Congressional Candidate Chuck Wilkerson Refutes Henry Waxman Claim Regarding Obama's Support for Israel and Reveals Waxman Support for Aid to Gaza

LOS ANGELES Oct. 29 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Regarding Congressman Henry Waxman's OpEd in the Jewish Journal "Obama and Israel: The Truth" (24 Aug 2010), Charles "Chuck" Wilkerson, Waxman's Republican opponent in the Nov 2nd election takes issue with Mr. Waxman's attempt to portray President Obama as a concerned supporter of Israel.

Wilkerson as a Marine veteran (Korea '52) and engineer/owner/CEO of a successful small aerospace engineering consulting corporation based in California and is a long-time supporter of and, especially, an admirer of the resilience of the citizens and soldiers of Israel in their 62-year fight for survival among hostile neighboring Arab states. Wilkerson notes that "while U.S. policy toward Israel has traditionally been an openly friendly and supportive one for the most part, the current administration does not appear to be so inclined."

Waxman Claim that Obama Supports Israel

Wilkerson says that Waxman's praise for Obama is misplaced. He notes that "We absolutely do not need to speculate on President Obama's change of U.S. policy with respect to Israel. It's been on display virtually from the time he took office. The administration no longer supports Israel as a strong and trusted ally, as has been the case for virtually all previous administrations."

"In addressing this issue, Mr. Waxman continues in the subject OpEd noting Obama's 'series of missteps' regarding doubts consequently raised in the American Jewish community. He notes that 'These actions not only unsettled many in our community, they overshadowed the very positive actions this administration has taken on issues most important to Israel's security and survival'.

Wilkerson notes that "As for 'very positive actions', the appointment of Samantha Power as Multilateral Affairs Director for the National Security Council and the attempted nomination of Charles Freeman to the National Intelligence Committee belie this claim. Power is on record as actually recommending that the U.S. send troops to Israel to protect the so-called Palestinians from the IDF! Charles Freeman is a noted Israel basher."

"These 'missteps' cited by Mr. Waxman were characterized by Elliot Abrams, current member of the Council on Foreign Relations, in an article called 'Joining the Jackals' as 'exposing Israel to a virtual U.N. "lynch mob". In that article Abrams further states 'The White House did not wish to stand with Israel against this mob because it does not have a policy of solidarity with Israel. Rather, its policy is one of distancing and pressure.'"

Wilkerson further notes that "Regardless of which version one may believe, Mr. Waxman's or Mr. Abrams', one fact is unquestionably clear: Israel's survival is tied to two fundamental issues:

1) The recognition by Muslim states of the state of Israel and its right to exist, and

2) Physical guarantees of that right."

"Israel is a small country geographically and under dire threat of annihilation from a nuclear attack should the current regime in Iran finally achieve a nuclear weapon and delivery capability. Even in the absence of a nuclear threat, Israel is menaced by Hamas and Hezbollah by way of conventional rockets and suicide bombers."

"Item (2) above, the essential guarantee of the first item, can only be provided by granting to Israel a border which will mitigate against a conventional armed attack. This would necessarily include the Jordan River and the Golan Heights."

"The Obama administration's criticism of Israel's use of its own territory and its renewed emphasis on the creation of a Palestinian state have only encouraged Israel's historical adversaries to become more emboldened in their political and military pressure on Israel. While Mr. Waxman may believe that Obama is a friend of Israel the polling in Israel indicates that only 6% of Israelis agree with him and while 78% of Jewish voters cast their vote for Obama in 2008 it appears that over 35% of that number will cast him aside in November. Israel's genocidal enemies, whose undiminished goal is her extinction, have come to realize that they need not go to so much trouble after all when the President of the United States is willing to do their work for them. This is unquestionably a reversal of what was once solid U.S. support for the only true and historically unwavering democratic rule-of-law state in the entire Middle East."

Waxman Support for $900 Million in Aid to Hamas

Wilkerson notes that Waxman also supported an Obama-sponsored aid package of $900M in early 2009 for Gaza reconstruction. Remarkably, Waxman's office later replied in an email to a concerned constituent as follows: "Efforts to rebuild Gaza continue to be complicated by ongoing Israeli concerns and Hamas's diversions of humanitarian supplies to support military aims. I strongly support the Obama Administration's pledge, announced in March, to provide $900 million in aid for Gaza reconstruction.... I am pleased that the Fiscal Year 2009 Emergency Supplemental Appropriations bill, which was signed into law on June 24 (P.L 111-32), includes the remaining funds".

Related Zionist Organization of America Press Releases

New Poll: Less Than Half American Jews Support Palestinian State & Obama's Israel Policy

http://www.zoa.org/sitedocuments/pressrelease_view.asp?pressreleaseID=1950

ZOA Criticizes Obama For Using Waiver To Enable Further U.S. Aid To Terror-Promoting P.A.

http://www.zoa.org/sitedocuments/pressrelease_view.asp?pressreleaseID=1947

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Charles "Chuck" Wilkerson,  email: [email protected],  phone: 888-308-6445

SOURCE The Chuck Wilkerson for Congress Campaign