Pro-Israel Community Fears Obama’s Parting Middle East Shots

There is a fear by many in the pro-Israel community in the United States and around the world that in the short time he has left in office, outgoing President Barak Obama will make a diplomatic move that will run counter to Israel’s best interests, and possibly have disastrous effects. They point to the unorthodox caveats the president inserted in the military aid deal that are being called “outrageous” and “unheard of,” referring to the side letter signed by Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu promising not to seek additional funding from Congress and to return any unsolicited money. Obama also launched a broadside at Israel’s defense industries by ending the ability to spend 26 percent of the American aid money in Israel – a condition that officials say will cost thousands of Israelis their jobs. Israel’s supporters were also irked by Obama’s UN General Assembly speech opining that, “Israel cannot permanently occupy and settle Palestinian land.” Two pro-Israel initiatives surfaced on Capitol Hill this week beginning with efforts by a bi-partisan team of senators to amend the now-controversial military aid memo of understanding to put Congress back in the picture. Beyond issues related to support for the Jewish state, Republican legislators are livid at the president’s blatant attempt to remove the House and Senate from the picture – a move they claim is an unconstitutional attack on separation of powers. A second initiative was a letter to the president signed by 88 of 100 senators imploring President Obama to veto any “one sided” resolution that comes before the United Nations Security Council. Supporters of Israel on both sides of the aisle fear that the president might be willing to withhold the US veto and allow a resolution running counter to Israel’s defense needs to be approved. Such a move would open Israel to sanctions if failed to comply and isolate the Jewish state within the international community.