Capital Hill Dialog from page 15
House: Yes, Foreign Aid
Washington/JTA — The U.S. House approved
foreign funding that included aid packages
for Israel and the Palestinians.
Israel won $2.775 billion when the funds
approved in the bill 2010 appropriations bill
passed July 9 are added to those approved in
an earlier supplemental funding bill, consis-
tent with the memorandum of understand-
ing signed two years ago that guarantees
Israel $30 billion in defense assistance over
10 years. Israel also was allotted $25 million
in refugee settlement assistance, the only
remnant of U.S. assistance to Israel's domes-
tic economy.
Also approved was more than $500 mil-
lion in assistance for the Palestinians, includ-
ing up to $150 million that may be trans-
ferred directly to the Palestinian Authority
and $100 million that will go to training P.A.
security forces.
Egyptian and Jordanian funding also
remained consistent: $1.3 billion in Egyptian
defense assistance and $250 million in assis-
tance for the Egyptian economy; and $300
million in defense assistance for Jordan as
well as $363 million in economic assistance.
The bill also would keep the U.S. Import-
Export Bank from guaranteeing companies
that have significant stakes in Iran's energy
sector.
The American Israel Public Affairs
Committee praised the bill's passage. "This
year's package holds heightened significance
with the United States, the region and Israel
facing renewed challenges from Iran's drive
to dominate the Middle East, acquire nuclear
weapons and its support for Islamic terror-
ist movements, including Hezbollah and
Hamas," said AIPAC President David Victor
of Birmingham.
A number of amendments proposed by
Republicans were rejected, including several
that would have repeated existing restric-
tions aimed at keeping funds from reaching
terrorist groups like Hamas; shifted funds
from other areas to promote democracy
in Iran; and expressed reassurances that
Republicans support aid to Israel to the
exclusion of other foreign aid. Pro-Israel
groups have in the past targeted for criticism
Congress members who vote against the
overall aid package.
The overall $48.8 billion bill passed
318-106; of the 106 voting against, 97 were
Republicans. The U.S. Senate is considering
a similar bill. Subsequent to its passage, both
bills must be reconciled, subject to new votes
and then sent to President Obama for his
approval.
All Metro Detroit members of the U.S.
House — including Gary Peters, John
Dingell, John Conyers, Sander Levin, Carolyn
Cheeks Kilpatrick, Candice Miller, Thaddeus
McCotter and Dale Kildee — voted in favor
of the foreign aid bill (HR 3081).
16
August 6 • 2009
invited to the meeting with the Senate
Democratic steering committee, but
co-director of government relations
Dan Pollak said the committee staff
quickly arranged for a private follow-up
meeting. "Had we been at the meeting,"
he said, "we would've asked how long
before the Senate exercises its preroga-
tive to enact sanctions legislation inde-
pendent of how long the administration
is willing to wait on Iran.
"We would've also talked about
the nearly $1 billion in aid to the
Palestinian Authority, which is going
straight to Hamas in an unacceptable
way and of the part that is going to the
P.A., too much is being spent on incite-
ment against Israel and the Jews."
The Jewish Institute for National
Security Affairs also was not invited.
Executive Director Tom Neumann
said had the Washington-based orga-
nization been invited, it would have
acknowledged the president's verbal
commitment to the special relationship
between Israel and the United States,
but also expressed concern that the
president's action did not reflect that
bond.
"Of particular concern," Neumann
said, "is the president's attempt to
restrain Israel from protecting itself
from an existential threat from Iran, his
focus on the settlements as the central
issue in the Middle East and his failure
to put pressure on the Palestinians to
stop terrorism and recognize Israel as
the first order of business."
On the issue of an Iranian bomb,
Neumann said "the failure to act now is
not without consequence because each
day that goes by brings Iran closer to
having nuclear capabilities:'
He expressed equal concern about
the potential for Pakistan's nuclear
capabilities ending up in Taliban or
even Al Qaida hands.
"We are facing major prob-
lems, which need to be proactively
addressed," he said. "Rhetoric and cha-
risma won't solve the problem."
❑
Michigan's senior senator speaks out on Iran and Syria.
I
n a phone interview
with the IN, U.S. Sen.
Carl Levin, D-Mich., was
asked about the seemingly
mixed messages that U.S.
Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton was sending on Iran,
at one point offering to extend
America's nuclear umbrella to
Israel and suggesting that the
U.S. was consigned to a nucle-
ar Iran and at other times
insisting the U.S. would stop
Iran from developing nuclear
weapons capability.
"I don't think we ought to
accept a nuclear Iran and we've got to
take major steps to prevent that from
happening," Levin declared emphati-
cally. We need to consider every
possible step to deter Iran and we've
got to keep the military option on the
table."
Despite news of Russia's joint naval
exercises with Iran, Levin was optimis-
tic that the U.S. could encourage Russia
to cooperate in thwarting Tehran's
nuclear ambitions. Levin pointed to the
announcement after his trip to Russia
a few months ago with Sens. Susan
Collins, R-Maine, and Bill Nelson, D-
Fla., that Russia was scrapping a deal
to send defensive SAM missiles to Iran
that he said would've "endangered" an
Israeli strike against Iran.
Levin said he also is hopeful the
U.S. and Russia could develop a joint
anti-missile system against Iran and
gain the value of Russian radars to
warn against incoming Iranian missile
attacks.
"I don't think we
ought to accept a
nuclear Iran and
we've got to take
major steps to
prevent that from
happening."
Sen. Levin and Michigan's junior
senator, Debbie Stabenow, have signed
onto legislation applying tougher
sanctions on Iran where the regime
is most vulnerable, notably in its
dependence on importation of refined
petroleum.
Engaging Tehran
Levin said he supports diplomatic
outreach to Iran.
"It's useful to talk and let them know
directly face to face why their nuclear
threat is unacceptable," he said.
At the same time, Levin added, the
efforts to stop Iran ought to be ratch-
eted up immediately.
"We ought not to set a specific
timetable, but should keep Iran guess-
ing and work to strengthen the noose
around them economically and dip-
lomatically to persuade them they are
heading against a dead-end."
Asked if the sanctions legislation
should be implemented now or after
extended diplomacy,
Levin responded, "We
should put as much pres-
sure on Iran as we can,
sooner better than later
across the board."
Syrian Ties
As to President Obama's
recent decision to open
diplomatic channels and
ease the ban on informa-
tion, telecommunications
and aeronautic sales to
- Sen. Levin Syria, Levin noted that
the U.S. talks to other
countries on the State
Department's terror-sponsor list and that
Israel, too, "has offered to talk to Syria."
In a report released last month, the
State Department highlighted Syria's
support of terrorism and porous bor-
der pipeline of insurgents into Iraq.
The report also addressed continuing
concerns about Syria's clandestine
pursuit of a nuclear reactor, its chemi-
cal weapons program and its missile
program. The report noted that Syria
is a transshipment point for weapons
from Iran to Hezbollah in Lebanon
in violation of U.N. Resolution 1701.
Israel bombed a partially finished
Syrian nuclear reactor two years ago.
"You proceed with great caution,"
Levin said. "I don't know what offers
have been made and under what con-
ditions" to facilitate a thaw with Syria,
Levin acknowledged. "It requires a
major consideration as to what con-
ditions would be attached to what
steps." ❑