[Steve Novick's staff person said that this document was written back in October of 2007 and is considered a bit stale. The name of the word document we received was "Novick AIPAC Position Paper." It is not currently posted on Novick's Campaign web site.]

“The Neighborhood Bully Just Lives to Survive”: Israel’s Right to Exist

In 1983, Jewish fans of Bob Dylan – myself included – were somewhat startled (in prior years, Dylan had seemed to embrace neither Judaism nor Israel), but pleased when, in the album Infidels, the troubadour released a spirited song defending Israel.  The song was called “Neighborhood Bully”:

The neighborhood bully just lives to survive,
 He's criticized and condemned for being alive.
He's not supposed to fight back, he's supposed to have thick skin,
He's supposed to lay down and die when his door is kicked in.
He's the neighborhood bully.

 
The neighborhood bully been driven out of every land,
He's wandered the earth an exiled man.
Seen his family scattered, his people hounded and torn,
He's always on trial for just being born.
He's the neighborhood bully.

 

I don’t think it trivializes the grave issues in the Middle East, or the grave concerns of many Americans about those issues, to say that there’s a lot of truth in that song.  I know – let me be blunt – that some of my fellow Democrats do literally, without irony, see Israel as a “neighborhood bully.”  I myself don’t always approve of everything the State of Israel does – any more than I always approve of what the United States government does.

But Americans must never forget what Israel faces: enemies on or near its borders that deny its right to exist. Imagine if Canada, Mexico, or heavily armed non-state organizations operating within Canada or Mexico, were committed to the destruction of the United States. Imagine if Canada, Mexico or a non-state actor on our borders denied our right to exist and threatened to obtain nuclear weapons. Would we adopt a “don’t worry, be happy” attitude?  I don’t think so. Would we expect our allies to do whatever they could, including imposing economic sanctions against such enemies, to help in our defense?  I think we would.    

Yes, I know: Iran does not border Israel. But the distance between Tehran and Tel Aviv is almost identical to the distance between Denver and Portland. If Colorado gets the bomb, and its Governor announces that Oregon should be “wiped off the map,” I don’t think Oregonians would simply shrug it off.

Maintain Our Commitment to Continued Aid  

The United States has made a commitment to spend less than one-tenth of one percent of the Federal budget on continued aid to our strong ally in the Middle East.  It’s a modest investment with a big payoff. Israel share priceless intelligence information with the U.S. American state and local government have looked to Israel to provide them advice on how best to guard against and fight terrorist threats.

I was glad to see that the new U.S.-Israel security agreement appears to be headed for quick passage in Congress. This agreement, besides reinforcing the strategic alliance between the two nations, will allow Israel to preserve its qualitative military edge that is critical to its security in the region. And moreover, I hope, underscores for her neighbors that future relations with Israel will be settled at the diplomatic table – not on the battlefield.  

Israel and the Palestinians

Like many Americans, I feel for the suffering of the Palestinian people, and hope for a Palestinian state.  There is renewed hope for such an outcome in the improved relations between Israel and Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah government in the West Bank. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has recently offered to meet regularly with Abbas to “create the necessary political horizon and the appropriate conditions which will lead, as soon as possible, to discussions on the establishment of a Palestinian state.” But there cannot be a single, unified  Palestinian state as long as Hamas remains in control of Gaza, and committed to terrorism and the elimination of Israel. 

 The United States should continue to join Israel in isolating Hamas. But it is important for Americans to know that Israel is continuing to provide Palestinians in Gaza with electricity, water, medical services, food and medicine. Prime Minister Olmert has made it clear that Israel has  “no interest in punishing this population simply because it is ruled by a terrorist organization.”

Iran  

Oregon’s own Nicholas Kristof has made the case that there would be great reason to hope for a strong U.S. – Iran relationship, if Iran were a true democracy and her people’s views were expressed by her government. As Kristof wrote in 2004:

One opinion poll showed that 74 percent of Iranians want a dialogue with the U.S. -- and the finding so irritated the authorities that they arrested the pollster. Iran is also the only Muslim country I know where citizens responded to the 9/11 attacks with a spontaneous candlelight vigil as a show of sympathy.

Iran-U.S. relations are now headed for a crisis over Tehran's nuclear program, which appears to be so advanced that Iran could produce its first bomb by the end of next year. The Bush administration is right to address this issue, but it needs to step very carefully to keep from inflaming Iranian nationalism and uniting the population behind the regime. We need to lay out the evidence on satellite television programs that are broadcast into Iran, emphasizing that the regime is squandering money on a nuclear weapons program that will further isolate Iranians and damage their economy.

Kristof is right: the United States must strive to ensure that as we pursue our efforts to stop Iran’s nuclear program, we find ways to make it clear to Iranians that we are not their enemies, that we seek a friendly relationship. 

But we must take strong action to prevent the development of nuclear weapons by a country whose President has said that Israel “should be wiped off the map.”  Obviously I do not want war with Iran. Nor does Israel. But I support aggressive economic sanctions to deny supplies and expertise to the Iranian weapons program. Specifically, I support the Iran Sanctions Enabling Act, currently in the Senate, which would give investors and state and local governments the tools and authority to disinvest in Iranian energy projects that are financing their weapons programs. I also support the Iran Counterproliferation Act, which would close loopholes in existing sanctions and pressure Russia to end nuclear cooperation with Iran. 

I realize that economic sanctions affect innocent citizens. But short of war, they are sometimes our only leverage over rogue regimes. Twenty-five years ago, American liberals were the ones supporting Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s call for economic sanctions against South Africa.  Nelson Mandela was released from prison in 1990 – four years after Congress overrode President Reagan’s veto to ban the importation of South African goods and prohibit American business investments in South Africa.  

Saudi Arabia 

The recent Bush administration agreement to sell $20 billion to the nation of Saudi Arabia is a matter of concern to me and I would use my position in the Senate to critically evaluate the affects of such arms sales on the region.

It is important that we use our influence to build a more stable Middle East, both politically and militarily. I understand the Administration’s desire to bolster moderate Arab regimes. Indeed, Prime Minister Olmert recognized this in comments to his cabinet last July. But we must not let these aspirations blind us to the broader political realities of the region.  The Saudi government has a troubling record when it comes to living up to their pledges to fight terrorism or behave as a responsible regional power – particularly when it comes to the state of Israel. Moreover, we must tread carefully when it comes to accelerating military modernization of the Arab states in the region. As a U.S. Senator, I’d use my power to ask these tough questions about the affects of this new agreement on our broader strategic objectives for the region.

 

Some Personal Thoughts

In 1973, I was ten years old – old enough to be paying attention to the news.  I remember the Yom Kippur War – and the relief and, yes, the pride I felt when the tide turned and Israeli forces began to advance. I felt a similar surge of pride a few years later, after Operation Entebbe.  It was important to me that Israel was strong.  It is still important to me now, that Israel be strong and safe – as safe as possible in a dangerous neighborhood.  As a United States Senator, I will support American policies that help to keep Israel strong and safe.   

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