Israel Matzav

Where does Bibi stand?

David Bedein sent a letter to Prime Minister Netanyahu urging him to take a stand on several initiatives by members of the US Congress that are far more pro-Israel than this government would ever initiate itself.

In a letter to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, sent prior to his departure for the U.S., investigative journalist David Bedein asked Netanyahu to explain Israel's position on the following bills:

* A proposal from Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fl), the incoming head of Congress' Foreign Affairs Committee, that would call on UNRWA to change its policy of encouraging the descendants of Arabs who fled Israel during the War of Independence to “return” to Israel.
* A bill sponsored by senior members of the Foreign Affairs Committee that would put a stop to American funding for Palestinian Authority education as long as the PA continues to use textbooks that support armed battle against Israel, praise terrorists who died fighting Israel as “martyrs,” or contain maps that do not show the state of Israel.
* A bill that would make American weapons sales to Saudi Arabia conditional on Saudi Arabia ending its official state of war with Israel.
* A proposed bill that would end American assistance to the PA armed “police” forces – which until now have been funded and trained by the U.S. - for as long as the PA continues to hold reconciliation talks with the Hamas terrorist group instead of fighting it.
* A bill that would support Israel in cutting off PA access to radio and television frequencies due to incitement in the PA media.

Bedein told Arutz Sheva that he is not demanding a public response from the prime minister. Netanyahu could respond in a variety of ways, he said, whether by answering his letter, speaking privately to the congressmen and congresswomen involved, or making Israel's position known in general. What is important is making Israel's stance clear in order to give Israel's allies a clear path forward.

I don't suppose we could ask the pro-Israel members of Congress to replace the Knesset, could we? The Knesset would never propose anything like those bills.

Labels: Binyamin Netanyahu, Hamas, House Foreign Affairs Committee, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Palestinian incitement

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 7:39 AM