World ROUNDUP Palin To Obama Washington/JTA — Sarah Palin called on the Obama administration to hit the reset button with Israel. In a statement critical of the Obama admin- istration's outreach to countries with which the United States has strained relations, the former Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin and Alaska governor wrote, "In the midst of all this embrac- ing of enemies, where does the Obama administration choose to escalate a minor incident into a major diplomatic confron- tation? With Iran, Cuba, Sudan, North Korea or Burma? No. With our treasured ally, Israel!' Palin criticized Obama for making uni- lateral demands of Israel while not requir- ing Arab leaders to make equally demand- ing concessions for the sake of peace. "Vice President Biden was actually right when he said, before the construc- tion announcement, that 'one necessary precondition for progress is that the rest of the world knows ... there is absolutely no space between the United States and Israel when it comes to security:" she said. "Right now, thanks to the Obama administration, there is a chasm. Its time for President Obama to push the reset but- ton on our relations with our ally Israel." Brazilian At Arafat's Grave Ramallah/JTA — Brazil's president laid a wreath at Yasser Arafat's grave after refus- ing to visit the grave of Theodor Herzl. President Luiz Ignacio Lula da Silva met with Palestinian Authority leaders in Ramallah on March 17. "I dream of an independent and free Palestine living in peace in the Middle East:' Silva said while in the West Bank. "I believe the Palestinians and Israelis are going to share the land of their fore- fathers." Israel had criticized Lula's plan to visit the grave of the PLO's Arafat prior to the visit. Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman boycotted Lula's address to the Knesset on March 15 to protest his refusal to visit the grave of Herzl, the founder of modern Zionism. Pair Of Dems Blame Israel Washington/JTA — Two Democrats with solidly pro-Israel records are blaming Israel for the heightened U.S.-Israeli tensions. In an exclusive interview with JTA, the chairman of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee, Rep. Howard Berman, D-Calif., said that Israel deserved much of the criticism it has been receiving over the announcement during Vice President Joe Biden's visit to Israel of plans to construct 1,600 housing units in a Jewish neighbor- hood of eastern Jerusalem. "The administration had, I think, real justification for being upset because a pro- cess was supposed to be in place that would keep it from being blindsided, and that process failed and once again the U.S. was blindsided and the Israelis have to get this right:' said Berman, who has taken the lead in the push for new, tougher Iran sanctions. He is considered a staunch supporter of Israel and has strong ties to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. Another Democrat with a solidly pro- Israel record, Sen. Ben Cardin, D-Maryland, issued a statement criticizing Jerusalem for the tensions with Washington while JigwqN3h 1--N®oHogr@i5.0 aamo DETROIT HIGH TEA RECEPTION stressing that he felt Israel's prime minister had taken an important step in expressing regret over the incident. For their part, Republican congressional leaders criticized the Obama adminis- tration for coming down hard on Israel. House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, House Minority Whip Eric Cantor, R-Va., and Rep. Illeana Ros-Lehtinen, R- Fla., the ranking Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, all issued statements criticizing the Obama admin- istration. A handful of Jewish Democratic House members from New York — Reps. Eliot Engel, Nita Lowey, Steve Israel and Anthony Weiner — also have said that the Obama administration went too far with its criticism of Israel. They were joined by a fellow New York Democrat, U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, who is facing a tough re-election fight. P.M.'s Son Is Bible Maven Jerusalem/JTA — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's youngest son won Israel's National Bible Contest. Avner Netanyahu, 15, will represent Israel in the International Bible Contest, which is held annually in Jerusalem on Israel's Independence Day. The prime minister and his wife attend- ed the March 16 national finals in Kiryat Shemona. Some 12,000 Israeli students partici- pated in Bible contests this year leading up to the national finals. Sara Netanyahu's three older brothers have won the national Bible quiz and her father is an expert in Bible study. Honoring Senator Carl Levin and Representative Sander Levin Sunday, April 18, 2010 2:00 PM Congregation Shaarey Zedek, Southfield Couvert $80 per person For reservations or information about the Tribute Journal call the JTS office (248) 258-0055 or register on line at http://www.jtsa.edu/detroitgala2010 The Jewish j urs Theological Seminary 32 March 25 • 2010 Answering Israel's Critics The Charge United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon called on Israel last week to end its near blockade of Gaza, saying it undercuts moderates and empowers extremists. The Answer Israel's border restrictions on Gaza work to protect Israel's southern com- munities from attack by denying the Hamas terrorists material to rebuild their military infrastructure and by pressuring them to renounce violence. - Allan Gale Jewish Community Relations Council of Metropolitan Detroit © Jewish Renaissance Media, March 25, 2010