Bob's Blog
From Israel
As a Senator who sits on the Foreign Relations Committee, it is my responsibility to occasionally travel overseas to conduct oversight and ensure we have the right approach to relations with both our allies and adversaries. This week, I have been honored to spend a few days in one of our closest partners, the state of Israel. Traveling with three other Members of Congress, our schedule has been packed with meetings with Israeli leaders -- including Prime Minister Netanyahu and Defense Minister Barak today.
Two key issues dominated our conversations -- the common challenge posed by Iran's nuclear program and the need to revitalize progress toward a two state solution. The Prime Minister recounted to us his meeting with President Obama in Washington last week and his approach as we move forward.
I spent most of yesterday in the West Bank, getting a first hand look at the Palestinian security forces that can form the building block of a future Palestinian state. We also shared lunch with a group of impressive Palestinian business leaders.
The trip is not yet over -- we are flying onward to Turkey. Stay tuned for more posts.
AIPAC address on Iran
I had the honor earlier today of addressing a group of Pennsylvania constituents who are in Washington this week to attend the American-Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) national convention. As the Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee handling Middle East issues, Israel's continued security and prosperity matter greatly to me. I addressed two key challenges affecting Israel today: the threat posed by Iran’s nuclear program and the need to revitalize the Middle East Peace Process.
Iran continues to make progress towards the capability to produce a nuclear weapon. While the Iranian regime claims it is pursuing only a civilian nuclear energy program, it continues to deny international inspectors routine access and transparency into its activities and continues to defy a series of UN Security Council resolutions calling on Iran to cease uranium enrichment. An Iran armed with nuclear weapons would not just represent a mortal threat to Israel's security, but would also be emboldened to engage in regional aggression and provide support to groups like Hamas and Hezbollah. I strongly support President Obama's bold use of diplomacy to engage the Iranian leadership, but this diplomacy cannot be an end in itself. Iran must agree to negotiate in good faith; it cannot stall negotiations while it continues to advance its nuclear program. We must also remember that effective diplomacy is complemented by such tools as economic sanctions. For that reason, I strongly support measures to further restrict international exports of reprocessed gasoline to Iran and authorize state and local governments to divest from companies that invest in Iran.
At the same time, it is imperative for the United States to once again assume the mantle of leadership on the Middle East Peace Process and nurture a two-state solution, with the Israeli people and the Palestinian people living side by side in internationally recognized and secure borders. That is why I applaud the President's decision to appoint former Senator George Mitchell to serve as his personal envoy to the region and work constructively with all parties. The passive and disinterested role of the United States in recent years cannot continue. It is in the best interests of Israel to reach a genuine and durable peace with its neighbors.
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