At D.C. synagogue, Obama reaffirms support for Israel
WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama told congregants at one of Washington’s oldest and biggest synagogues that the differences he’s had with Israel’s leadership are no sign that U.S. support for the Jewish state has wavered.
Obama made indirect reference to the strained relationship he’s had with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying the close U.S.-Israel bond doesn’t mean there won’t ever be disputes over tactics.
“It would be a moral failing on my part if we did not stand up firmly, steadfastly, not just on behalf of Israel’s right to exist, but its right to thrive and prosper,” Obama said at Adas Israel. “My commitment to Israel’s security is and always will be unshakable.”
Obama’s public clashes with Netanyahu have alienated some U.S. Jews, and many of them are skeptical of a proposed nuclear accord with Iran. The president received extended applause before and after his address, which took place during a celebration of Jewish American Heritage Month.
Obama didn’t mention Netanyahu by name, but he said papering over differences on difficult questions, such as the Israeli-Palestinian relationship or Israel’s settlement policy, is not a measure of true friendship.
“Jewish-American life is a testimony to the capacity to make our values live,” he said. “But it requires courage. It requires strength. It requires that we speak the truth, not just when it’s easy but when it’s hard.”
Long-standing tensions between Obama and Netanyahu boiled over after the Israeli leader accepted House Speaker John Boehner’s invitation to criticize the Iran deal before a joint meeting of Congress in March. Neither Netanyahu nor Boehner, R-Ohio, consulted with the White House beforehand; the administration criticized the speech as a breach of protocol.
The situation worsened a few weeks later when Netanyahu said while campaigning for re-election that he would not support the establishment of a Palestinian state if he won. He further upset the White House by warning his supporters that his party could lose the election because Israeli Arabs were voting in large numbers.
The White House denounced the comments and said the administration was reviewing whether to continue opposing international efforts to recognize a Palestinian state.
Since Netanyahu’s re-election, the White House has looked to quell suggestions of an irreparable divide and to shore up support among American Jews.
In April, the president held a pair of meetings with prominent Jewish leaders and donors at the White House to explain the framework of the proposed nuclear deal with Iran. He called Netanyahu with congratulations after the conservative Likud Party won a plurality of seats in the Israeli elections.
On Thursday, White House press secretary Josh Earnest said Obama is “committed to the protection and national security of the nation of Israel and the people of Israel.”
On the nuclear talks with Iran, Obama promised Friday that he would not make a bad deal with the Islamic Republic in part because he wouldn’t want to bear the shame.
“This deal will have my name on it,” Obama said, “so nobody has a bigger personal stake in making sure that it delivers on its promise.
“I want a good deal,” he said, adding he will only agree to terms that would block all of Iran’s paths to nuclear weapons capability and secure the deal with rigorous inspections revealing any violations of the agreement.
Despite his optimism over the prospects for talks, Obama said that he isn’t guaranteeing a deal will be reached and that he is keeping “all options” open for deterring Iran from building a nuclear weapon.
Obama said any success in the nuclear talks will not erase U.S. concerns about other Iranian activity, especially its support for terrorism, moves to destabilize the region and threats against Israel.