US Vice President Joe Biden sent a double message to Israel in his speech at the J Street Conference on Monday night: Iran is an existential threat to Israel, and the US has not forgotten the conflict with the Palestinians, and it will continue to push for a peace agreement.
Biden's presence was a sign in itself. He is the most senior administration official to ever attend a conference of J Street, a liberal organization that bills itself as pro-Israel and pro-peace with the Palestinians, and his presence was almost certainly a signal that the administration considers J Street as a legitimate part of the mainstream American Jewish establishment. "I welcome you and your ideas," he said.
Biden, who arrived at the conference 90 minutes late, because of his meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House, devoted most of his speech to Iran. His strongest statement on this issue was that a nuclear-armed Iran “would pose an existential threat to Israel, an unacceptable danger to world peace and security, including the likely bid of a nuclear arms race in the Middle East, making everyone less secure.” He added, "We will not allow Iran to possess nuclear weapons."
Biden's remarks about Iran were part of the calming message that the White House prepared for Israel, following the unexpected rapprochement between Washington and Tehran. A few hours earlier, President Barack Obama concluded his meeting with Netanyahu by saying, "We are not taking any option off the table, including the military (option)."
Biden, however, emphasized the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, saying, "I believe Israel’s security requires a just and lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians."
Biden listed the sources of tension in the Middle East, including Iraq, Syria, Egypt, Yemen, and Bahrain, as well as the threat from Iran's nuclear ambitions. He said that people do not always understand why the Obama administration was focused on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
"In light of all these problems, some people ask us: Why Biden, why, why Obama? Why are you so set on trying to resolve the peace process?” said Biden. The answer, he said was because it was the best chance for introducing stability in the region, since "the Palestinian-Israeli issue involves the least ideological and least sectarian Arabs in the Middle East."
Biden added, "I understand old hatreds dying slowly. Old scars are the hardest ones to paper over. Both sides have to realize that every grievance from the past can’t be visited on their children. Both sides deserve our support and both sides need our support. If not us, who?"
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes-online.com - on October 1, 2013
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