Obama did more for Israel's security than previous administrations

Obama to N.Y. Jews: No ally is more important than Israel
Speaking at N.Y. meeting of campaign donors, U.S. president says did
more for Israel's security than previous administrations.
By Reuters Tags: Barack Obama US Jews

President Barack Obama defended his policy toward Israel at a
political fundraiser on Wednesday, saying that Israel was the U.S.'s
most important ally.

Obama, who has been criticized by some of Israel's U.S. supporters for
being tough on a close ally and has had strained ties with Israeli
Prime Benjamin Netanyahu, offered strong assurances of his commitment
to Israel's security.

"I try not to pat myself too much on the back, but this administration
has done more for the security of the state of Israel than any
previous administration," Obama said. "We don't compromise when it
comes to Israel's security ... and that will continue."

The president was speaking to campaign donors at the Manhattan home of
Jack Rosen, chairman of the American Jewish Congress, who said "it
would be remiss for me not to say there are many in the Jewish
community who are concerned" about the relationship between Israel and
the United States.

Rosen added, however, that "America has never been as supportive of
the state of Israel as President Obama and his administration."

The White House wants to shore up support among Jewish voters for
Obama's 2012 re-election bid. He won nearly eight of every 10 Jewish
voters in 2008, but a slip would jeopardize his re-election drive in
battleground states like Florida and Pennsylvania, where they are an
important swing bloc.

Obama faced criticism from some Jewish leaders earlier this year when
he insisted that any negotiations on the borders of a future
Palestinian state begin on the basis of lines that existed before
Israel captured the West Bank and Gaza Strip in a 1967 war. His Middle
East peace efforts have mostly stalled.

But Obama won praise from Israel and its backers for his opposition to
a Palestinian push beginning in September to win U.N. statehood
recognition, and he has also been credited for taking a tough line
with Iran, Israel's arch-enemy.

"No ally is more important than the state of Israel," Obama said at
the fundraiser, which collected at least $300,000 from wealthy donors
for his re-election bid and other Democratic campaigns.

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