Ryan lacks foreign policy experience but has solid pro-Israel record

August 11, 2012 2 Comments

Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan

Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan

By Melissa Weiss, Staff Writer

Washington, Aug. 11 – Rep. Paul Ryan, tapped this morning as presumptive GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s running mate, has amassed a solid pro-Israel track record since his election to the House of Representatives in 1998, but the ticket’s cumulative lack of foreign policy experience could be a stumbling block should a military attack against Iran come into play.

The Republican ticket has the fewest foreign policy credentials since 1936, when the election also focused on the economy and Republican Kansas Gov. Alf Landon and New Hampshire publisher Frank Knox lost the bid for the White House.

Among the five pieces of legislation co-sponsored by Ryan with regards to Israel, the most notable is H.R. 1553, which condemned Iran for its threats to annihilate both the United States and Israel. The legislation also supports Israel using “all means necessary to confront and eliminate nuclear threats posed by the Islamic Republic of Iran, including the use of military force if no other peaceful solution can be found within reasonable time.”

Aside from co-sponsoring five pieces of legislation regarding Iran, Ryan has said little about the Islamic republic, even as an overwhelming 80 percent of Americans think Iran poses a serious threat to the U.S. and its allies.

Read more of this post

Filed under Iran, Israel, Mitt Romney, Paul Ryan, Veepstakes Tagged with , , , , , , , ,

VP hopeful Portman speaks about recent trip to Israel

June 14, 2012 Leave a comment

Sen. Rob Portman speaking at the Faith and Freedom Coalition Conference

Sen. Rob Portman speaking at the Faith and Freedom Coalition Conference

By Melissa Weiss, Staff Writer

Washington, June 14 – Israel is an island of stability in the Middle East, Ohio Sen. Rob Portman said at a policy lunch in Washington Thursday.

“The region is more dangerous than ever,” Portman, who last week returned from a trip to the Middle East, said during a press gaggle after speaking during the Faith and Freedom Coalition Conference’s kickoff reception. “If you look at Israel’s borders, they are all more volatile and dangerous.”

While in the Middle East, the Republican vice presidential hopeful met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad. Today in Washington, he said he hoped that Israel’s recent political changes will impact the stalled peace process.

“There’s an opportunity with the new coalition government to work with the Palestinian Authority toward a two-state solution and peace talks that would help to stabilize that region in order, frankly, to be in a better position to deal with these larger regional dangers.”

Read more of this post

Filed under Congress, Israel, Veepstakes Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Portman tours Iron Dome, discusses Israel’s security with Netanyahu and Barak

June 6, 2012 1 Comment

By Lauren Appelbaum, Political Director

Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio)

Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio)

Washington, June 6 – Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) returned to the United States Monday from an oversees trip to Israel, Jordan, Abu Dhabi and Afghanistan.

Portman – a vice presidential hopeful – met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Ehud Barak, Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad and Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat.

“My conversation with Prime Minister Netanyahu strengthened my belief that we need to remain vigilant in our support of our critical ally,” Portman said in a statement from Israel on Thursday. “We discussed the threat that Iran poses to Israel and the United States, and ways our two nations can work together to enhance our mutual security. As the crisis in Syria grows and the humanitarian tragedy becomes more clear, I appreciated Prime Minister Netanyahu’s perspective on the changes and volatility in the region.”

The senator and prime minister also discussed the Israeli economy, which grew 4.8 percent in 2011. ”It was instructive to learn how  the Israeli government and the private sector are working hard to develop newly discovered natural gas reserves in the eastern Mediterranean, as we are doing in Ohio with shale oil and gas,” Portman said.

During his time in southern Israel, Portman toured the Iron Dome battery. In the last decade, Israelis in the north and south have suffered bombardment by terrorist groups Hezbollah and Hamas. In response, the Iron Dome system was developed in 2007 to defend against short-range rocket and artillery attacks. It integrates vertically launched interceptor missiles with a mobile control center as well as an advanced radar component.

“The Iron Dome system is a proven way for Israel to defend its people from hostile threats,” Portman said in a statement from Israel.  “This cooperative effort between our two governments will also help enhance U.S. missile defense capabilities. It was encouraging to see firsthand how this innovative technology is protecting lives and  significantly diminishing the effectiveness of a tool terrorists use to inflict harm and escalate violence.”

Read more of this post

Filed under Congress, Israel, Veepstakes Tagged with , , , , , , ,

VP hopeful Rob Portman to meet with Netanyahu

May 30, 2012 2 Comments

By Lauren Appelbaum, Political Director

Washington, May 30 – ABC News has confirmed, via an Israeli official, that Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) will meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Ehud Barak on Thursday in Israel.

Portman is in Israel with a bipartisan delegation of legislators in his capacity as a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and as ranking member of the Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Capabilities. However, the meeting with Netanyahu, who has close ties to many Republican lawmakers, is a solo affair for Portman.

Portman is considered to be on a shortlist of potential vice presidential candidates for Mitt Romney’s ticket.

Unlike other politicians rumored to be among the top-tier candidates of potential running-mates who have recently visited Israel, Portman has international experience. He served as U.S. Trade Representative under George H.W. Bush and is currently on the Senate Armed Services Committee. As a member of the Senate, he has traveled to Afghanistan, South Korea and India.

The Israeli official said Netanyahu was unaware of Portman’s possible VP status and makes every effort to meet visiting American politicians.

Portman last traveled to Israel in January 2010 as a private citizen.

Filed under Israel, Veepstakes Tagged with , , , , , ,

Key Republican Senator Talks Syria, Israel, Iran

April 25, 2012 1 Comment

U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida

U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida

By Ari Bildner, Staff Writer

Washington, April 25 – The downfall of embattled Syrian President Bashar Assad would strengthen Israel and improve the prospects for peace, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio said Wednesday.

“The security of our ally, the strongest and most enduring democracy in the region, Israel, with whom we are bound by the strongest ties of mutual interest and shared values and affection would improve as well. And so would the prospects for peace between Israel and its Arab neighbors improve,” Rubio said.

The Republican senator has been touted as a top vice-presidential pick for presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney despite his repeated denials of interest. During the speech at the Brookings Institution, he waded into the foreign policy realm as speculation in Washington grows about the possibility of a Romney-Rubio ticket come November.

Syria has been embroiled in 13-months of violence, after demonstrators were attacked by regime forces last March.  The death toll, much of it from Assad forces killing civilians, is estimated to have reached 11,000 by mid-April. A cease-fire is now technically in place, although international monitors have said the regime has not adhered to it.

Read more of this post

Filed under Arab Spring, Congress, Iran, Israel, Mitt Romney, Syria, Veepstakes Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , ,

Gov. Christie reaffirms support for Israel during Middle East trip

April 5, 2012 1 Comment

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is briefed on the security of the Golan Heights by Israeli Defence Force Liason Officer Major Jonathan Conricus on Mount Bental in Israel on Thursday, April 5, 2012. (Governor's Office/Tim Larsen)

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is briefed on the security of the Golan Heights by Israeli Defence Force Liason Officer Major Jonathan Conricus on Mount Bental in Israel on Thursday, April 5, 2012. (Governor's Office/Tim Larsen)

By Lauren Appelbaum, Political Director

Washington, April 5 – New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie finished his four-day trade mission to Israel today, learning first-hand of Israel’s security needs.

“It’s clear to me that there is real concern over here in Israel about Iran having any kind of nuclear capability, and I think that concern is well-placed,” Christie said.

Visiting the country the size of his home state New Jersey, Christie witnessed the narrow waistline between the Mediterranean Sea and the West Bank’s western boundary during a helicopter tour of Israel.

He and his delegation also toured the Israeli border with Lebanon and Syria. They received a briefing on the security of the Golan Heights by Israeli Defense Force Liaison Officer Major Jonathan Conricus on Mount Bental, overlooking Syria. Mount Bental was the site of heavy tank fighting during the 1973 Yom Kippur war and is a strategic point for Israel due to its advantageous observation point.

While Christie and his family were in Israel, a Grad rocket hit a residential neighborhood in the southern Israeli city of Eilat on the Israel-Egypt border overnight. No one was injured in the rocket attack.

Read more of this post

Filed under Iran, Israel, Syria, Veepstakes Tagged with , , , , ,

Indiana Gov. takes “vacation” in Israel

April 4, 2012 1 Comment

By Lauren Appelbaum, Political Director

Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels

Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels

Washington, April 4 – Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels is in Israel this week – but his office insists it’s simply a low-profile “personal trip.”

Unlike New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who is in Israel on a high-profile visit, Daniels is in Israel for an eight-day “vacation,” per Jane Jankowski, his press secretary .

However, Daniels is planning to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and this trip could boost his political profile.

Like Christie’s trip to the region, Daniels’ trip fuels speculation that he is boosting his foreign policy credentials for a potential vice presidential bid or cabinet appointment. Both Christie and Daniels were recruited to run for president in 2012 but turned down the opportunity.

Mickey Maurer, who headed the Indiana Economic Development Corp. under Daniels in 2005 and 2006 and is currently the Indianapolis Business Journal publisher, is leading the trip. He and Daniels are scheduled to meet with Israeli businesses and aerospace companies, although the governor’s office said this trip is not an official trade mission.

Read more of this post

Filed under Israel, Veepstakes Tagged with , , , , , , ,

Christie continues Israel trip, pledges strong N.J.-Israel ties

April 3, 2012 2 Comments

N.J. Gov. Chris Christie meets with President Shimon Peres with the Jersey to Jerusalem delegation in Jerusalem, Israel on Tuesday, April 3, 2012. (Governor's Office/Tim Larsen)

N.J. Gov. Chris Christie meets with President Shimon Peres with the Jersey to Jerusalem delegation in Jerusalem, Israel on Tuesday, April 3, 2012. (Governor's Office/Tim Larsen)

By Lauren Appelbaum, Political Director

Washington, April 3 – During the second day of his four-day trip in the Middle East, New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie told Israeli President Shimon Peres he wants to expand commercial ties with Israel.

“New Jersey stands with Israel in all of its endeavors and we wanted to show our friendship and fidelity with a visit here,” Christie said to Peres at the president’s home.

During a meeting where Peres discussed Israel’s high-tech workforce, the Israeli president called Christie “an outstanding friend to Israel.”

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and First Lady Mary Pat Christie participate in the Wreath Ceremony at Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum with Director of Yad Vashem Libriaries Dr. Robert Rozette in Jerusalem, Israel on Tuesday, April 3, 2012. (Governor's Office/Tim Larsen)

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and First Lady Mary Pat Christie participate in the Wreath Ceremony at Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum with Director of Yad Vashem Libriaries Dr. Robert Rozette in Jerusalem, Israel on Tuesday, April 3, 2012. (Governor's Office/Tim Larsen)

After meeting with Peres, Christie and his entourage visited Israel’s national Holocaust memorial, Yad Vashem, where the governor laid a commemorative wreath. Yesterday, the group met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and visited the Western Wall.

Christie and the delegation of business and religious leaders also visited Teva Pharmaceuticals, the world’s largest maker of generic drugs, in the Tel Aviv suburb of Petach Tikvah. While there, the governor signed a letter of cooperation with Shlomo Yanai, Teva’s CEO. New Jersey is home to many of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies and Teva Pharmaceuticals currently has two facilities in the Garden State. The Israeli company pledged to bring more pharmaceutical facilities to New Jersey.

Read more of this post

Filed under Israel, Veepstakes Tagged with , , , , , , , ,

N.J. Gov. Christie visits Israel during first overseas trip

April 2, 2012 4 Comments

By Lauren Appelbaum, Political Director

N.J. Gov. Chris Christie shakes hands with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Office of the Prime Minister in Jerusalem, Israel on Monday, April 2, 2012. (Governor's Office/Tim Larsen)

N.J. Gov. Chris Christie shakes hands with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Office of the Prime Minister in Jerusalem, Israel on Monday, April 2, 2012. (Governor's Office/Tim Larsen)

Washington, April 2 - New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is in Israel today on his first official overseas trip. Earlier today, he and his top advisors met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and then visited the Western Wall.

Christie often is touted as a potential Republican vice presidential candidate for this year’s U.S. elections. This visit to Israel boosts his foreign policy credentials and elevates his profile.

While he repeatedly has turned down pushes to run for president in the 2012 cycle, this visit could raise speculation he is positioning himself for a future run. Christie endorsed Mitt Romney’s bid for president in October and is consistently rumored to be on Romney’s short list for a vice presidential bid.

Christie met with Netanyahu for an hour during a closed-door meeting when they discussed Iran and Syria as well as increasing trade between Israel and New Jersey.  ”He spent a lot of time talking to me about the challenges posed by Iran,” Christie said, mentioning they agreed a nuclear Iran is a “significant threat to Israel and to the region.”

“We also spent a lot of time talking about our very similar economic approaches to things and so we had a really good and fruitful discussion and it’s I hope laying a groundwork for an expanded relationship in the future.”

“You know there are so many similarities between New Jersey and Israel,” Netanyahu said. “We’re roughly the same size. We’re roughly the same population. I know your voters have better neighbors. I look forward to discussing how we can increase cooperation.”

Read more of this post

Filed under Iran, Israel, Veepstakes Tagged with , , , , , ,

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 30 other followers