Mitt Romney is talking tough on Israel as Palestinian leaders move forward with plans to seek statehood recognition in the United Nations this week. He’s calling on the US to not only cut off aid to Palestinians if they go through with the plan, but to rethink their friendly relationship with every single country in the world that supports their decision.
“What we are watching unfold at the United Nations is an unmitigated diplomatic disaster,” Romney said in a statement. “It is the culmination of President Obama’s repeated efforts over three years to throw Israel under the bus and undermine its negotiating position. That policy must stop now.”
Romney added that Obama “must unequivocally reaffirm the United States’ commitment to the security of Israel and its continued existence as a Jewish state. And he must make clear that if the Palestinian Authority succeeds in gaining any type of U.N. recognition, the United States will cut foreign assistance to the Palestinians, as well as re-evaluate its funding of U.N. programs and its relationship with any nation voting in favor of recognition. Actions that compromise the interests of the United States, our allies, and all those who desire a lasting peace must have consequences.”
There’s some sleight of hand going on here, since Obama has already met most of Romney’s demands over and over again. The US has always been prepared to veto any Palestinian statehood vote, for starters. Obama has repeatedly reaffirmed America’s relationship with Israel and explicitly called on Palestinians to acknowledge “Israel as a Jewish state and the homeland for the Jewish people.”
Romney’s call to cut off aid to Palestinians over the vote is another story, however. While plenty of lawmakers have threatened to reduce foreign aid should Palestinian leaders seek statehood in the UN, the administration is still weighing its options. Some pro-Israel groups have warned that cutting off aid would be counterproductive, since funding for Palestinian security forces in the West Bank is crucial to preventing terrorist attacks.
Rick Perry is expected to go after the Obama administration over its Israel policy in a speech on Tuesday as well.
“We are indignant that certain Middle Eastern leaders have discarded the principle of direct negotiations between the sovereign nation of Israel and the Palestinian leadership,” Perry will say, according to excerpts of his prepared remarks. “And we are equally indignant that the Obama administration’s Middle East policy of appeasement has encouraged such an ominous act of bad faith.”
