Throughout the 2008 campaign and in previous campaigns, Senator Obama was a strong supporter of Israel's right to defend itself. He repeatedly asserted that he supported a two state solution and that both the Israeli's and the Palestinians needed to do what was necessary to achieve that objective. Shortly after winning the election, President-Elect Obama expressed support for a 2002 Saudi plan to base Israel on 1967 borders with land swaps between Israel and Palestine to make the two countries more contiguous and defensible. The plan gave Israel the ability to control the right of return.
By May of 2009, the Obama administration had begun to publicly assail the Israeli government for continued settlement expansion. Secretary of State Clinton noted that the President sought for Israel to end all settlement expansion - this included halting the typical expansion granted for normal population growth.
In September of 2009, President Obama delivered a speech to the UN General Assembly that critics called the most anti-Israeli speech to date by a US official. The President called for Israel to end the "occupation that began in 1967," stated that the US did not recognize the legitimacy of continued (not new) Israeli settlements, supported a two state solution, and called for a "contiguous" Palestine. These statements led critics to state that the Obama Administration was calling for a return to pre-1967 borders.
US - Israeli relations were further tested in March of the following year when the Israeli government announced new settlements around Jerusalem while Vice President Biden was there to negotiate the start of talks. This led to condemnation by President Obama and a statement during a Fox News interview where he called Israel's actions not helpful.
Shortly after that interview a number of news sources reported that President Obama had delivered a 4 point ultimatum to Israel calling for an end to settlement building, actions of good will which may have included prisoner release, and negotiations on post 1967 borders and possible right of return for Palestinians.
Days after those reports, Prime Minister Netanyahu visited the White House and left humiliated when President Obama refused any public forum with the envoy and broke off discussions early and abruptly.
In July of 2010, negotiations concerning the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) ended with a paragraph added encouraging Israel to join the accord and calling for a nuclear free zone in the middle east. Israel is know to have nuclear weapons, but the US has chosen to avoid any discussion on the issue and blocked previous attempts to call out Israel by name.
In February of 2011, the Obama administration blocked a UN Security Counsel resolution condemning settlement building in Israel. After casting the veto vote, the UN Ambassador was highly critical of Israeli settlements and noted that the action did not indicate a change in US opinion on the matter.
In May of 2011, President Obama gave a major policy address on middle eastern policy. In this address he formally asserted his support for a peace plan that returned Israel to it's pre-1967 borders with land swaps between the two countries.
Chicago Jewish News Interview
In March of 2004, State Senator Obama was interviewed by the Chicago Jewish News and asked 5 questions. Two of those questions were about Israel.
1. What do you think is the appropriate American role in the Middle East? Do you support the way President Bush has dealt with the peace process the last three years?
There cannot be peace in the Middle East unless terrorism ends and the Palestinians undertake democratic reforms within their own society. And while I firmly believe that America must retain its special relationship with Israel as the only democracy in the Middle East, the US must work harder to foster conditions in which Israel and the Palestinians can take meaningful steps towards peace. While protecting Israel's ability to meet its security needs, we should offer our services as an honest broker between the two sides, recognizing that they must ultimately forge an agreement through mutual consent.
2. What would you call on Israel to do to help bring peace? And what about the Palestinians? What is your view of Israel's security fence? Do you think Yasser Arafat is someone that should be dealt with?
The premise of the road map, a two- state solution requiring negotiations on such issues as settlements, boundaries and security guarantees, is basically sound. The problem is that President Bush's neglect of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict during the first two years of his term, coupled with the distraction of the invasion and occupation of Iraq, has kept us from aggressively promoting the roadmap process. Similarly, the creation of a wall dividing the two nations is yet another example of the neglect of this Administration in brokering peace.
In addition, the Iraq war has strengthened the hand of Arab autocrats and hardliners who have no interest in a peaceful resolution of the Israel-Palestinian conflict while handicapping more moderate forces truly interested in pursuing peace.
AIPAC Policy Forum
In March of 2007, Senator Obama gave a speech to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and discussed Israel and it's relationship to Iran and it's right to defend itself.
...
Israel Must Freely Defend Itself When Attacked
And when Israel is attacked, we must stand up for Israel’s legitimate right to defend itself.
Last summer, Hezbollah attacked Israel. By using Lebanon as an outpost for terrorism, and innocent people as shields, Hezbollah has also engulfed that entire nation in violence and conflict, and threatened the fledgling movement for democracy there.
That’s why we have to press for enforcement of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701, which demands the cessation of arms shipments to Hezbollah, a resolution which Syria and Iran continue to disregard. Their support and shipment of weapons to Hezbollah and Hamas, which threatens the peace and security in the region, must end.
True Allies Do Not Walk Away
These are great challenges that we face. And in moments like these, true allies do not walk away. For six years, the administration has missed opportunities to increase the United States’ influence in the region and help Israel achieve the peace she wants and the security she needs. The time has come for us to seize those opportunities.
The Israeli people, and Prime Minister Olmert, have made clear that they are more than willing to negotiate an end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict that will result in two states living side by side in peace and security.
But the Israelis must trust that they have a true Palestinian partner for peace.
That is why we must strengthen the hands of Palestinian moderates who seek peace and that is why we must maintain the isolation of Hamas and other extremists who are committed to Israel’s destruction.
Three Conditions for Hamas
The U.S. and our partners have put before Hamas three very simple conditions to end this isolation: recognize Israel’s right to exist; renounce the use of violence; and abide by past agreements between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.
We should all be concerned about the agreement negotiated among Palestinians in Mecca last month. The reports of this agreement suggest that Hamas, Fatah, and independent ministers would sit in a government together, under a Hamas Prime Minister, without any recognition of Israel, without a renunciation of violence, and with only an ambiguous promise to “respect” previous agreements.
This should concern us all because it suggests that Mahmoud Abbas, who is a Palestinian leader I believe is committed to peace, felt forced to compromise with Hamas. However, if we are serious about the Quartet’s conditions, we must tell the Palestinians this is not good enough.
But as I said at the outset, Israel will have some heavy stones to carry as well. Its history has been full of tough choices in search of peace and security.
Sacrifices for Peace in Israel
Yitzhak Rabin had the vision to reach out to longtime enemies. Ariel Sharon had the determination to lead Israel out of Gaza. These were difficult, painful decisions that went to the heart of Israel's identity as a nation.
Many Israelis I talked to during my visit last year told me that they were prepared to make sacrifices to give their children a chance to know peace. These were people of courage who wanted a better life.
And I know these are difficult times and it can be easy to lose hope. But we owe it to our sons and daughters, our mothers and fathers, and to all those who have fallen, to keep searching for peace and security -- even though it can seem distant.
This search is in the best interests of Israel. It is in the best interests of the United States. It is in the best interests of all of us.
We can and we should help Israelis and Palestinians both fulfill their national goals: two states living side by side in peace and security. Both the Israeli and Palestinian people have suffered from the failure to achieve this goal. The United States should leave no stone unturned in working to make that goal a reality.
Israel Campaign Policy
During the 2008 Presidential campaign, Senator Obama put forth the following policy.
BARACK OBAMA AND JOE BIDEN’S PLAN TO STRENGTHEN THE U.S.-ISRAEL RELATIONSHIP
Barack Obama and Joe Biden have established a strong record as true friends of Israel, stalwart defenders of Israel’s security, and effective advocates of strengthening the steadfast U.S.-Israel relationship. They believe that Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state should never be challenged. As a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Obama has consistently emphasized his commitment to our ally Israel, and has been an active supporter of legislation helping to ensure the support and security of the Middle East’s only established democracy. Obama continually works with a number of his colleagues in the Senate to promote a closer relationship between the U.S. and Israel on a range of fronts – security, economic, political, and cultural. He has traveled to Israel, most recently in 2008, to convey to Israel’s leaders and citizens his commitment to the close friendship between Israel and the United States, and his determination to help Israel defend itself from the serious threats it faces and pursue peace with neighbors who seek to achieve it. Ensure a Strong U.S.-Israel Partnership: Barack Obama and Joe Biden strongly support the U.S.-Israel relationship, a bond that is mutually beneficial to each country as we share common values, histories, and a dedication to democracy. They believe that our first and incontrovertible commitment in the Middle East must be to the security of Israel, America’s strongest ally in the Middle East. Expressing his support for this reality, Obama delivered the message in 2006 to Palestinian university students in Ramallah that the United States would never distance itself from Israel. Senator Obama opposed Hamas’ participation in the 2006 Palestinian Authority elections, and he continues to insist that Hamas recognize Israel, abandon violence, and abide by previous agreements made between the Palestinian Authority and Israel before the United States could recognize it as a legitimate actor.
Prevent Iran from Acquiring Nuclear Weapons: Understanding that the United States, Israel, and our European allies must take strong action to prevent Iran’s pursuit of nuclear weapons, Barack Obama authored and introduced as the primary sponsor in May 2007 the leading piece of legislation in the Senate aimed at containing Iran through tough sanctions. His “Iran Sanctions Enabling Act” will make it easier for state and local governments to divest their pension funds from companies that invest in Iran’s energy sector, providing the revenue Iran uses to pursue nuclear weapons and sponsor terrorism. Obama drafted this important legislation after consultations on the issue with former Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu. Consistently, Senator Obama has been outspoken regarding the growing influence of Iran in the region, especially in Iraq, “The Iranian regime supports violent extremists and challenges us across the region. It pursues a nuclear capability that could spark a dangerous arms race, and raise the prospect of a transfer of nuclear know-how to terrorists. Its President denies the Holocaust and threatens to wipe Israel off the map. The danger from Iran is grave, it is real, and my goal will be to eliminate this threat.” [Speech at the 2008 AIPAC Policy Conference, 6/4/08]. In his July 2008 visit to Israel, Obama conducted an active dialogue with a range of Israeli political leaders and security officials regarding Iran and the threat it poses to both our countries.
Support Israel’s Right to Self Defense: During the July 2006 Lebanon war, Barack Obama and Joe Biden stood up strongly for Israel’s right to defend itself from Hezbollah raids and rocket attacks. Obama is an original cosponsor of the Senate resolution expressing support for Israel, condemning the attacks, and calling for strong action against Iran and Syria. Throughout the war, Barack Obama made clear that Israel should not be pressured into a ceasefire that did not deal with the threat of Hezbollah missiles. Senator Obama remains concerned about the rapid re-arming of Hezbollah in Lebanon since the ceasefire. In addition, Obama signed a letter to the European Union pressing the EU to designate Hezbollah as a terrorist organization. Long before the July 2006 conflict, Barack Obama worked to limit Hezbollah’s influence in the region, signing a letter urging President Bush to place al-Manar, the official television station of Hezbollah, on the Treasury Department’s Specially Designated Global Terrorist Entity list and to aggressively target organizations that aid in its broadcast.
Work towards Ending Hamas Rocket Attacks: In his visit to Israel on July 23, 2008, Barack Obama visited the Israeli town of Sderot and stood in solidarity with its residents, who have endured an endless onslaught of Hamas’ Qassam rockets. On that day, he declared: “The state of Israel faces determined enemies who seek its destruction. But it also has a friend and ally in the United States that will always stand by the people of Israel. That's why I'm proud to be here today and that's why I will work from the moment that I return to America, to tell the story of Sderot and to make sure that the good people who live here are enjoying a future of peace and security and hope.” [Press Conference, 7/23/08] In January, 2008, Senator Obama sent a letter to our United Nations Representative urging that any resolution concerning the situation in Gaza should “clearly and unequivocally condemn the rocket attacks against Israel, and should make clear that Israel has the right to defend itself against such actions.” [Letter to Amb. Zalmay Khalilzad, 1/22/08]
Support Foreign Assistance to Israel: Barack Obama and Joe Biden have consistently supported the annual foreign aid package that involves both military and economic assistance to Israel and has advocated increased foreign aid budgets to ensure that these funding priorities are met. Additionally, Obama has called for sustaining the unique U.S.-Israel defense relationship by fully funding military assistance and continuing cooperative work on missile defense programs, such as the Arrow. He recently laid out a bold vision for further strengthening the U.S.-Israel alliance, stating, “Defense cooperation between the United States and Israel is a model of success, and must be deepened. As president, I will implement a Memorandum of Understanding that provides $30 billion in assistance to Israel over the next decade - investments to Israel’s security that will not be tied to any other nation. …Going forward, we can enhance our cooperation on missile defense. We should export military equipment to our ally Israel under the same guidelines as NATO.” [Speech at the 2008 AIPAC Policy Conference, 6/4/08]
Work towards Two States Living Side by Side in Peace and Security: Barack Obama and Joe Biden believe in working towards a two-state solution, with both states living side by side in peace and security. To that end, Senators Obama and Biden are cosponsors of the Palestinian Anti-Terrorism Act of 2006. Introduced in the wake of Hamas’ victory in the Palestinian elections, this act outlaws direct assistance to any entity of the Palestinian Authority controlled by Hamas until it meets the conditions of the United States, Russia, the European Union and the United Nations to renounce violence, recognize Israel, and agree to abide by all agreements signed by the Palestinian Authority. Obama signed a letter urging President Bush to make it clear to Palestinian leaders that terrorist groups must either disarm or be barred from the political process. Since the elections, Obama has stated that Israelis must have a true Palestinian partner for peace. He will encourage the strengthening of the Palestinian moderates who seek peace and work to isolate Hamas and other extremists who are committed to Israel’s destruction.
Support U.S.-Israel Research and Development and Energy Independence: As a strong supporter of broadening and deepening the U.S.-Israel relationship, Barack Obama cosponsored the U.S.-Israel Energy Cooperation Act. This bill would establish a grant program to support joint U.S.-Israeli research and development efforts in the areas of alternative and renewable energy sources – a key step toward energy independence, which is very much in the national security interests of the U.S. and Israel. Looking for innovative ways to enhance U.S. and Israeli security through energy independence, Obama has pushed a number of initiatives – from E-85 to CAFE reform to biofuels. The purpose of these initiatives is to reduce U.S. dependence on oil from the Middle East, limiting the influence of oil-producing nations and strengthening U.S. and Israeli national security.
Support for 2002 Saudi Plan
In November of 2008, just after the election, President-Elect Obama expressed support for a 2002 Saudi peace initiative endorsed by the Arab League. The plan would require Israel to return to it's pre-1967 borders, and would give Israel a veto on the right of Palestinians to return to Israel. President-Elect Obama was quoted as stating that the Israeli's would be crazy to turn down any deal that got them peace.
The Israelis would be crazy not to accept this initiative. It would give them peace with the Muslim world from Indonesia to Morocco.
Stronger Stance on Settlements
In May of 2009, President Obama met with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas to promote the pan-arab peace plan. Not long after those meetings, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton stated that President Obama's opinion was that settlements needed to stop.
With respect to settlements, the president was very clear when Prime Minister Netanyahu was here. He wants to see a stop to settlements -- not some settlements, not outposts, not natural growth exceptions. We think it is the best interests of the effort we are engaged in that settlement expansion cease.
UN General Assembly Meeting
In a speech to the UN on the 23rd of September 2009, President Obama spoke about the Israeli settlements by stating that he did not support continued settlements. Supporters of Israel were fearful of this statement as it did not state the the US did not support new or expanded settlements, but rather that he did not support any of the settlements. He also referred to the "occupation that began in 1967." This seemed to indicate that President Obama desired to see the lands won in the 1967 war given away. The phrase "contiguous territory" in referring to Palestine further contributed to this fear.
We continue to call on Palestinians to end incitement against Israel. And we continue to emphasize that America does not accept the legitimacy of continued Israeli settlements. The time has come to relaunch negotiations without preconditions that address the permanent status issues: security for Israelis and Palestinians, borders, refugees, and Jerusalem. The goal is clear: two states living side by side in peace and security. A Jewish state of Israel with true security for all Israelis, and a viable independent Palestinian state with contiguous territory that ends the occupation that began in 1967 and realizes the potential of the Palestinian people.
For several months, the Obama administration had pushed for the Israelis to end the settlement building with no success. At the UN Assembly, President Obama made it clear that he supported a two state solution which would give Palestine it's own country, and that now was the time to achieve that goal. President Obama stated:
It is past time to stop talking about starting negotiations; it is time to move forward. Permanent status negotiations must begin and begin soon. So my message to these two leaders is clear: despite all the obstacles, all the history, all the mistrust, we have to find a way forward.
Biden Visit to Israel
In March of 2010, Vice President Biden traveled to Israel in attempts to initiate talks between Israel and Palestine. After he arrived, the Israeli government announced that they were starting a new settlement in recently annexed West Bank land. Vice President Biden reacted strongly to the news.
It is incumbent on both parties to build an atmosphere of support for negotiations and not to complicate them. Yesterday the decision by the Israeli government to advance planning for new housing units in East Jerusalem undermines that very trust, the trust that we need right now in order to begin ... profitable negotiations
New Settlements Not Helpful
On March 17, 2010 President Obama was interviewed by Bret Baier of Fox News. During the interview President Obama was asked about recently announced plans to build new settlements in Jerusalem and his response was that he was attempting to start peace negotiations between Israel and Palestine and that the new settlements were not helpful to that process.
Baier: Mr President, some are saying and many are thinking that this is a crisis between the US and Israel. Is it?
President Obama: No. Look, Israel is one of our closest allies, and we and the Israeli people have a special bond that's not gonna go away. But, friends are gonna disagree sometimes, and I specifically sent Vice President Biden to Israel to send a message of support and reassurance about my belief that Israel's security is sacrosanct, and that we have a host of shared interests. There is a disagreement in terms of how we can move this peace process forward. Obviously when I sent Vice President Biden there it was at a moment when we were trying to restart talks between the Palestinians and the Israeli's ... The actions that were taken by the Interior Minister in Israel weren't helpful to that process and Prime Minister Netanyahu acknowledged as much and apologized for it. What we've said is that we need both sides to take steps so that we can build trust, and yesterday when there were riots by the Palestinians against a synagogue that had reopended we condemned them in the same way because what we need now is for both sides to recognize that it is in their interests to move this peace process forward.
Ultimatum to Israel
Days after the interview with Bret Baier, a story appeared in the Jerusalem Post and Real Clear Politics claiming that President Obama had delivered a 4 part ultimatum to the Israeli government.
First, Israel must cancel the recently approved housing units in Ramat Shlomo.
Second, Israel must prohibit all construction for Jews in Jerusalem neighborhoods built since 1967.
Third, Israel must make a gesture to the Palestinians to show them we want peace such as prisoner release
Fourth, Israel must agree to negotiate all substantive issues, including the partition of Jerusalem, the Jewish neighborhoods constructed since 1967, and the immigration of millions of hostile foreign Arabs to Israel under the rubric of the so-called “right of return,” in the course of indirect, Obama administration-mediated negotiations with the Palestinians. To date, Israel has maintained that substantive discussions can only be conducted in direct negotiations between Israeli and Palestinian officials.
Netanyahu Visit
Just days after unofficial stories broke that the US had given an ultimatums to Israel, the Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu visited the White House in late March of 2010. During his visit, no photographer other than the official White House photographer was allowed access to the two men while they were together and no public event of any kind was held. Numerous sources also indicated that the President and his staff broke off talks with the Israeli envoy and did not return. Reports indicated that Prime Minister was humiliated by the treatment.
Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty
It is one of the worst kept secrets that Israel has a large stockpile of nuclear weapons. The US has chosen not to acknowledge or discuss the issue, and has previously prevented the issue from being addressed through the NPT or at the UN.
In July of 2010 at a meeting of the NPT signatories, language was added in review to encourage Israel to sign the NonProliferation Treaty. Israel did not attend the meeting as it is not a signatory. A similar attempt was blocked in 2005.
The inclusion of the paragraph marked a new evolution in Israeli nuclear weapons and calls for the creation of a nuclear free zone in the middle east which would include Israel.
UN Resolution Veto
In February of 2011, the US vetoed a UN Security Counsel resolution that would have condemned Israeli settlements. After casting the veto of the resolution, the U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice was still harshly critical of the settlements.
On the contrary, we reject in the strongest possible terms the legitimacy of continued settlement activity. For more than four decades, [Israeli settlement activity] has undermined security ... corroded hopes for peace and security ... it violates international commitments and threatens prospects for peace. (However), this resolution risks hardening the positions of both sides.
Middle Eastern Policy Address
On May 19, 2011 President Obama gave an address on middle eastern policy. In that address, he called for an Israeli peace plan in which Israel's 1967 borders were used as a basis for new borders with land swaps being given by both sides. Presumably, these land swaps would involve the Palestinians giving claims to land on which Israelis have already built settlements in exchange for land of equal amount an quality elsewhere, and exchanges to make Israeli and Palestinian border more defensible and contiguous. In his speech, President Obama stated the following:
So while the core issues of the conflict must be negotiated, the basis of those negotiations is clear: a viable Palestine, and a secure Israel. The United States believes that negotiations should result in two states, with permanent Palestinian borders with Israel, Jordan, and Egypt, and permanent Israeli borders with Palestine. The borders of Israel and Palestine should be based on the 1967 lines with mutually agreed swaps, so that secure and recognized borders are established for both states. The Palestinian people must have the right to govern themselves, and reach their potential, in a sovereign and contiguous state.
These statements caused a controversy as many people felt that President Obama's urging of Israel to return to 1967 borders was without concessions from Palestinians and without precedence. President Obama responded to critics by emphasizing the "with mutually agreed swaps" portion of his address. President Obama did not cite precedence of the 1967 border plan.
By definition, it means that the parties themselves — Israelis and Palestinians — will negotiate a border that is different than the one that existed on June 4, 1967.
It is a well-known formula to all who have worked on this issue for a generation. It allows the parties themselves to account for the changes that have taken place over the last 44 years, including the new demographic realities on the ground and the needs of both sides.
