US President Barack Obama reassured Jewish American leaders Thursday that his administration's commitment to Israel remains "unshakable," despite recent tension between Jerusalem and Washington over a moratorium on Jewish construction in the West Bank.
In a letter from Obama to
Alan Solow, chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish
Organizations, the US president wrote that his administration is committed to a "special
relationship with Israel and that will not change.
"Our countries are bound
together by shared values, deep and interwoven connections, and mutual
interests," he added. "Many of the same forces that threaten Israel also threaten the United
States and our efforts to secure peace and stability in the Middle East. Our
alliance with Israel serves our national security interests.”
“As we continue to strive for lasting peace agreements between Israel, the
Palestinians, and Israel’s neighbors, all sides should understand that our
commitment to Israel’s security is unshakeable and that no wedge will be driven
between us. We will have our differences, but when we do, we will work to
resolve them as close allies.”
The US president added that “for over 60 years, American Presidents have
believed that pursuing peace between Arabs and Israelis is in the
national security interests of the United States.” He also addressed
the Middle East peace process, asserting that he would not impose “peace from the
outside; it must be negotiated directly by the leaders who are required
to make the hard choices and compromises that take on history.”