Israel Matzav

Vote for Liz Berney for Congress (NY-5) (including interview)

Liz Berney is running for Congress in the 5th Congressional District in New York. That's the district that is currently represented by Democrat Gary Ackerman. Liz is running on the Republican side.

I know I have a lot of readers in Liz's district, and I ask that you go to the polls and vote for her on Tuesday, September 14 in the Republican primary.

In something I can describe as "only in New York," in order to face Ackerman, Liz must first beat down a Democratic challenger who lives outside the district. That's right - in Liz's district, a Democrat who lives outside the district is running for the Republican nomination (has anyone gotten Sarah Palin's or Mike Huckabee's attention about this one?).

IMPORTANT MESSAGE FOR REPUBLICANS IN THE 5TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT! PLEASE VOTE FOR LIZ BERNEY IN THE UPCOMING REPUBLICAN PRIMARY THIS TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 14TH! If Liz does not win the primary, we will have NO Republican running on a major line in our District in the November election!

Liz Berney is endorsed by Congressman Peter King, by the Nassau County Republican Party, by America's Mayor Republican Club, by a Queens County Republican Committee, and by conservative bloggers Raquel Okyay and Pamela Geller, and others. Liz is a Republican committeewoman, and has lived in our district for over 32 years (10 years in the Queens side of the district plus 22 years in the Nassau side of the district, in Great Neck.) Liz was a surrogate debator for the McCain campaign in 2008, and was also the endorsed Republican Congressional candidate in 2008. Liz studied conservative tax policy at the University of Chicago Law school, and worked as a tax lawyer at a prominent firm (Dewey Ballantine), and has litigated high profile cases in a variety of areas. Liz will work for lower taxes and spending and strong national security. Liz is also the candidate of the Taxpayer Revolt Party.

Ms. Berney's opponent in the Republican Primary (Milano) is a registered DEMOCRAT who lives OUTSIDE the 5th Congressional District (in the 3rd Congressional District). He cannot vote in our district, and is clearly not qualified to represent our district. Milano has switched political parties repeatedly (4 different political parties in 6 years). He filed to BECOME a Democrat in April 2009, after Obama was in office. He obtained a special dispensation to run on the Republican line as a Democrat after he paid $13,000 to the group providing the dispensation and related entities at the identical address. Paying for nominations is unlawful.

Thank you for your support for Elizabeth Berney for Congress!!

I sent Liz my standard list of questions for Congressional candidates. Here are the questions and her answers:

1. Do you believe that there is a solution to the dispute between Israel and the Palestinians, and if so what is it?

The solution is for Israel to stand firm, build the country, and refuse to make further concessions to terrorists. Every concession has resulted in further violence. Israel must learn from past experience -- the Gaza withdrawal resulted in rocket attacks from Gaza; handing over 80% of Hebron in the 1997 Hebron accords resulted in increased attacks on the remaining portions of Hebron and Kiryat Arba; lifting checkpoints resulted in deaths of more Jews (including the 4 people killed last week and Rabbi Meir Chai last December); releasing terrorists from prison results in more murders; the whole Oslo process resulted in repeated Intifadas and thousands of Jews killed and injured.

Instead of making concession after dangerous concession, Israel must insist that the Palestinians must cease inciting terror and hatred against Jews, Israel & America. There will never be peace as long as Palestinians teach hatred in their schools, textbooks, PA-controlled television, and mosques. The PA has repeatedly agreed to cease inciting terror in signed agreements (Oslo I, Oslo II, the Wye River agreement, the Hebron accords), and have broken these repeated promises.

2. If you believe that solution is what is commonly referred to as the 'two-state solution,' why do you believe it hasn't happened to date? Do you anticipate any change in the circumstances that have prevented the two-state solution from happening and if so, what and when?

The "two state solution" is not a solution. Moreover, as Netanyahu explained at a Likud Central Committee meeting in 2002 (prior to his recent about-face in the face of Obama’s pressure), a “demilitarized” Palestinian state is an illusion. No matter what limits we attempted to place on it, such a state would quickly acquire the right to import arms and soldiers, control its own airspace and shoot down Israeli planes, make alliances with other terrorist regimes, and control the mountain acquifer which supplies 30% of Israel’s drinking water. Such a state would become another terrorist enclave and launching pad for attacks on Israel.

Peace has not happened because Palestinians continue to teach hatred, and refuse to accept Israel’s existence as a Jewish state.

3. What do you think the United States ought to be doing to help Israel live in peace and security with its neighbors, and do you believe that the Obama administration is doing it? If not, what should they be doing differently?

The Obama administration is a disaster. Obama continues to delegitimize Israel’s historical and moral right to the land of Israel, and states that his goal is a Palestinian state and the so-called “Arab (or Saudi) Peace Initiative” which calls for Israel to give up everything in return for nothing. The administration has been pressuring Israel to make dangerous concessions on every front (Syria, Gaza, the West Bank, Jerusalem), and is sending out tax dollars to the PA and Gaza. Obama also partially lifted the sanctions against Syria.

Obama should acknowledge Israel’s historical right to the land of Israel (instead of adopting the Arab story that Israel merely exists as a result of European anti-semitism).

Obama should stop sending our tax dollars to the Palestinian Authority and to Gaza. At the very least, all funds must be conditioned on the Palestinians first stopping all incitement, and on Hamas dismantling all rockets and releasing Gilad Shalit.

The administration should stop pressuring Israel to make concessions, and should start supporting Israel’s unequivocal right to defend herself and to build anywhere in Israel.

The sanctions against Syria should remain in effect.

The U.S. should work with Israel to destroy the Iranian nuclear threat by all necessary means.

To name just a few.

4. Do you believe that the United States should be pressuring Israel not to build on the West Bank? In East Jerusalem?

No. Israel has the right to build in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Period. Settlement freezes only make the PA more intransigent, while making life miserable for Israelis.

5. What do you believe the United States ought to be doing about Iran?

I agree with former Ambassador John Bolton that, unfortunately, at this late hour, regime change or military action are the only viable solutions. Iran is an existential threat to Israel, the U.S., the entire Middle East and the entire world.

6. Do you support sanctions against Iran? If so, what types of sanctions should the United States pursue? Should sanctions be imposed in cooperation with the United Nations? Would you support them being imposed unilaterally?

Yes, I support sanctions. However, I agree with former Ambassador Bolton that sanctions are too little, too late at this juncture. I also agree with Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Letinen that the waiver provisions in the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability and Divestiture Act of 2010 (CISADA) can easily render CISADA useless.

7. Would you support Israel taking military action to stop Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons? Under what circumstances?

Yes. The danger is sufficiently urgent now to warrant military action.

8. Would you support the United States taking military action to stop Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons? Under what circumstances?

Yes. The danger is sufficiently urgent now to warrant military action.

9. Would you be willing to work with the pro-Israel, pro-peace J Street lobby?

Absolutely not. J-Street is pro-Palestinian, not pro-Israel.

Please note: My opponent, Congressman Gary Ackerman is supported by J-Street. The J-Street PAC is raising money for Ackerman. See https://donate.jstreetpac.org/info/gary-ackerman

See my article about the PACs, and feel free to reprint it on your site.
Shana Tova v'M'tooka,
Liz

I hope Liz wins the Congressional seat she is seeking, and I urge all of you to vote for her in the primary on Tuesday and in the general election in November. But if she doesn't, I think I'll try to convince her to come on aliya and run for Prime Minister of Israel....

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 12:27 AM