U.S.-Israel Relations | The American Task Force on Palestine

U.S. and Israel Intensify Talks on Iran Options
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times
by Elisabeth Bumiller, Jodi Rudoren - August 1, 2012 - 12:00am

A series of public statements and private communications from the Israeli leadership in recent weeks set off renewed concerns in the Obama administration that Israel might be preparing a unilateral military strike on Iran, perhaps as early as this fall.

Mitt Romney: Pandering on the world stage
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Los Angeles Times
(Editorial) August 1, 2012 - 12:00am

Like everyone else, we're a bit tired of the gaffe-centric coverage of the presidential race. Every day the two campaigns and the press seem to gin up another small-potatoes controversy designed to send voters into a tizzy, generally without addressing the more serious issues facing the country or the economy.

Begging For The Jewish Votes
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Al-Hayat
by Elias Harfoush - (Opinion) July 31, 2012 - 12:00am

The statements of Mitt Romney, the US presidential Republican candidate, during his visit to Israel, stir a certain level of pity for the man more than actual criticism of his positions. He seemed to be begging for the votes of the Jewish American voters in front of Benjamin Netanyahu. He was being more conservative than Netanyahu himself with respect to Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, and Iran, and Israel’s right to deal a military blow to Iran if necessary.

Romney, Obama show love for Israel in their own separate ways
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA)
by Ron Kampeas - (Opinion) July 31, 2012 - 12:00am

It was a weekend of Israel love politically that highlighted two approaches to showing affection for the Jewish state: Go to Israel, as Mitt Romney did, or go pro-Israel, as the Obama administration did. The pictures told the story, or as it were, stories: Romney in a kipah at the Western Wall on Sunday, Obama in the Oval Office two days earlier surrounded by go-to Jews from Congress and the Jewish organizational world to witness the signing of a bill enhancing U.S. defense assistance to Israel.

Romney’s Visit Shows Israel as Rising Power
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jewish Daily Forward
by David Hazony - (Opinion) July 31, 2012 - 12:00am

For people used to presidential candidate visits to Israel, Mitt Romney’s was a short, strange trip. Missing were the carefully scripted visits to high-profile places like Yad Vashem and Sederot. And though he did get a photo-op at the Western Wall, it wasn’t planned in advance. Press coverage was strictly controlled and interviews were minimal. Compared with candidate Barack Obama’s visit in 2008, this was a low-key affair. What was going on?

Romney exposed his ignorance in the land of the prophets
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Washington Post
by Sam Bahour - (Opinion) July 31, 2012 - 12:00am

Mitt Romney made history on Monday. In a single speech from Jerusalem, he proved beyond a reasonable doubt that to qualify to be a U.S. presidential candidate one needs precious little understanding of history, economics, or reality. Romney has just enough to be dangerous.

Romney the dunce
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Daily Star
(Editorial) July 31, 2012 - 12:00am

For many onlookers around the world, it once would have seemed impossible for a U.S. politician to arise that was more ignorant than former President George W. Bush, but Mitt Romney’s recent international tour seems to have killed these hopes. Even before the Republican presidential candidate’s current trip, it appeared the ex-governor of Massachusetts was spending most of his time clarifying comments he or his staff had made the previous day.

Israel Under Siege
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Daily Beast
by Benny Morris - (Opinion) July 31, 2012 - 12:00am

Here’s a cliché: The Jewish state, founded to provide a safe haven for the world’s persecuted Jews, has become the most dangerous place in the world for Jews. But, unfortunately, this is true, and growing truer by the minute.

W. House: 'Scratching heads' from Romney on J'lem
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post
by Khaled Abu Toameh - July 31, 2012 - 12:00am

White House spokesman Josh Earnest on Tuesday said that US Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney's unqualified comments about Jerusalem as solely Israel's capital was causing many to "scratch their heads." Earnest further said that Romney would need to explain himself to the general public.

Who’s a better friend to Israel?
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Jerusalem Post
by Yaakov Katz - (Analysis) July 31, 2012 - 12:00am

Like a kid at the circus, Israel just can’t get enough of the different acts. First it was Secretary of State Hillary Clinton who came to Israel earlier this month and in some of the harshest rhetoric yet by a senior member of the Obama administration, declared that the US would use “all elements of American power” to stop Iran.

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