Schumer: Obama's 'Counter-Productive' Israel Policy 'Has To Stop'

Politico:

New York Senator Chuck Schumer harshly criticized the Obama Administration's attempts to exert pressure on Israel today, making him the highest-ranking Democrat to object to Obama's policies in such blunt terms.

Schumer, along with a majority of members of the House and Senate, signed on to letters politely suggesting the U.S. keep its disagreements with Israel private, a tacit objection to the administration's very public rebuke of the Jewish State over construction in Jerusalem last month.

Read the whole story: Politico

Comments

[donbrown]

09:48 PM on 04/25/2010

Interesting question:

When JFK was running for president the (legitimate) question arose whether his judgment could be independent of his Catholic religion in determining the policies of the United States, on political, legal, and moral grounds.

Why should not Senators Lieberman and Shumer be held to the same standard? Can they legitimately say their religion does not interfere with their judgment about what is for the good of our country in the long run?

I believe many of our problems in the Middle East stem from our unquestioning support of the J*wish state, no matter what their actions. We are not seen as honest brokers, and President Obama realizes that fact has to change for progress to be made.

[juicyju]

10:44 PM on 04/25/2010

Ya, get the Jews- McCarthyism style. Wow.

[donbrown]

12:02 AM on 04/26/2010

You illustrate my point. Try for once thinking what is best for our country, outside of your religion.

I think it's sad with all constructive criticism is regarded as anti-semitic, It is not.

[juicyju]

10:45 PM on 04/25/2010

oh & I also guess you don't much about Liebermans & Shumers constituencies.

[yappnmutt]

05:06 PM on 04/25/2010

given the demographics of the district shumer represents he would have extreme difficulty getting re-elected if he did not take this position.

[yappnmutt]

04:54 PM on 04/25/2010

according to the patriot act anyone attempting to aid another country at the expense of the interests of the usa is subject to prosecution as a terrorist.

[ghettoJew]

11:03 AM on 04/25/2010

Do any of the posters here realize that accusing a Jewish American United States Senator of being a foreign agent and asking him to join the "knesset" is something that is a proto-typical anti-Semitic comment worthy of the 1930's far right diatribes of father Coughlin and the America Firsters?

Did it occur to any of you that President Obama is the one who is advocating for Islamist's interests which benefits Hamas, Iran and other radical anti- American entities?

Just asking.

[Nwo2012]

04:45 PM on 04/25/2010

No it didn't? Probably because its ridiculous nonsense.

[happymick]

04:47 PM on 04/25/2010

Well if that is true, then maybe I should find what father Coughlin and the America Firsters were saying in the thirties. Maybe there was merit to it. because there is certainly merit in calling Schumer a Israel Firster!

[cincinnati]

06:15 AM on 04/25/2010

Schumer, I generally like you but please remember you are an American first,
and Israel has a long tradition of insulting GOP and Dem Presidents, after
all that money we give them, is that right ?

Give your voter's more credit, not as many as you think blindly support
right wing Israel, they see their extremist's are just as bad as ours.

[donanobispace]

03:44 AM on 04/25/2010

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIo6lyP9tTE

Hip Hop...the voice of oppressed

[Star2000dancer]

05:28 PM on 04/24/2010

I met Chuck at events in WNY. One day we talked for about an hour. I told him the University of Buffalo Dental School had turned into N A Z I Germany. MY friend & professor had died,lost 20yrs, of files, handed me to a C student, specializing in rootcanals.

I had spent $1000's for decades,for my "Hollywood smile". If they didn't give me a cosmetic student, my mouth would crash, it was already mutilated. In the Medical school, I went for a bad auto accident. I took down 3 poles from the air I had torn muscles all over, post concussive syndrome, & a torn iliopsoas. I was told there was nothing wrong with me by a professor Brown. I'd have had to be an athlete, I was an injured athlete. They were insulting , inept, & couldn't even find a trigger point.

We talked about the horrors at SUNY, I gave you a tape about health care, sent 37 pages of fax,. I begged you to help before they killed my Mom with misdiagnoses & forced hospice, mutilated my teeth & disabled me with misdiagnosis, drugs, side effects, & treated me like a bad experimental rat.,.

I asked if you'd answer the phone when I called, you said yes. You handed the tape to your "aid" My Mom died, my mouth's mutilated, & my body mangled.. You never returned one call.

You could've helped, but you lied to my face. You're saying things completely out of touch with

[Justtellthetruth]

12:42 PM on 04/24/2010

Sen. Schumer,

He is our elected president, and the leader of your party.

Fall in line, or resign. He protects US interests, not those of the ultra right wing minority in Israel that you seem so hell bent on protecting.

Oh, and FORGET ABOUT EVER being the head of the senate.

[TheLonelyGod]

05:07 PM on 04/24/2010

"Fall in line, or resign."

So you are saying disagree with everything Obama says and does, or leave your position?

What happened to America being a free country? What happened to dissent being the highest form of patriotism?

[TheLonelyGod]

05:14 PM on 04/24/2010

Sorry, that should be "agree with everything."

[phute]

09:11 AM on 04/25/2010

It's not dissent - it's a directive from his sponsors AIPAC.
Dissent is altogether different. This guy is simply mouthing off on behalf of major players within the Israeli lobby.

[Cueball]

10:15 PM on 04/23/2010

If anyone is interested in history, I suggest you look up information about the IDF attack on the USS Liberty in 1967. They deliberately attacked a US Navy ship. It may give you some insight about what the Israeli Military and the right wing militant faction of the Israeli government is capable of.
Blind and uncritical support of Israel is not in the best interests of the United States, all of the massive pro Isarel propaganda not withstanding.
Here is the Liberty Memorial site
http://www.gtr5.com/

[Star2000dancer]

05:44 PM on 04/24/2010

History? This will daze and amaze you: Search:

"The House of Bush: Born in a Bank"

[tallen]

03:11 PM on 04/23/2010

Thank you Sen. Shumer and all the other Senators and congress members who are speaking up for American interests.

[Manchurian]

06:18 PM on 04/23/2010

That's sarcasm, right?

[tallen]

08:23 PM on 04/23/2010

No. It wasn't.
Speaking out about policies that are perceived as detrimental to American interests is a very American tradition.
In this case Mr Shumer is speaking out against a policy that he, and the majority of Americans, feel is detrimental to America. He and the other members of congress and the senate who have spoken up are merely echoing the words of Thomas Jefferson

"The support of free democracies throughout the world enhances the long term interests and security of America."
Thomas Jefferson, Notes on Virginia, 1781

[cincinnati]

06:17 AM on 04/25/2010

That dog is not too smart.

[Nwo2012]

07:23 PM on 04/23/2010

Welcome to bizarro world

[Smithn]

01:18 PM on 04/23/2010

Isn't this the man on the phone in an airplane calling the stewardess a b*tch because she said the plane couldn't take off until he pu his phone away?

Now he proves he doesn't know the importance of "win-win" negotiations. harmful.

[white mende man]

12:30 PM on 04/23/2010

Please tighten the screws even more President Obama in case some people needs to be reminded our country is called the United States of America and not the United States of Israel. It's about time we tell Israel that we cannot be held host@ge by the Israeli Lobby and the Christian Right.

[Kimpeach]

12:50 PM on 04/23/2010

Obama needs to send out a memo that talks about a PRO-America policy in the Middle East for ALL Senators and Representatives to sign. For those who do not sign it, blast them in the media!

[cincinnati]

06:20 AM on 04/25/2010

Need to make all of them watch some of the youtube video's that
document the IDF or nutty settlers attacking civilians, foreign journalists,
even killing them [isn't that what we used to say was wrong with
the Soviet Union ?!? ]

[Kimpeach]

12:21 PM on 04/23/2010

"You have to show Israel that it’s not going to be forced to do things it doesn’t want to do and can’t do. At the same time you have to show the Palestinians that they are not going to get their way by just sitting back and not giving in, and not recognizing that there is a state of Israel," Schumer said.

So, according to Schumer Israel can do whatever they want even it counters America's interests. This is so wrong on so many levels!

[Kimpeach]

12:34 PM on 04/23/2010

Schumer also said this: Believe me I think the policy has to change, and I’m working hard to make it change and I think it will. Every administration at the beginning has this view even Ronald Reagan, the best friend Israel ever had, do you remember his first 2 years?
When George Schultz wanted to sell AWACs to Saudi Arabia? Every administration has this idea to talk tough to Israel and make nice to the Arabs and the Palestinians and that’s the way to bring about peace. It’s counter-productive, it’s actually the
opposite. The only way the Palestinians will sit down and talk is if they know Israel and the United States are as close as could be. And each administration learns it. Schultz had to learn it and Reagan had to learn it. Clinton did it in the early years and
later became a very good friend of Israel. George Bush the first did it and never got over it. We are at a crucial moment here and I am hopeful that administration will see the right way to go. I am working on it.

[Freenation]

01:08 PM on 04/23/2010

So the presidents who let Israel continue with the land grab are friends of Israel and Carter, Bush 1 who stood up against them are not, guess Bush ii got your memo and boy what a friend he became, so now shills are after Obama because like Carter and others he is standing up against apartheid..go Obama don't let people like Lieberman, schumer and others with double interests slow you down

[alexa07]

01:55 PM on 04/23/2010

Definitely fav'd. Schumer offers appeasement to all demands from one group, nothing to the other & everything that will make US policy in the region more intolerable, unbearable & subject to jeopardy from those with whom we need support the most.

[capt ayhab]

11:57 AM on 04/23/2010

I wonder which country's national interest the honorable Senator has in mind first, America or Israel?

[Ric NYC]

02:06 PM on 04/23/2010

He's a zionist... So it must be Israel first.

[Fotios]

11:55 AM on 04/23/2010

Schumer gives Israel a free pass with everything just because he doesn't believe the Palestinians will ever agree to a two state solution.

I disagree and think that his position is dangerous in the respect that we can't allow Israel to commit atrocities and break agreements, regardless of what the Palestinians do.

America has to treat both sides with equal scrutiny if we ever expect the Palestinians to believe we want peace and equality in that region. If Israel doesn't overreact when attacked and doesn't continue building settlements to expand their borders, we won't have anything to scrutinize.