Wexler: U.S. must reach out to Israeli people
Rep. Robert Wexler (D-Fla.) says the United States needs to pay more attention to Israeli public opinion as it works for an Israeli-Palestinian peace agreement.
"We need to understand that we ignore Israeli public opinion to our own detriment," said Wexler during an appearance at the Center for American Progress. "Because in order for us, along with the Israeli leadership, to create the political dynamic that allows" Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to "take risks," said Wexler, "we've got to do it from the bottom up. He runs for re-election, too."
Wexler, one of President Obama's earliest supporter in the Jewish community during the presidential campaign, said he felt there had been too much attention on an Israeli settlement freeze, but also said that he expected an agreement on settlements to be announced in the next few weeks that would be "the biggest concession that any Israeli prime minister has ever made" on that issue.
"I'm glad on one level that Prime Minister Netanyahu received a victory last week" when Obama "moved a bit to his position by moving to these discussions without preconditions" because that will "enable him to give a little bit more on the issue of settlements now," he said.
Overall, Wexler was praised the administration's efforts in the Middle East, emphasizing the importance of Obama's attempts to get the wider Arab world involved and his desire to get all sides to "break out of the box, do something bold and take a step for peace that may cause you some challenge at home."
He also praised Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad's two-year plan to build the institutions and infrastructure of a Palestinian state, and said the United States "ought to get behind it" and support it poliitcally.
Wexler also said, in response to a question, that the Goldstone report was a "farce" because it "analyzes the Israelis' response to the aggression by Hamas without explaining the context of the aggression of Hamas."
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Balderdash to Eric and Edward. Governments relate at a governmental level. America reaching out to the people of Israel would be considered manipulative and unethical. Wexler is just another opportunistic Zionist Politico.
Israel is an imperialist western entity stabbed into the flesh of Islam. It can exist there only by superior military might. Gird thy loins Christian Soldier for Zion calls.
The fact is, Israel has ignited a war with the Islamic world. America is a part of that war because of our support of Israel in it’s dispossession and oppression of the Islamic Arab Palestinians.
The amorphous Al Quaeda represents the Islamic world in this struggle. The war in Afghanistan is just an extension of Israel’s war with Islam.
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Edward Lynch
10/02/09 11:23 PM
Robert Wexler is not concerned with Israel. He backed Obama who has been the worst president for the Jewish people in years. He pushed for a settlement freeze which is just not going to work. Why should the Jewish people be thw ones to bend all of the time. They tried to give the Palestinians everything that they wanted in 2001 and they were met with bombs and suicide bombers. The U.S. is never going to give back land that they have, ie. Texas, Florida (where Wexler does not live in violation of the constitution), New Mexico, Arizona, Louisiana or California.
Wexler uses his religion to win re-election but cares nothing about the Jewish people. He is a traitor to all Jews and to real residents in District 19 in Florida. He does not even have the courage to face his constituents. But I guess he is scared since many of them are elderly and he backs a healthcare bill that will hurt the elderly. His actions speak louder than his words. It is time for him to be unemployed!!!!!