Bill Hudak's Position Paper on US/ISRAEL relationship

Hudak Issues Position Paper on IsraelBill Hudak for U.S. Congress
United States – Israel Relationship
Position Paper May 20, 2010

My support for the nation of Israel is solid and unwavering.

Israel and the United States share common fundamental values of individual freedom, democracy, religious faith, and the pursuit of free enterprise and open markets. For over sixty years, Israel has been America’s solid ally in the Middle East, the one nation in the Middle East with the conviction to stand on these principles for the good of its own people as well as its Muslim neighbors. Israel’s desires and commitments to peace in the region have been steadfast, despite the constant threat and acts of terror launched against it by its neighbors.

If elected to the United States Congress from the Sixth District of Massachusetts, I pledge to continue to advance America’s commitments to stand by its ally, to insure Israel’s qualitative military advantage as it seeks peace through strength, to oppose efforts by Iran to obtain or develop nuclear weapons, and to support Israel’s desire to successfully achieve a two state solution negotiated on its own accord.

Peace Through Strength

I strongly believe that the only way in which Israel can achieve a lasting peace is to rest assured that the United States will stand firmly behind it militarily and economically. In that regard, we must continue our commitment to assure Israel’s qualitative military advantage, provide aid, and assure economic superiority. That commitment must be full and total, and publicly acknowledged.

Israel’s military must maintain the ability to defend itself against any conventional threats by its surrounding neighbors and the organized terrorist threats in the region. I support the ten year security agreement reached in August 2007 which will continue to provide approximately three billion dollars in annual aid to Israel to help Israel deal with existing threats. This assistance not only helps Israel maintain its military advantage, but boosts America’s own national security, provides overseas markets for our goods, and creates jobs here at home.

I also oppose efforts by anti-Israel factions which seek to use the United Nations to undermine and demean Israel’s determination to remain strong in its quest for peace. Unlike my opponent, Congressman John Tierney, who only voted “present”, I would have immediately joined the other 344 House members and voted in favor of H.R. 867, to openly condemn the Goldstone Report and to urge the Obama administration to completely disregard it going forward. That report contained a myriad of flaws inherent in it from the outset, and the subject matter was neither objectively investigated nor fairly reported in its
conclusions. In particular, the Goldstone report’s false accusations that Israel committed war crimes simply because it defended itself and its innocent civilian populations, as well as Palestinians, against a barrage of Hamas launched missiles and attacks, can never be justified or supported.

My commitment to support Israel’s quest for peace through strength would go farther than other recent actions by the Obama administration generally, and the congressman of this district in particular. Those actions evidence a clear erosion of our nation’s previous steadfast support of Israel which, unless checked immediately, threatens to increase tensions rather than foster peace.

President Obama’s failure to meet with and accord Prime Minister Netanyahu during his trip to Washington the full courtesy owed to the leader of one of our staunchest allies in order to force some type of concession was an insult unbecoming the head of our nation. Congressman Tierney’s signature on a petition with 44 other democratic representatives urging President Obama to force Israel to open its borders to Gaza signals his desire to support Hamas over Israel; an act which demonstrates his waning support of Israel in favor of the Arab states. It further shows an indifference to the safety of the Israeli population as dropping the blockade would allow further violent attacks on Israel’s people and sovereignty. I would never have signed or supported such a petition; instead, to the contrary, unlike Congressman Tierney, I would have signed the bipartisan letter addressed to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and President Obama urging reaffirmation of a strong U.S./Israeli relationship.

Without reservation, it is my position that America must constantly strive to support Israel publicly. Israel’s agreement to self-impose a moratorium on construction of apartments in the West Bank was not an agreement to cease such in Jerusalem, and the public condemnation of announcements for further homes in Jerusalem by Vice President Biden and others was counterproductive to Israel’s efforts to seek peace. This type of public criticism only serves to encourage Palestine and the Arabs to wait for the United States to pressure Israel to make concessions rather than enter the negotiations in a neutral, good faith manner. We must constantly strive to resolve any U.S. – Israel misunderstandings or differences which may arise in private, through trust and confidence, rather than airing them publicly.

Israel’s Self-Negotiated Two State Solution

I strongly support Israel’s attempt to negotiate, on its own, a two state solution directly with its Arab neighbors. The United States must strongly support that initiative, and coordinate closely with Israel, but avoid efforts by outside entities to impose solutions.

Israel has clearly demonstrated its desire to negotiate, and as gestures of good faith has previously withdrawn unilaterally from Gaza and Lebanon. In return, terrorist entities, including Hamas and Hizbullah, now control those regions and remain by their terrorist ideology and acts constant threats to the safety and autonomy of Israel. Certainly, we must be mindful of those historical facts going forward, and stand with Israel’s desire to self-negotiate only with those non-terrorist entities who can truly partner and enforce a peaceful solution.

Accordingly, I support a peace negotiated by Israel for a two-state solution, but that solution must be premises on several factors: (1) Jerusalem, must remain the undivided capital of Israel, (2) Israel’s security must be strictly assured and not imposed by outside parties, (3) there must be guarantees that Palestinians will abide by agreements which have been signed by their past leaders, (4) Israel’s borders must be secured and the safety of its people must be assured. I believe that a strict return to the 1967 borders would be counter to these objectives and would oppose efforts for a strong and lasting peace.

Above all, the United States must always support Israel by encouraging the Arab states to recognize Israel’s right to exist. We must always be mindful that the Hamas charter, in particular, provides that Israel exists only as long as the Muslims desire it to exist; in effect, calling for its ultimate demise. Encouraging other Arab states to adopt our mutual belief in democracy, freedom, and free enterprise offers the greatest potential to lessen tensions going forward.

The Iranian Threat

Iran remains as the largest threat to Israel and a true danger to our own interests. For nearly 20 years, it engaged in a secret nuclear program until it was exposed in 2002. Iran is a leading sponsor of terrorism, and a nuclear armed Iran would threaten the region and world in a completely unacceptable manner.

Iran President Ahmadinejad has made clear that he does not believe the Holocaust ever occurred, has expressed his view that Israel should be destroyed, and has expressed his disrespect for all Jews. Iran supports Hamas and Hizbullah in Gaza and Lebanon, respectively, and is clearly intent on wiping Israel off the map. Not content on its own region, Iran is also pursuing alliances with terrorists in Argentina and Venezuela. Its desire to obtain nuclear weapons can have only one purpose in mind: to advance its interests and threaten the safety of the Middle East and the world.

I strongly support all measures designed to compel Iran to cease efforts to develop a nuclear capability and to cause them to cease efforts in the regard, and would strongly support and propose efforts to sanction Iran severely in an effort to compel compliance. This includes concluding, and strengthening, the Iran Refined Petroleum Sanctions Act of 2009, H.R. 2194 (passed by the House and Senate, and now in conference) in light of evidence that Iran is clearly engaging in deception to advance development of nuclear weapons. I also support the Iran Sanctions Enabling Act of 2009, H.R. 1327, authorizing state pension funds to divest from companies that invest in Iran, and would work toward bringing those principles to conclusion.