OBAMA: “Well look — I think it’s important to recognize that there are a whole host of countries in the Middle East that don’t yet recognize Israel. You know, Israel has peace treaties with Egypt, it has peace treaties with Jordan, but there are other countries where there are obvious tensions between Israel and the Arab world. Some of those are just outgrowths of anti-Semitic sentiment inside the Arab world, some of those are related to the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians and the lack of resolution there.
“But the most important thing for Israelis is to know that they can defend themselves, and that they have America — the world’s most powerful country — there to protect them alongside their military and their intelligence operations.
“And as I’ve indicated before, if you look at my track record since I’ve been in office, we have had as much or greater military cooperation and intelligence cooperation with Israel than any previous administration.
(Ed. Note: During last summer’s war with Hamas in Gaza, the Obama administration suddenly instituted a requirement that the Pentagon and the U.S. Department of Defense submit for personal review any military requisition for the State of Israel, routine or otherwise – even items as minor as a case of bullets or a set of night vision viewers. Each approval required two signatures; including one which had to be either the signature of Secretary of State John Kerry, or President Barack Obama.)
A pending shipment of ‘Hellfire’ missiles that was being prepared for imminent transfer was suddenly blocked and deliberately held up.
“We have been steadfast in the defense of Israel when it comes to them defending themselves, even when there have been periods of great international controversy,” Obama claimed.
However, the United States was quite quick to join the international bandwagon in chastising Israel at the United Nations over what appeared to be IDF attacks on civilians sheltering in UN facilities in Gaza.
The truth, as Israel had maintained from the start, quickly came to light with evidence made obvious via satellite photography: Hamas terrorists were using civilians as human shields and launching rocket attacks from inside residential areas; at times from within the very buildings; a war crime.
“So what I would say to the Israeli people is, you are right to be suspicious of Iran; there’s no reason why you should let your guard down with respect to Iran.
“We have to make sure that Israel has the capabilities to protect itself not only from Iran, but also proxies like Hezbollah,” Obama said.
(Ed. Note: Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad are also generously funded by Iran, although Obama does not mention these groups.)
“But ultimately, Iran is deterrable, and it is deterrable not just because of Israel’s superior military and intelligence capabilities but also because you got a really strong ally in the United States of America.
And if, over time, there are opportunities in which we see changes in the Iranian regime, all the better. But we don’t have to count on that — we have to make sure that even if Iran doesn’t change, the Israeli people are safe.”