News and Press Releases

American Israelis Strongly Deplore Obama Threat of Sanctions Against Israel; Call Upon Congress to Restore 'Sanity' to American Relationship with Israel

July 22, 2009 - The American Israeli Action Coalition (AIAC) announced its strong criticism of yesterday's threat by the Obama administration to impose sanctions on Israel for permitting the construction of sorely-needed residential dwellings in its capital, Jerusalem.

AIAC is a non-partisan, non-political, issue-oriented NGO which was formed in Israel to represent the united voice of the more than 250,000 American citizens living in Israel on issues pertaining to the continued safety and security of Israel and the Jewish people worldwide.

"The implicit threat in State Department spokesman Robert Wood's statement that it is ‘premature to talk about' imposing such sanctions is a clear indication that the State Department Arabists have gained control of the Obama administration's Middle East policy and have caused President Obama to seriously consider taking such action," stated AIAC Chairman Harvey Schwartz. "This should send a shiver down the spine of every American of good will."

"Apparently, the Obama administration believes that the eastern portion of Israel's capital should be ‘judenrein'," continued Mr. Schwartz. "That is as absurd as saying that white American citizens should be banned from living in Washington DC."

"If Obama's intended policy is to unite all Israelis and their supporters against him, he is being remarkably successful," added Aaron Tirschwell, AIAC's Executive Director. "The question is why he is making such strenuous attempts at currying favor with America's enemies, such as Iran, North Korea and Venezuela, while at the same time making every effort to disengage from democratic Israel, America's only true ally in the strategic Middle East. This can't help but cause Israel to re-examine its relations with the United States."

"Prime Minister Netanyahu must stand firm against these attacks against Israel's best interests and its national honor," Schwartz continued. "The AIAC membership urges the US Congress to take all necessary steps to restore sanity to the US relationship with Israel. We also call upon all America Jewish organizations, as well individual supporters of Israel, to express themselves fully and firmly on this most significant issue."

AIAC is devoted to effectively recruiting and activating the more than 250,000 expatriate American citizens in Israel in order to create a united voice that will be heard by the governments and people of the United States and Israel on issues that pertain to the continued safety and security of Israel and the Jewish people worldwide.