Cherished relationship: A new Mitt Romney ad on Israel

There was no Romney gaffe in Israel

The media is accusing Mitt Romney of having committed another “gaffe” abroad — this time when he suggested that cultural differences help explain why the Israelis are so much more economically successful than Palestinians.

One small problem with that: What Romney said was not a gaffe. He was absolutely right.

In reporting the so-called gaffe, the New York Times explained that Romney simply does not understand that the Palestinians’ economic problems are all Israel’s fault: “The Palestinians have long complained that their economy is in a chokehold from Israeli security measures,” the Times declared, adding “The West Bank is subject to trade restrictions imposed by the Israelis, while Gaza was subject to a near-total Israeli blockade on people and goods after Hamas took control of its government five years ago. Mr. Romney mentioned neither during his speech on Monday.”

But these security measures are the direct result of culture — the culture of terrorism that permeates the Palestinian territories. In 2009, the Pew Global Attitudes Project showed support for suicide bombing on the decline across the Muslim world, with just one lonely exception: the Palestinian territories: “[M]ajorities or pluralities among eight of the nine Muslim publics surveyed this year say that suicide bombing and other forms of violence against civilians can never be justified to defend Islam; only in the Palestinian territories does a majority endorse such attacks.” [Emphasis added].

According to Pew, a full 68 percent of Palestinian Muslims support suicide bombing, while just 17 percent say it is never justified. That is in contrast to Pakistan, where just 5 percent expressed support for suicide bombing, while 87 percent said it was never justified. Think about that: The Palestinian territories are so radicalized, they make Pakistan seem like an oasis of peace and moderation in the Muslim world.

Palestinians were also the only other people surveyed (besides Nigerians) where a majority expressed support for Osama bin Laden. Bin Laden had the support of 52 percent of Muslims in the Palestinian territories, down from 72 percent in 2003. What progress!

It should comes as little surprise then, that when Palestinians went to the polls five years ago, they voted a terrorist network — Hamas — into power in Gaza. Even the Times admits that the “near-total Israeli blockade of Gaza” occurred “after Hamas took control.” Israelis have taken the necessary steps to prevent the suicide bombers that a majority of Palestinians support from entering Israel and killing innocent people. The resulting “chokehold” on the Palestinian economy is the fault, not of Israel, but of a Palestinian culture that prioritizes terror over prosperity and peace.

Another difference in culture that contributes to the economic vitality gap between Israelis and the Palestinians is the culture of corruption in the Palestinian territories. A poll this year by a Palestinian NGO, the Jerusalem Media and Communications Center (JMCC), revealed that 82.3 percent of Palestinians said there was corruption in the Palestinian government. If the vast majority of Palestinians recognize that their government is corrupt, then it is no that shock foreign investors and international donors see that corruption as well — and are reluctant to pour good money in a society when they know that officials will simply steal it.

The culture of corruption in the Palestinian territories is abetted by a culture of political repression. In a free society, people have the liberty to speak openly and call out public officials for wrongdoing. But most Palestinians say they do not enjoy this kind of liberty. According to the JMCC survey, 55.2 percent of Palestinians say freedom of opinion in Palestinian society is permissible to little or very little extent. Only 29.7 percent said it is permissible to a large or very large extent.

Freedom House reports in its latest annual survey that in Gaza “[j]ournalists were harassed, detained, and summoned for questioning by security forces,” that “Freedom of religion is restricted,” the “judicial system is not independent,” and that “[s]ecurity forces and militants continued to carry out arbitrary arrests and detentions.” Not exactly a recipe for economic prosperity.

Of course, Mitt Romney did not get into any of this in his Jerusalem speech. He focused instead on extollingIsrael’s culture of entrepreneurship and economic freedom. Citing books such as Harvard professor David Landes’ “The Wealth and Poverty of Nations” and Dan Senor’s “Start-up Nation: The Story of Israel’s Economic Miracle,” Romney talked about “the cultural elements that have led Israel to become a nation that has begun so many businesses and so many enterprises and that … become so successful.”

Next door, by contrast, is a would-be nation with culture of repression, a culture of corruption and a culture of terrorism — a place where a majority say suicide bombing is fine, Osama bin Laden was great, corruption is rampant, free speech is non-existent, and voters cast their ballots for a terrorist government in Gaza.

Never mind all that, we are told, Romney has it wrong — culture has nothing to do with it. Another Romney gaffe.

Sorry, what Mitt Romney said in Israel was not a gaffe. It was the truth.

Kosel Staff Hide Romney’s Kosel Kvittel

You might call it kvittel redux.

With past tumults created after notes left by dignitaries in the Kosel were taken out, the Western Wall Heritage Foundation removed a note placed in the Kosel by Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney, with the goal of preventing onlookers from touching, removing, or reading the note.

Just minutes after Romney placed his kvittel in the Kosel during his visit there this week, employees from the Heritage Foundation removed the note. Shortly thereafter, they replaced the note in the wall in such a way that no one would know where it is.

Seeking to prevent a debacle similar to the one that took place when then presidential candidate Barack Hussein Obama’s Kosel note was removed from the wall by someone who then sold it to the Israeli media, the Foundation took the above mentioned action this week.

SERAPHIC SECRET: An Analysis of the Presidential Candidates

Mitt Romney went to the Kotel yesterday. It was quite a sight. But not an unusual one for a candidate running for the highest office in the land. Nor was all the pro Israel rhetoric that unusual - especially at a fundraising event in Jerusalem.  Watching all of this on the TV news last night has made me think about the upcoming Presidential election. I thought I would do a snap analysis of the candidates as they stand now and see whether either of them deserves my support.

I have come to the conclusion that where it matters the most to me – the security of the State of Israel and the overall welfare of the Jewish people, there is virtually no difference between them. Both President Barack Obama and former Governor Mitt Romney would be “good for the Jews”.

This may come as a shock to Obama haters and Romney supporters, but any fair analysis of the candidates cannot help but see them this way. A lot of the Jewish opposition to the President has been because of things that are not of any substantive value.

For example there is the fact that the President has not visited Israel… or the time he said that any treaty between Palestinians should be based on the pre 67 border lines …or his criticisms over Israel’s settlement polices … or the less than warm relationship with Israel’s prime  minister.

If one looks at these issues and measures them over substantive ones – like Israel’s security, Obama has a magnificent record – one that surpasses any of his predecessors.  He has helped fund Israel’s Iron Dome defense system over and above the foreign aid allocated to them.  He recently approved additional millions in foreign aid to Israel.  He has instituted the greatest level of intelligence co-operation in Israel’s history. Same thing is true about joint military exercises. Both are at unprecedented levels. He has also insisted that one of his most important foreign policy goals is preventing Iran from getting nuclear weapons.

That’s just a partial list of things he’s done to show his ‘unshakeable’ support for the State. I therefore do not buy the argument made by the anti Obama forces that President will put any more pressure on Israel after the election. If this is being anti Israel - I’ll take it!

The non substantive issues are virtually irrelevant in light of all these pluses. Sure, I’d like for him to have visited Israel at least once during his Presidency, but what difference does it really make? Sure I’d like him to have warmer relations with Israel’s prime minister… but again as it affects Israel’s security – what difference does that really make?

What about his rhetoric with respect to Israel’s settlements policy? His statements hardly differ from policies the US has had in past administrations. Why pick on him? For example let us look at the pre 67 border statement. He didn’t say that Israel had to go back to the exact pre 67 borders. He said that there would be land swaps to accommodate “the facts on the ground”. Meaning that border areas like Maale Adumim would become annexed to Israel in exchange for unoccupied territories from Israel proper. I happen to believe that this is going to be the scenario in any peace treaty in the unlikely event that it should ever happen. I saw nothing wrong with that statement. He was merely stating the obvious.

Aside from some pro Israel rhetoric - I do not see Romney doing anything substantially different with respect to Israel or Iran than the President has.  

So as it stands now - and for the first time in many years, Israel will not be the issue that will make the decision for me in the next election. I will instead be voting for who I think will do a better job for the economy.

Right now, after 3 and a half years in office - the economy is not doing  well. Far too many people are unemployed. Jobs are being created at a snail’s pace and the rate of jobs being created has actually been decreasing over the last two fiscal quarters.  

Businesses aren’t hiring. They are being over taxed and over regulated which increases operational costs and tends to discourage production, and thereby hiring. His environmental policies have cost jobs too. In at least one case it has caused cancellation of a project (an oil pipeline from Canada) in the private sector that would have created jobs and helped stabilize oil prices.

Insecurity about the economy and jobs has caused something called “the paradox of thrift”. People are saving money for “a rainy day” rather than spending it. Demand for goods and services are therefore down which decreases production and jobs. Hence a stagnating economy.

All of the President’s stimulus plans have not worked. Spending money on government projects for purposes of jobs has not helped much. Except to increase the deficit. Which devalues our currency in the world and can only contribute to inflation. Oil prices are up…. causing transportation prices to go up … causing food prices to go up. One can call this stagflation!

Does that mean I support Romney? Not necessarily. Romney is something of an enigma to me. I have no clue what he would do to fix the economy. Generalizations like his successful experience in the private sector or that he will be more pro business are meaningless without details. I do not see any specifics to indicate how he will get the economy moving again. Right now it’s all talk.

The bottom line for me is that I have no endorsement yet. I am not happy with either candidate at the moment.  With Israel being off the table in this election for the reasons I stated above - unless I can be convinced that Romney’s plan for improving the economy  makes more sense than Obama’s policies – I remain undecided.

Mitt Romney Captures Jerusalem by Barry Rubin

Speaking to an often-cheering group of about 400 people in Jerusalem, Governor Mitt Romney gave a speech less notable for what he said than for the fact that the audience believed he was sincere in saying it.

At a beautiful outdoor setting with the Old City in the background, Romney declared his strong support for Israel, using phrases often heard from American presidents. He also proclaimed his view that Jerusalem is Israel’s eternal capital. The difference, of course, is that those listening were less inclined to think that when President Barack Obama said similar things to AIPAC meetings he was describing his own views and policies.

Clearly, Romney was restrained by the American principle that partisan politics stops at the water’s edge, that no politician should criticize a president or U.S. government while abroad. Thus, Obama’s name—or even his specific policies—was never explicitly mentioned.

What Romney did do, however, was to scatter among the assertions of U.S. support for Israel’s security and a strong belief in a U.S.-Israel alliance some subtle references that many viewers and much of the mass media are likely to miss. Here are the key ones, which give some hints about Romney’s future campaign and possibly his presidency:

–Not allergic to Israel’s center-right. Romney quoted former Prime Minister Menahem Begin twice and referred to “my friend, Bibi Netanyahu.” Obama wouldn’t have cited either man and is known to loathe Netanyahu. Romney and Netanyahu have known each other for years. The Begin quotes were significant: that Israel will never again let its independence be destroyed (a reference perhaps to Israel’s need not to be completely subservient to America’s current president) and that if people say they want to destroy you then believe them (an explicit reference to Iran’s drive for nuclear weapons).

–“The reality of hate.” This phrase used by Romney struck me as very significant. It occurred in the context of speaking about how many Arab and Muslim forces feel about Israel. It shows that he is aware that the desire to destroy and injure Israel goes beyond pragmatic considerations and is not something people will be talked out of trying to do. It is enormously important for an American president to understand that there are those in the Middle East who hate the United States and Israel and that it is impossible to appease or befriend them.

Romney’s Powerful Speech in Yerushalayim’s Old City

Thank you for that kind introduction, Mayor Barkat, and thank you all for that warm welcome. It’s a pleasure and a privilege to be in Israel again.

To step foot into Israel is to step foot into a nation that began with an ancient promise made in this land. The Jewish people persisted through one of the most monstrous crimes in human history, and now this nation has come to take its place among the most impressive democracies on earth. Israel’s achievements are a wonder of the modern world.

These achievements are a tribute to the resilience of the Israeli people. You have managed, against all odds, time and again throughout your history, to persevere, to rise up, and to emerge stronger.

The historian Paul Johnson, writing on the 50th anniversary of the creation of the Jewish state, said that over the course of Israel’s life, 100 completely new independent states had come into existence. “Israel is the only one whose creation can fairly be called a miracle,” Johnson wrote.

It is a deeply moving experience to be in Jerusalem, the capital of Israel.

Our two nations are separated by more than 5,000 miles. But for an American abroad, you can’t get much closer to the ideals and convictions of my own country than you do in Israel. We’re part of the great fellowship of democracies. We speak the same language of freedom and justice, and the right of every person to live in peace. We serve the same cause and provoke the same hatreds in the same enemies of civilization.

It is my firm conviction that the security of Israel is in the vital national security interest of the United States. And ours is an alliance based not only on shared interests but also on enduring shared values.

In those shared values, one of the strongest voices is that of your prime minister, my friend Benjamin Netanyahu. I met with him earlier this morning and I look forward to my family joining his this evening as they observe the close of this fast day of Tisha B’Av.

It’s remarkable to consider how much adversity, over so great a span of time, is recalled by just one day on the calendar. This is a day of remembrance and mourning, but like other such occasions, it also calls forth clarity and resolve.

At this time, we also remember the 11 Israeli athletes and coaches who were massacred at the Munich Olympics forty years ago. Ten years ago this week, 9 Israeli and American students were murdered in the terrorist attack at Hebrew University. And tragedies like these are not reserved to the past. They are a constant reminder of the reality of hate, and the will with which it is executed upon the innocent.

It was Menachem Begin who said this about the Ninth of the month of Av: “We remember that day,” he said, “and now have the responsibility to make sure that never again will our independence be destroyed and never again will the Jew become homeless or defenseless.” “This,” Prime Minister Begin added, “is the crux of the problems facing us in the future.”

So it is today, as Israel faces enemies who deny past crimes against the Jewish people and seek to commit new ones.

When Iran’s leaders deny the Holocaust or speak of wiping this nation off the map, only the naïve - or worse - will dismiss it as an excess of rhetoric. Make no mistake: the ayatollahs in Tehran are testing our moral defenses. They want to know who will object, and who will look the other way.

My message to the people of Israel and the leaders of Iran is one and the same: I will not look away; and neither will my country. As Prime Minister Begin put it, in vivid and haunting words, “if an enemy of [the Jewish] people says he seeks to destroy us, believe him.”

We have seen the horrors of history. We will not stand by. We will not watch them play out again.

It would be foolish not to take Iran’s leaders at their word. They are, after all, the product of a radical theocracy.

Over the years Iran has amassed a bloody and brutal record. It has seized embassies, targeted diplomats, and killed its own people. It supports the ruthless Assad regime in Syria. They have provided weapons that have killed American soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq. It has plotted to assassinate diplomats on American soil. It is Iran that is the leading state sponsor of terrorism and the most destabilizing nation in the world.

We have a solemn duty and a moral imperative to deny Iran’s leaders the means to follow through on their malevolent intentions.

We should stand with all who would join our effort to prevent a nuclear-armed Iran - and that includes Iranian dissidents. Do not erase from your memory the scenes from three years ago, when that regime brought death to its own people as they rose up. The threat we face does not come from the Iranian people, but from the regime that oppresses them.

Five years ago, at the Herzliya Conference, I stated my view that Iran’s pursuit of nuclear weapons capability presents an intolerable threat to Israel, to America, and to the world. That threat has only become worse.

Now as then, the regime’s claims that it seeks to enrich nuclear material for peaceful purposes are belied by years of malign deceptions.

Now as then, the conduct of Iran’s leaders gives us no reason to trust them with nuclear material.

But today, the regime in Iran is five years closer to developing nuclear weapons capability. Preventing that outcome must be our highest national security priority. I want to pause on this last point. It is sometimes said that those who are the most committed to stopping the Iranian regime from securing nuclear weapons are reckless and provocative and inviting war.

The opposite is true. We are the true peacemakers. History teaches with force and clarity that when the world’s most despotic regimes secure the world’s most destructive weapons, peace often gives way to oppression, to violence, or to devastating war.

We must not delude ourselves into thinking that containment is an option. We must lead the effort to prevent Iran from building and possessing nuclear weapons capability. We should employ any and all measures to dissuade the Iranian regime from its nuclear course, and it is our fervent hope that diplomatic and economic measures will do so. In the final analysis, of course, no option should be excluded. We recognize Israel’s right to defend itself, and that it is right for America to stand with you.

These are some of the principles I first outlined five years ago. What was timely then has become urgent today.

Let me turn from Iran to other nations in the Middle East, where we have seen rising tumult and chaos. To the north, Syria is on the brink of a civil war. The dictator in Damascus, no friend to Israel and no friend to America, slaughters his own people as he desperately clings to power.

Your other neighbor to the north, Lebanon, is under the growing and dangerous influence of Hezbollah.

After a year of upheaval and unrest, Egypt now has an Islamist President, chosen in a democratic election. Hopefully, this new government understands that one true measure of democracy is how those elected by the majority respect the rights of those in the minority. The international community must use its considerable influence to ensure that the new government honors the peace agreement with Israel that was signed by the government of Anwar Sadat.

As you know only too well, since Hamas took control of the Gaza Strip in 2007, thousands of rockets have rained on Israeli homes and cities. I have walked on the streets of Sderot, and honor the resolve of its people. And now, new attacks have been launched from the Sinai Peninsula.

With Hezbollah rockets aimed at Israel from the north, and Hamas rockets aimed from the south, with much of the Middle East in tumult, and with Iran bent on nuclear arms, America’s vocal and demonstrated commitment to the defense of Israel is even more critical. Whenever the security of Israel is most in doubt, America’s commitment to Israel must be most secure.

When the decision was before him in 1948, President Harry Truman decided without hesitation that the United States would be the first country to recognize the State of Israel. From that moment to this, we have been the most natural of allies, but our alliance runs deeper than the designs of strategy or the weighing of interests.

The story of how America - a nation still so new to the world by the standards of this ancient region - rose up to become the dear friend of the people of Israel is among the finest and most hopeful in our nation’s history.

Different as our paths have been, we see the same qualities in one another. Israel and America are in many respects reflections of one another. We both believe in democracy, in the right of every people to select their leaders and choose their nation’s course.

We both believe in the rule of law, knowing that in its absence, willful men may incline to oppress the weak.

We both believe that our rights are universal, granted not by government but by our Creator.

We both believe in free enterprise, because it is the only economic system that has lifted people from poverty, created a large and enduring middle class, and inaugurated incomparable achievements and human flourishing.

As someone who has spent most of his life in business, I am particularly impressed with Israel’s cutting edge technologies and thriving economy. We recognize yours as the “start-up nation” - and the evidence is all around us.

You have embraced economic liberty. You export technology, not tyranny or terrorism. And today, your innovators and entrepreneurs have made the desert bloom and have made for a better world. The citizens of our countries are fortunate to share in the rewards of economic freedom and in the creativity of our entrepreneurs. What you have built here, with your own hands, is a tribute to your people, and a model for others.

Finally, we both believe in freedom of expression, because we are confident in our ideas and in the ability of men and women to think for themselves. We do not fear open debate. If you want to hear some very sharp criticisms of Israel and its policies, you don’t have to cross any borders. All you have to do is walk down the street and into a café, where you’ll hear people reasoning, arguing, and speaking their mind. Or pick up an Israeli newspaper - you’ll find some of the toughest criticism of Israel you’ll read anywhere. Your nation, like ours, is stronger for this energetic exchange of ideas and opinions.

That is the way it is in a free society. There are many millions of people in the Middle East who would cherish the opportunity to do the same. These decent men and women desire nothing more than to live in peace and freedom and to have the opportunity to not only choose their government but to criticize it openly, without fear of repression or repercussion.

I believe that those who oppose these fundamental rights are on the wrong side of history. But history’s march can be ponderous and painfully slow. We have a duty to speed and shape history by being unapologetic ambassadors for the values we share.

The United States and Israel have shown that we can build strong economies and strong militaries. But we must also build strong arguments that advance our values and promote peace. We must work together to change hearts and awaken minds through the power of freedom, free enterprise and human rights.

I believe that the enduring alliance between the State of Israel and the United States of America is more than a strategic alliance: it is a force for good in the world. America’s support of Israel should make every American proud. We should not allow the inevitable complexities of modern geopolitics to obscure fundamental touchstones. No country or organization or individual should ever doubt this basic truth: A free and strong America will always stand with a free and strong Israel.

And standing by Israel does not mean with military and intelligence cooperation alone.

We cannot stand silent as those who seek to undermine Israel, voice their criticisms. And we certainly should not join in that criticism. Diplomatic distance in public between our nations emboldens Israel’s adversaries.

By history and by conviction, our two countries are bound together. No individual, no nation, no world organization, will pry us apart. And as long as we stay together and stand together, there is no threat we cannot overcome and very little that we cannot achieve.

Thank you all. May God bless America, and may He bless and protect the Nation of Israel.

Jerusalem - Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney exchanged expressions of thanks and praise for one another on Sunday evening, before dining together. Netanyhau thanked Romney for his warm words following the foreign policy speech he delivered earlier in the evening in Jerusalem. In a letter, Romney thanked the prime minister for his “warm hospitality and lasting friendship.”

Ten Tips for Mitt Romney During his Israel Visit; Romney is in Israel and just in time for his visit, we have some behavior hints that will set him apart from his opponent

As owner of a PR Agency, I want to offer ten tips for Mitt Romney to observe during his Israel visit:

1. Bowing isn’t customary in the Middle East. The Obamabow to the Saudi King is not considered customary in Israel nor anywhere else in the Middle East. Shaking hands and being polite is all that is needed.

2. Just as anywhere else in the world, it is considered polite to pose for pictures, and you shouldn’t allow Prime Minister Netanyahu to wait for a scheduled dinner (Nor, heaven forbid walk out on him for a private meal with your wife).

3. While you will undoubtedly have many private meetings, don’t get caught on microphone speaking ill of the democratically elected leader of the Jewish state, nor lecture their leaders publicly. Simply show appreciation for America’s closest ally and cooperate as they undoubtedly will with you.

4. Calling for a return to the pre 1967 borders won’t go over well – it is dangerous for Israel, as nearly every mainstream American politician has acknowledged.

5. As your Israel fundraiser has gotten a lot of attention already, don’t make a bigger deal of it, fundraising is acceptable in politics worldwide and your biggest benefactor is a self-made billionaire, the world’s richest Jew. It’s admirable, and with wealthy Americans donating to you, hard-working Americans don’t think someone else “built their business” – they know they did it by themselves. Also, don’t let one of your top fundraisers say that Muslim anti-Semitism “stems from the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.” As you know, Muslim anti-Semitism in the Middle East predates 1967, and even 1948 — and in any case is the fault of the anti-Semites, not of the Jews.

6. It’s great that you have Americans traveling with you who are fond of, supportive of, and well-respected in Israel. Off-the record sessions with radical fringe extremists likeThe New Yorker’s David Remnick and Newsweek’s Peter Beinart will not go over well, as they advocate boycotts of the Jewish state. Not good - and naturally don’t admonish America when overseas, even if your opponent does.

7. When in Jerusalem, don’t say that Jews can’t build in all areas of Jerusalem as no other U.S. government (pre-Obama) had ever demanded and no Israeli government would ever accept. Listen, and learn – enjoy the beauty of the capital city of Israel and pray. In Jerusalem, Israel – practicing the religion of your choice is accepted and safe, and in this democratic nation, just like in America, people can live wherever they choose. That isn’t the case for Jews, Christians or Mormons in nearly any Arab country.

8. Vow not to grant your first interview, when elected, to an Arabic network. With regard to the Iranian nuclear program, anti-Western interests like Hamas and Hizbullah, the uprising in Syria and the rise of extremists in Turkey & Egypt, don’t blame the country which is allied against America’s common enemies. Israel is rooted in Western values and even with a “right-wing” Israeli government, as Zionist leader Zev Jabotinsky wrote in 1929, “The Jewish people – all of us, 100 percent want peace”. The same holds true today.

9. Just showing up is appreciated – don’t make any big policy statements, it’s not needed. The visuals of being in Israel are good. Obama has not visited Israel during his time in office (despite accepting an award in Saudi Arabia, giving a major speech in Cairo, and holding town hall meetings in Turkey). Israel is popular in the US among Jews, evangelical Christians and many others. The visuals of going to Israel are good – and appreciated.

10. Most importantly, take in the amazing country of Israel. Millions of people visit Israel from all over the world each year, and it is an amazing special, holy country - from history to religion, even sunny beaches. Israel has tremendous similarities to theUnited States – enjoy the rich and beautiful country. You will leave with an even stronger emotional connection.