Maurice Ferre for US Senate - Florida Democratic US Senate Candidate

The U.S. and Israel: Moral and Strategic Allies

By: Maurice Ferre

2010 Florida Candidate, U.S. Senate, Democrat

The U.S. and Israel have shared historical bonds that go back to the creation of the Jewish State in 1948. Further, the U.S. has from our birth as a Nation and our Founding Documents, embraced the ethical and moral precepts that came to us from our heritage of Judeo-Christian values. Lastly, the United States and Florida have the largest Jewish faith and culture communities in the world, who are loyal and patriotic Americans, who care deeply for the wellbeing of the United States and the only Jewish State in history, Israel.

In a complex world, beset by a soaring extremist Islamist threat, Israel is an important and welcome ally of the U.S.

Although there are only two official Muslim states in the world (Saudi Arabia and Pakistan), there are many violent, radical movements, such as Hamas, Hezbollah and Al Qaeda, whose charters call for the destruction of Israel. With the advent of anti American acts of terror, before and after 9/11, the United States is an affected party. The ongoing attacks on the U.S. by operatives of Al Qaeda, and now the Pakistani Taliban, make the U.S., and all Western states, keenly aware of our vulnerable position.

The strategic relationship between the United States and Israel today makes the generous U.S. assistance to the people of Israel indispensable to safeguard the fragile stability in the Near East, a region of direct and major U.S. strategic interest. The U.S. in recent years has committed an average of $2.775 billion yearly in strictly military aid to Israel. The U.S. also gives an important amount of aid to Arab countries. Yet, the militant organizations some of these Muslim countries harbour within their borders, openly seek the destruction of Israel. The U.S. needs a strong, dependable and values-oriented partner in that dangerous region, one that we can rely on in times of crisis, such as today. That partner has been and is Israel. Therefore as a U.S. Senator I would be a strong supporter of the Foreign Assistance Operations Bill that would support Israel.

I have personally witnessed the daily threat to Israel when as Mayor of Miami I visited Israel, along with other U.S. Mayors, as a guest of the American Jewish Committee.

In the face of multiple and existential threats, Israel has maintained its democracy and guaranteed freedom for all within its borders. This guarantee includes: freedom of the press; freedom of religious expression and practice; the promotion of human rights; competitive, transparent and free elections, including the transfer of power to opposition parties and despite a sometimes socialist government, an open market. Just recently the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) accepted Israel as the 35th EOCD member country, reaffirming Israel’s strong economy. Further, as seen in the number of patents issued, university and scientific, as well as modern technology breakthroughs, Israel is a full and contributing partner in modernity and important quality of life advances, which she shares with the world.

The sharing of military intelligence and military technology is an obvious two way street that has benefited both the U.S. and Israel, thus maintaining Israel’s security and qualitative military edge that is of importance to stability in the Middle East. The Ten Year Memorandum of Understanding and the Kerry-Lugar Amendment to President Obama’s 2010 foreign aid budget are needed to help insure a stronger Israel.

Free and open trade with Israel provides economic benefit to the people of Florida in the public and private sectors.

Iran is a strongly perceived, existential threat to Israel, the West and to the peace of the world. A future nuclear armed Iran, that continually threatens Israel, sponsors terrorist organizations and acts, demonstrates solidarity with America’s sworn enemies, assists rogue governments, such as Venezuela and Bolivia with their anti American agendas, is indeed a serious threat to global peace. Iran is not cause for alarm to Israel alone. Thus, as a member of the U.S. Senate, I would espouse an activist philosophy and sponsor legislation such as the Iran Refined Petroleum Sanctions Act of 2009, for the purpose of strengthening American diplomatic efforts to end Iran’s uranium enrichment program. But, always, I will maintain my ongoing preference to first use all diplomatic, political and economic measures to stabilize the nuclear threat that Iran poses. If no pullback on the steady progress of Iran’s nuclear capability development is forthcoming, the U.S. must, through the United Nations, pursue tough sanctions. This must include the participation of all nations who have serious interests in maintaining a non nuclear Iran. But the U.S. must never exclude the option of the use of military force, either in defense of our nation, or of our allies.

The two state solution of Israel-Palestine is essential for peace in the Middle East. To that end, peace negociations should commence immediately, the hour is already late. Until Hamas, and other violent entities, cease their military aggression against Israel, Palestine, as an independent, sovereign state, must remain demilitarized. As long as Hamas indiscriminately shoots rockets into Israel, the Jewish State is entirely justified in protecting itself. Security must be the precursor and guarantor of a lasting peace. Both the Palestinian and Israeli states must recognize the others right to exist, with their own unique culture. This includes the right for Israel to be a Jewish State. Palestine must accept all previous peace agreements negotiated by the Palestinian Authority. Israel has amply demonstrated its willingness to take risks for peace, including the unilateral withdrawal from Gaza in 2005. Currently thousands of rockets and Scud missiles are aimed at Israel, the most since the 2006 war with Hezbollah.

From the creation of Israel in 1948, for the past 62 years, the Palestinians have had many opportunities to establish a Palestinian state, with the help of Arab and other Muslim states and the assistance of the U.S., but they have not acted. Until 1967 the West Bank, Gaza and eastern Jerusalem were in Arab hands. The Palestinians did not act before 1967, or in 2000, or in 2007, when Israel offered a (partial) withdrawal from more than 95 percent of the disputed land, won by Israel in the 1967 war. The answer has always been “no” from the Palestinians.

It is time to move beyond “no”, it is time, with bolder initiatives, to move to “yes”. That requires the urgency of the 2002 Road Map, and other peace initiatives. It’s time to be serious about peace.

Leading Arab nations and the U.S. should separately outline their recommendation. The U.S. needs to delineate the White House view of essential terms. Arab states’ proposals should be encouraged, including King Abdullah’s effort of 2002, which has been endorsed by all the Arab states in 2007. But the peace accord and final status negotiation must be a product of the Palestinian and Israeli people, not one imposed by any outside powers, including the U.S.

I do not believe President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden or Secretary of State Hillary R. Clinton have sought bad relations with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government. But, many Israeli and American Jews feel not only tension, but rejection from the White House. The reverse is also true. It is time to push the “reset” button, so that these two traditional allies can walk together again towards common goals. President Obama needs to address Israeli fears. He addressed the fears of the greater Muslim world by going to Cairo. He needs to go to Israel and make a similar sincere gesture of outreach. President Obama should call for an Arab/U.S. Summit meeting to pre-establish their joint and separate recommendations, then insist that the Palestinian and Israeli diplomats sit at a negotiating table to NEGOTIATE with former Senator George Mitchell, as a facilitator, or anyone they jointly chose, on neutral ground.

Other than the guarantee of the existence of each state, every other issue must be on the table for negotiations. Jerusalem has been important to the Jewish people. Israel has done well to maintain the access and integrity of all religious sites in Jerusalem. I personally believe Jerusalem should be the capital of Israel, however that choice is not mine to make nor of the U.S. to make. Jerusalem must be openly negotiated by the two parties involved, with due regard for the significance of the city to millions of people around the world.

Then, there is the all important issue of the settlements. Settlements are an issue, but not the only issue. The ultimate borders of Israel, the settlements issue and the question of Jerusalem are all interrelated.

I fully support the unique, important and unbreakable bond between the United States and Israel. It is in the best interest of the U.S. to help maintain a strong, healthy, democratic and free Israel. That is our best hope for peace in the Middle East and in our need to contain and protect the U.S. from the ongoing terrorist threat to the world of a small, but fanatical and determined, anti-West faction of militant Islam.