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

Bipartisan House letter seeks Pollard’s release
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA)
June 12, 2012 - 12:00am

Congressional Democrats and Republicans are joining forces for the first time in more than a decade in an effort to secure Jonathan Pollard's release. A bipartisan letter is circulating in the U.S. House of Representatives soliciting signatures on a letter to President Obama asking him to commute Pollard's sentence to time served. The "Dear Colleague" letter is signed by veteran House members Rep. Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.) and Rep. Christopher Smith (R-N.J.).

Romney's Israel Brand
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Daily Beast
by Bernard Avishai - (Opinion) June 11, 2012 - 12:00am

When I joined the strategy consulting firm Monitor (now Monitor Group) in the spring of 1992, the first party its directors, my new colleagues, invited me to was at Mitt Romney's mansion in Belmont. Romney was at the time still with Bain Capital; Monitor’s founders had been Bainies before launching out on their own and remained his friends. Romney’s political ambitions were already clear.

Israelis unite in call to release jailed spy Pollard
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua
June 10, 2012 - 12:00am

In the largest public campaign to date, tens of thousands of Israelis have signed a petition calling on President Shimon Peres to leverage his diplomatic stature in order to secure the freedom of Jonathan Pollard, a former intelligence analyst jailed in a U.S. prison for the past 27 years on charges of spying for Israel. Peres on Saturday night departed on a six-day trip to the United States, where U.S. President Barack Obama will award him later in the week the Presidential Medal of Freedom -- the most prestigious civilian honor bestowed by the U.S. administration.

Strong and Stronger
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Daily Beast
by Hussein Ibish - (Opinion) June 8, 2012 - 12:00am

At a recent informal meeting with Jewish Americans at the White House, President Barack Obama apparently expressed concerns about “domestic political constraints” holding back Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on the peace process with Israel. This has led a number of observers, including Peter Beinart, to conclude that Abbas is politically "weak," or at least that Obama thinks so.

Navy announces new flag officer assignments
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Navy Times
by Jacqueline Klimas - June 8, 2012 - 12:00am

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta announced Friday that the President Obama has made the following nominations: • Rear Adm. Paul Bushong, who has been nominated for promotion to vice admiral, will be U.S. security coordinator, Israel-Palestinian Authority. He is currently serving as commander, Navy Region Marianas/U.S. Pacific Command Representative, Guam, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of Palau/commander, U.S. Naval Forces, Marianas, Guam.

US denounces Israeli PM plans for new settler homes
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from NOW Lebanon
June 7, 2012 - 12:00am

The United States Wednesday denounced Israeli plans to expand a West Bank settlement by 300 homes, saying it posed a hurdle toward kickstarting moribund peace talks with the Palestinians. "We're very clear that continued Israeli settlement activity in the West Bank undermines peace efforts and contradicts Israeli commitments and obligations," said a State Department spokesperson, Mark Toner. "You know, our position on settlements remains unchanged. We do not accept the legitimacy of continued Israeli settlement activity."

Obama worried PA not interested in peace
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA)
June 6, 2012 - 12:00am

WASHINGTON -- US President Barack Obama is worried that Palestinian leadership was no longer as interested in advancing toward peace, he said in a conversation with Orthodox Jewish leaders on Tuesday.

U.S. Aides in Israel Give Assurances About Iran
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times
by Mark Landler - June 6, 2012 - 12:00am

President Obama and his senior advisers have said little publicly about Iran since the resumption of negotiations over its nuclear in April, preferring to let the diplomats hash out the issues in the hope that tensions with Tehran can be managed, at least until the election in November.

Time for American Jews to shun racist Israeli legislators
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA)
by Ben Rothschild - (Opinion) June 6, 2012 - 12:00am

NEW YORK (JTA) -- Avigdor Lieberman, Israel’s foreign minister, is no one’s idea of a soft touch. Hawkish on Israel’s settlement policy and a practitioner of a muscular, even bullying brand of diplomacy, Lieberman has a well-earned reputation as a hard-liner, no mean feat in Israel’s current rightist government. So when Lieberman becomes the voice of moderation on an issue, it’s worth a closer look.

Obama extends Israel embassy waiver
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Jewish Telegraphic Agency (JTA)
June 5, 2012 - 12:00am

President Obama extended a waiver for an additional six months that delays moving the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. Obama's waiver, issued June 1, follows in the footsteps of predecessors Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, who also extended the waiver every six months since a law was passed in 1995 mandating moving the U.S. Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Presidents are permitted to delay the move on national security grounds.

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