By Jpost.com
Washington D.C. – House Republican Whip Eric Cantor issued the following statement on Thursday in response to President Obama’s remarks Tuesday, which appeared in the New York Times, that Israel may be “costing us significantly in terms of both blood and treasure.”
“Israel is a democracy that has always made the sacrifices necessary for peace despite living under constant threats to their very existence. The true barrier to ending the Mideast conflict is the widespread Palestinian refusal to accept and to live alongside Israel as a Jewish state.”
He continued, “While Israel continues its search for a reliable partner in peace, Palestinian terrorism is still celebrated in the West Bank and Gaza. Despite this reality, since day one the White House has applied a severe double standard that refuses to hold the Palestinians accountable for their many provocations. It makes one wonder where the responsible adults are in the administration?”
“With each passing day, more Americans are becoming increasingly concerned about the deteriorating state of U.S.-Israel relations. This concern was expressed succinctly by a letter today from World Jewish Congress President Ron Lauder to President Obama, who wrote, ‘Our great country and the tiny State of Israel have long shared the core values of freedom and democracy. It is a bond much treasured by the Jewish people. In that spirit I submit, most respectfully, that it is time to end our public feud with Israel and to confront the real challenges that we face together.’ I couldn’t agree more.
“The American people understand that Israel is a key strategic ally in the Middle East, one that we should stand with in our mutual struggle to prevent the spread of Islamic extremism and a nuclear Iran.”
