Posted on 02/27/2016 5:43:58 AM PST by MarvinStinson
Senators urge president to enforce provisions 'as enacted and intended'
Leading Democrats are taking aim at the Obama administration for its opposition to newly passed legislation that aims to bolster the U.S.-Israel economic relationship and combat boycotts of Israel, according to a statement issued this week.
The Obama administration announced that it opposes portions of a bipartisan trade bill that would strengthen economic ties between the U.S. and Israel and force trade partners to sever ties with backers of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement, an anti-Israel movement that seeks to economically isolate the Jewish state.
President Barack Obama issued a rare statement opposing the bill’s pro-Israel language this week, claiming that it sought to legitimize Israeli settlements. Obama stated that he would not enforce the pro-Israel provisions as a result of his personal disagreement with the policies. The statement prompted top Democrats to break with the president.
The fracture between these Democrats and the administration comes amid White House support for efforts to label Jewish-made goods produced in disputed areas of Israel. These efforts have been described as anti-Semitic by Israel’s government.
“While the Obama Administration has reiterated its opposition to boycotts, divestment campaigns, and sanctions targeting the State of Israel, it has mischaracterized the TPA and Customs bill provisions as making a U.S. policy statement about Israeli settlements,” Sens. Harry Reid (D., Nev.), Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.), Ron Wyden (D., Ore.), Ben Cardin (D., Md.), Michael Bennet (D., Colo.), and Richard Blumenthal (D., Conn.) said in a joint statement released Thursday.
The senators accused the Obama administration of lying about the pro-Israel bill and pushing a false narrative in efforts to oppose it.
“This simply is not the case,” they said. “These provisions are not about Israeli settlements.”
“Rather, consistent with U.S. policy, they are about discouraging politically-motivated commercial actions aimed at delegitimizing Israel and pressuring Israel into unilateral concessions outside the bounds of direct Israeli-Palestinian negotiations,” the senators said. “We urge the Administration to implement these provisions as enacted and intended.”
Republicans who cosponsored the bill along with Democratic allies also took aim at the administration. Rep. Peter Roskam (R., Ill.), who authored the pro-Israel language along with Rep. Juan Vargas (D., Calif.), criticized the administration for not upholding the will of Congress and the American people.
“This law—including the anti-BDS provisions I was proud to author—passed with overwhelming bipartisan support in both the House and the Senate,” Roskam said in a statement. “Incredibly, President Obama has already announced his intention to prioritize his misguided notions of legacy over the law of the land.”
“We did not provide a statutory menu from which President Obama can pick and choose provisions to enforce,” the lawmaker added. “The president has signed this bill into law—it is now his responsibility to fully and faithfully execute it in its entirety.”
Roskam expressed dismay that “fighting efforts to delegitimize Israel interferes with his diplomacy, but rest assured that I intend to use my authority as chairman of the Ways and Means Subcommittee.”
bmp
(brightens)..."I know! Let's attack Evangelical Christians in the US, who are rabidly pro-Israel. Because Narrative! And abortion!"
You know, this is the first time I've realized there are Cuckocrats as well as Cuckservatives.
But the Cuckocrats are Cucks to Foreign Enemies, and the Cuckservatives to Domestic (the Cuckocrats).
You mean the Obama Administrations is making up the law it wants to enforce? Why is anyone (especially Dems) surprised?
They’re just now figuring out his disdain and hate for Israel? Slow learners.
Odungo could give a ****. Unless someone bows, or it grabs several news lines
These jackasses KNOW 0bamao picks and chooses which laws he will obey and which he will not, and they have been perfectly willing to allow him the latitude becoming of a dictator. Why pitch a fit now?
Mullah obama should be Impeached just like pedophile Bill Clinton.
Feigned outrage for the Dem sheep.
They know Obama is paying back the Democrat Party’s biggest donors.
The Muslim Brotherhood.
http://www.newsmax.com/Politics/Obama-fundraising-illegal/2008/09/29/id/325630/
He's not trying to disguise who he is anymore.
Obama (Valerie Jarrett) is becoming more aggressive and brazen in his Jew Hate actions now.
Obama is not a leader, he is a follower of what ever the EU dictates
He learns his view after it is stated by the EU
Obama is too much of a coward to just veto the bill. So he signs it, claims he supports Israel, then dishonestly refuses to enforce it. He’s the lowest of the low. Pig sty scum.
Onama, Valerie Jarrett, Susan Rice, Samantha Power
all want Israel wiped opt.
In year 8 of this disastrous Admin these Senators, who now realize they won’t likely have the Presidency after Jan 2017, are FINALLY speaking out about Obama’s behavior/treatment against Israel???? Waaaay too little.....waaaay too late!
Democrats are getting very nervous at having to campaign behind this pro muslin ahole!!!
I think we need to “de-legitimize” the hell-holes in this country, run by dems for generations. Those cities are disasters.
I oppose “de-legitimizing” Israel’s building homes in the Israeli cities, currently occupied by muslims.
Those cities (labeled as “settlements” by muslim propagandists) are no different than cities in the American southwest. Oh yes, I forgot, the leftist want to return those lands to Mexico too.
Mark
Exactly right!
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