Wednesday, January 13, 2010

AIAC slams Obama Anti-Semitism 'Czar' for Criticizing Israel's Oren

(IsraelNN.com) The American Israeli Action Coalition (AIAC) today heavily criticized President Barack Obama’s anti-Semitism “czar”, Hannah Rosenthal, for her public criticism of Israel’s Ambassador to the U.S., Michael Oren, and called for her immediate dismissal from her post.

Rosenthal, whom Obama appointed to head the Office To Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism, criticized Israel’s Ambassador to the U.S., Michael Oren, for pointing out to an assembly of Jewish leaders that J Street was “fooling around with the lives of 7 million people.”

According to AIAC, Rosenthal was a member of J Street’s advisory panel before her appointment to her current position. J Street, it adds, "is a radical, far left, anti-Israel, American organization funded by Arab and radical sources" which "has been almost universally condemned by mainstream Jewish organizations."

Harvey Schwartz, AIAC’s chairman, stated “as a high ranking member of the Obama administration, Rosenthal’s criticism of the Israeli Ambassador to the US is beyond bizarre, and highly offensive in the extreme. It is a virulent anti-Israel attack which AIAC interprets to be anti-Semitic. That the State Department took the highly unusual step of announcing its “complete support” for Rosenthal confirms that she was expressing the views of the Obama administration. Contrary to her duty to fight anti-Semitism, Rosenthal used her bully pulpit to advance it. This is deplorable.”

“Even more deplorable is the Obama administration’s public slap at Israel, utilizing Rosenthal as its mouthpiece,” Schwartz continued. “When coupled with the Obama administration’s numerous other slaps at Israel, including its almost hysterical non-recognition of Israel’s inalienable right to build civilian homes in its Jerusalem capital and Senator Mitchell’s recent public threat to withdraw U.S. loan guarantees from Israel, while at the same time saying and doing nothing to the Palestinians to ‘encourage’ them to return to the peace talks, the Obama administration has laid bare its anti-Israel focus and has proven itself to no longer be ‘an honest broker for peace.’ The more than 250,000 Americans living in Israel condemn this development.”

Aaron Tirschwell, AIAC’s Executive Director, declared that “Rosenthal has committed an unpardonable sin. She must go promptly. AIAC calls upon all American Jewish organizations, as well as all Americans of good will, to demand that the Obama administration dismiss Rosenthal forthwith.”

In December, Rosenthal criticized Oren for what she said were his "most unfortunate" remarks regarding J Street, prompting the Israel Embassy to ask for clarifications from the US Administration.

AIAC presents itself as a non-partisan, non-political, issue-oriented NGO which whose purpose is to represent the united voice of the more than 250,000 American citizens living in Israel on issues that affect Israel, Israel-US relations, and the Jewish people worldwide