John Ensign: “I rise today to address a relationship between the United States and our ally Israel. I was glad to see that President…”

“I rise today to address a relationship between the United States and our ally Israel. I was glad to see that President Obama took some time over the July Fourth recess to sit down with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and discuss the rocky path which U.S. and Israeli relations have taken over the past 2 years. Israel is, by far, our strongest ally in the region. This close relationship and friendship is built on a bedrock of common democratic values, religious affinity, and perhaps most importantly national security interests. We are both nations that face threats posed by radical Islam. While we have been able to take the fight to the enemy, as we fight al-Qaida and Taliban refinements in Afghanistan and Iraq, Israel has not been so fortunate. They face an existential threat. This threat to their existence is not just Hamas and Hezbollah, who attack Israel with suicide bombs and rocket attacks, but also from radical nations such as Iran and their allies. When one nation says to another, 'We are going to wipe you off the map,' we need to take that threat seriously. This is especially true when that nation says it over and over again, as Iran has. As an ally, Israel should be able to count on us for support. This support is not limited to financial and military support but also diplomatic and moral support.”