"Jewish Lawmakers: Obama Gets It On Israel "

[Clio the Leo]

Jewish Lawmakers: Obama Gets It On Israel

BY KENNETH R. BAZINET

More than three dozen Jewish members of the House and Senate met privately today with President Obama, praising the administration for putting forward tough sanctions against Iran and putting to rest any fears the White House has taken a dim view of the government of Israel.

“It was a good meeting, but it was not a feel-good meeting — everyone spoke their minds and from the heart,” said Eliot Engel (D-Bronx & Westchester). “The President wants to see peace. We all want to see peace.”

The unprecedented 90-minute meeting in the Eisenhower Old Executive Office Building with the 37 Jewish lawmakers was the result of a flap that began when the Israeli government announced plans in March to expand settlements in disputed East Jerusalem and bulldoze unauthorized homes of Palestinians.

The Israelis made the announcement as Vice President Biden was visiting Israel and the timing was seen as an intended insult. Tensions over the diplomatic discourse escalated as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu exchanged long-distance barbs with Obama, Biden and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, as they all weighed in over the flap in the following weeks.

But all the participants in yesterday’s meeting reached by the Daily News agreed that Obama has the right policy toward Israel and relations between the closely allied countries are getting back on track.

“The President gets it,” said Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-Brooklyn & Queens). “The President was reminded and conceded that there were missteps taken…There were communication problems in hitting the Israelis and then treating the Palestinians with kid gloves.”

Weiner, a key player in the passage of Obama’s health care reforms, added, “It was one part group hug and one part gripe session.”

Rep Gary Ackerman (D-Queens) said there had been angst among the Jewish lawmakers and on the Jewish Street,” but the meeting helped quell those feelings for a group he called “Obama’s base.”

“Most of us agreed at the end that he has the basic policy right…Everybody is basically on the same page,” Ackerman said.


Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/blogs/dc/2010/05/jewish-lawmakers-obama-gets-it.html/div]

[hulka38]

1. Another principled stand bites the dust.

[Cha]

2. Thanks Clio.

[Hekate]

3. KnR. Very interesting.

[BrklynLiberal]

4. Being Jewish I can say "What a crock of crapola...."

"the Jewish Street" ???!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If this were a group of Catholic Congressmen or Muslim Congressmen..what would be the reaction???

I find this disgusting.