
Before addressing the Israeli American Council summit, Trump spoke at the Florida Republican Party’s Statesman’s Dinner in nearby Aventura. The state GOP closed the event to media coverage.
7 dec 2019
The Palestinian Presidency applauded the US Congress, on Friday, for supporting the two-state solution and rejecting the annexation of occupied Palestinian land, the Palestinian News and Info Agency reported.
President Abbas praised congress for their solidarity against Israel’s settlement policy, the fait accompli, and for recognizing the aspirations of the Palestinian people to establish their own state.
The Presidency considered the Congress resolution, passed by a majority of 226 votes in favor to 188 against as “a response to the current wrong policy of the American administration,” the most recent of which was a statement by the US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, in which he said that settlements are not inconsistent with international law.
Abbas said in a statement that “this resolution is a clear message to the US administration and Israel that peace will be achieved only through the establishment of the independent Palestinian state on the June 4, 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, and the fulfillment of the aspirations of the Palestinian people.”
It reiterated that “true peace will not be achieved without a return to international law, international legitimacy and the Arab Peace Initiative.” It demanded the US administration to annul previous wrong policies starting with the one on Jerusalem and ending with support for settlements and rejecting the two-state solution.
The resolution, proposed by Democratic member of Congress, Alan Lowenthal and endorsed by members of both Democratic and Republican parties, is in line with United Nations Security Council resolutions, the latest of which was resolution 2334 of 2016, the President stated.
Representative Lowenthal tweeted after the passage of the resolution stating, “Proud to see the House pass my bipartisan resolution to affirm our support for a two-state solution between Israelis and Palestinians. We took a stand for a just peace which safeguards human rights and security, and stands against unilateral annexation and settlement expansion.”
President Abbas praised congress for their solidarity against Israel’s settlement policy, the fait accompli, and for recognizing the aspirations of the Palestinian people to establish their own state.
The Presidency considered the Congress resolution, passed by a majority of 226 votes in favor to 188 against as “a response to the current wrong policy of the American administration,” the most recent of which was a statement by the US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, in which he said that settlements are not inconsistent with international law.
Abbas said in a statement that “this resolution is a clear message to the US administration and Israel that peace will be achieved only through the establishment of the independent Palestinian state on the June 4, 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, and the fulfillment of the aspirations of the Palestinian people.”
It reiterated that “true peace will not be achieved without a return to international law, international legitimacy and the Arab Peace Initiative.” It demanded the US administration to annul previous wrong policies starting with the one on Jerusalem and ending with support for settlements and rejecting the two-state solution.
The resolution, proposed by Democratic member of Congress, Alan Lowenthal and endorsed by members of both Democratic and Republican parties, is in line with United Nations Security Council resolutions, the latest of which was resolution 2334 of 2016, the President stated.
Representative Lowenthal tweeted after the passage of the resolution stating, “Proud to see the House pass my bipartisan resolution to affirm our support for a two-state solution between Israelis and Palestinians. We took a stand for a just peace which safeguards human rights and security, and stands against unilateral annexation and settlement expansion.”
Mike Pompeo
The resolution states that only the outcome of a two-state solution that enhances stability and security for Israel and Palestinians can both ensure the state of Israel’s survival as a Jewish and democratic state and fulfill the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people for a state of their own
The House of Representatives on Friday approved a resolution in contradiction to the administration's position on settlements and calling for the United States' efforts to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through a negotiated two-state solution.
The vote took place less than one month after U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's announcement that the administration has reversed its position regarding the legality of West Bank settlements.
"This resolution expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that only a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict can ensure Israel's survival as a secure Jewish and democratic state and fulfill the legitimate aspirations for a Palestinian state." the resolution reads.
It also expresses the sense that any U.S. proposal to achieve a just, stable, and lasting solution should expressly endorse a two-state solution and discourage steps that would put a peaceful resolution further out of reach.
The motion was introduced by Representative Alan S. Lowenthal (D.) and had some Republican support.
The motions passed with 226 votes to 188
The resolution states that only the outcome of a two-state solution that enhances stability and security for Israel, Palestinians, and their neighbors can both ensure the state of Israel’s survival as a Jewish and democratic state and fulfill the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people for a state of their own.
It also stated that the United States proposal to achieve a just, stable, and lasting solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict should expressly endorse a two-state solution as its objective and discourage steps by either side that would put a peaceful end to the conflict further out of reach, including unilateral annexation of territory or efforts to achieve Palestinian statehood status outside the framework of negotiations with Israel.
The President of JStreet, Jeremy Ben Ami posted on twitter that with this vote, "the majority of lawmakers have rejected the Trump administration’s embrace of the Israeli settlement movement’s agenda, which undermines US interests, imperils Israel’s future and tramples on Palestinian rights.”
The resolution was opposed by Democratic Representative Rashida Tlaib who accused Israel of perpetuating “inequality, ethnic discrimination, and inhumane conditions.”
Tlaib also said that “Israel’s Nation-State law, which states that only Jews have the right to self-determination has eliminated the political rights of the Palestinian people and effectively made them second-class citizens.”
The resolution states that only the outcome of a two-state solution that enhances stability and security for Israel and Palestinians can both ensure the state of Israel’s survival as a Jewish and democratic state and fulfill the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people for a state of their own
The House of Representatives on Friday approved a resolution in contradiction to the administration's position on settlements and calling for the United States' efforts to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through a negotiated two-state solution.
The vote took place less than one month after U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's announcement that the administration has reversed its position regarding the legality of West Bank settlements.
"This resolution expresses the sense of the House of Representatives that only a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict can ensure Israel's survival as a secure Jewish and democratic state and fulfill the legitimate aspirations for a Palestinian state." the resolution reads.
It also expresses the sense that any U.S. proposal to achieve a just, stable, and lasting solution should expressly endorse a two-state solution and discourage steps that would put a peaceful resolution further out of reach.
The motion was introduced by Representative Alan S. Lowenthal (D.) and had some Republican support.
The motions passed with 226 votes to 188
The resolution states that only the outcome of a two-state solution that enhances stability and security for Israel, Palestinians, and their neighbors can both ensure the state of Israel’s survival as a Jewish and democratic state and fulfill the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people for a state of their own.
It also stated that the United States proposal to achieve a just, stable, and lasting solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict should expressly endorse a two-state solution as its objective and discourage steps by either side that would put a peaceful end to the conflict further out of reach, including unilateral annexation of territory or efforts to achieve Palestinian statehood status outside the framework of negotiations with Israel.
The President of JStreet, Jeremy Ben Ami posted on twitter that with this vote, "the majority of lawmakers have rejected the Trump administration’s embrace of the Israeli settlement movement’s agenda, which undermines US interests, imperils Israel’s future and tramples on Palestinian rights.”
The resolution was opposed by Democratic Representative Rashida Tlaib who accused Israel of perpetuating “inequality, ethnic discrimination, and inhumane conditions.”
Tlaib also said that “Israel’s Nation-State law, which states that only Jews have the right to self-determination has eliminated the political rights of the Palestinian people and effectively made them second-class citizens.”
Israeli war minister Naftali Bennett has threatened to destroy all Palestinian structures in West Bank areas under complete Israeli control (Area C), including that which Europeans funded, at the pretext of unlicensed construction.
Bennett made his threat during his meeting last week with ambassadors of European Union states.
He called on Europeans to direct their money towards humanitarian aid instead of what he called unlicensed construction.
The minister’s threat came one day after the Israeli army’s central region commander announced a plan to launch an unprecedented demolition campaign against Palestinian buildings in Area C of the West Bank.
The occupied West Bank was divided into three areas - A, B and C - as part of the Oslo Accords, signed by the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and Israel in 1993 and 1995.
The agreements led to the establishment of the Palestinian Authority (PA), which was granted limited powers of governance in Areas A and B.
But the outcomes of the Oslo Accords have instead left Israel in complete control of the Palestinian economy, as well as its civil and security matters in more than 60 percent of the West Bank, designated as Area C.
Despite granting the PA control over administrative and internal security matters in parts of the West Bank, Israel maintains military control over the entire area.
Bennett made his threat during his meeting last week with ambassadors of European Union states.
He called on Europeans to direct their money towards humanitarian aid instead of what he called unlicensed construction.
The minister’s threat came one day after the Israeli army’s central region commander announced a plan to launch an unprecedented demolition campaign against Palestinian buildings in Area C of the West Bank.
The occupied West Bank was divided into three areas - A, B and C - as part of the Oslo Accords, signed by the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and Israel in 1993 and 1995.
The agreements led to the establishment of the Palestinian Authority (PA), which was granted limited powers of governance in Areas A and B.
But the outcomes of the Oslo Accords have instead left Israel in complete control of the Palestinian economy, as well as its civil and security matters in more than 60 percent of the West Bank, designated as Area C.
Despite granting the PA control over administrative and internal security matters in parts of the West Bank, Israel maintains military control over the entire area.
5 dec 2019
The UN General Assembly last Tuesday adopted four pro-Palestine resolutions, which defended the pre-1967 borders between Palestine and Israel and renewed the mandates of two UN Palestine bodies.
After member states debated on the question of Palestine, the assembly voted on the four draft resolutions one by one. All documents were passed, two approved by an overwhelming majority.
"Peaceful settlement of the question of Palestine," the resolution that won the most support (147 votes in favor, 7 against and 13 abstentions), called upon all states not to recognize any changes to the pre-1967 borders, including with regard to Jerusalem, other than those agreed by the parties through negotiations.
It urged all states not to render aid or assistance to illegal settlement activities by Israel in its occupied Palestinian territory, and to ensure accountability consistent with international law.
The resolution entitled "Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People" requested the UN committee to redouble international efforts aimed at establishing an expanded multilateral framework for the revitalization of efforts to achieve a peaceful settlement of the question of Palestine.
It invited all governments and organizations to extend their cooperation to the committee to perform its tasks.
The two other resolutions, "Division for Palestinian Rights of the Secretariat" and "Special information program on the question of Palestine of the Department of Global Communications," respectively renewed the mandates of the two UN bodies their titles referred to.
At the beginning of Tuesday's debate, the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People presented its report to the General Assembly.
The committee underscored “the responsibility of states and private entities not to contribute to violations of Palestinian human rights, in particular with respect to settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory, including east Jerusalem.”
The committee called unilateral decisions by UN member states to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and the transfer of embassies in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem as “null and void.”
"It calls upon the member states to rescind those decisions and respect the historic status quo of the holy sites in Jerusalem, and to preserve the legal, demographic and historical multi-cultural and multi-religious status of the city," Adela Raz, rapporteur of the committee, who read the report, said.
The report made these recommendations in an apparent refutation to the United States' recent shift of position to no longer viewing Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory as illegal.
The recommendations also echoed the General Assembly's resolution that asked nations not to establish diplomatic missions in Jerusalem, adopted in 2017 after the United States moved its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
After member states debated on the question of Palestine, the assembly voted on the four draft resolutions one by one. All documents were passed, two approved by an overwhelming majority.
"Peaceful settlement of the question of Palestine," the resolution that won the most support (147 votes in favor, 7 against and 13 abstentions), called upon all states not to recognize any changes to the pre-1967 borders, including with regard to Jerusalem, other than those agreed by the parties through negotiations.
It urged all states not to render aid or assistance to illegal settlement activities by Israel in its occupied Palestinian territory, and to ensure accountability consistent with international law.
The resolution entitled "Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People" requested the UN committee to redouble international efforts aimed at establishing an expanded multilateral framework for the revitalization of efforts to achieve a peaceful settlement of the question of Palestine.
It invited all governments and organizations to extend their cooperation to the committee to perform its tasks.
The two other resolutions, "Division for Palestinian Rights of the Secretariat" and "Special information program on the question of Palestine of the Department of Global Communications," respectively renewed the mandates of the two UN bodies their titles referred to.
At the beginning of Tuesday's debate, the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People presented its report to the General Assembly.
The committee underscored “the responsibility of states and private entities not to contribute to violations of Palestinian human rights, in particular with respect to settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory, including east Jerusalem.”
The committee called unilateral decisions by UN member states to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and the transfer of embassies in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem as “null and void.”
"It calls upon the member states to rescind those decisions and respect the historic status quo of the holy sites in Jerusalem, and to preserve the legal, demographic and historical multi-cultural and multi-religious status of the city," Adela Raz, rapporteur of the committee, who read the report, said.
The report made these recommendations in an apparent refutation to the United States' recent shift of position to no longer viewing Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory as illegal.
The recommendations also echoed the General Assembly's resolution that asked nations not to establish diplomatic missions in Jerusalem, adopted in 2017 after the United States moved its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
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