U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs

Committee News

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Ros-Lehtinen Meets Today with Israeli Foreign Ministry Official, Knesset Members

(WASHINGTON) – U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Ranking Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, will meet separately today with Mr. Barukh Binah, Deputy Director-General for North American Affairs at Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to discuss U.S.-Israel relations, and with Members of the Israeli Knesset to discuss the Gaza flotilla incident. Last night, Ros-Lehtinen spoke at an AIPAC student leadership conference to discuss support for the U.S.-Israel alliance, and the common threats faced by the U.S. and Israel. Statement by Ros-Lehtinen:

“I am deeply concerned about the ongoing attempts to smuggle weapons and other dangerous materials to the likes of Hamas and Hezbollah. It is vital that the U.S. stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our ally, Israel, as it necessarily strives to protect the lives of its citizens and prevent arms from reaching jihadists in Gaza.

“With the UN initiating what prior experience shows will be a biased and politically-charged inquiry – a Goldstone II – on the Flotilla incident, the U.S. must unequivocally support Israel’s right to defend itself and oppose any UN witch-hunt.

“Israel is the stabilizing force in an unstable region, with mutual threats ranging from extremists in Gaza, to the illegal and dangerous weapons programs of their supporters in Iran and Syria. By cooperating with Israel on national security and many other fields, we make both Americans and Israelis safer.”

#####