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Dear Friend of Israel, dear Friend of FLAME: The last few weeks have been momentous ones for Israel and for Israel’s relationship with our country. During Vice President Biden’s recent visit to Israel, a mid-level officer of Israel’s Interior Ministry made an announcement that 1,600 housing units had been authorized to be built in the eastern part of Jerusalem, an area that the Palestinians insist would be a part of their future capital. Actual construction on those housing units is perhaps as much as two years away. Even though the timing of the announcement may have been somewhat awkward, the anger that it produced was totally out of proportion to any possible offense. The Administration labeled the event an “insult.” Secretary of State Clinton telephoned Prime Minister Netanyahu and gave him a “stern reproach.” When Mr. Netanyahu came for a visit at the White House, the President snubbed him in a most insulting way – as someone described it – as if he were a lower-level functionary of a banana republic, rather than the prime minister of one of the our country’s most important and most reliable allies. It is almost as if somebody in the Administration looked for an opportunity to provoke a crisis and found a pretext with this incident. This whole matter is profoundly strange since both the President and Mrs. Clinton have repeatedly declared their conviction that Jerusalem is and will remain the indivisible capital of Israel. Mrs. Clinton’s attitude is particularly remarkable. She sang a different tune when she was a U.S. Senator from New York and was courting the Jewish vote. There is constant pressure on Israel by the Obama Administration to show its “goodwill” by making “concessions” to the Palestinians. That would be really laughable if it weren’t so sad. In order to satisfy “world opinion” (including that of our own government), Israel has made the most far-reaching “concessions” the world has ever seen: the total return of the vast Sinai, with its strategic ports and passes, and the oil industry that Israel had created, which would have made it energy-independent for decades; the abandonment of southern Lebanon—a folly that laid the basis for the second Lebanon War; the total abandonment of Gaza and the uprooting of industrial installations and thousands of families who had lived there for generations. That “concession” was rewarded, not with thanks but with thousands of rockets. How about one single “concession,” one single goodwill gesture on the part of the Palestinians? How about, for instance, releasing Gilad Shalit, the Israeli soldier who was kidnapped over three years ago and who has been held captive since, without ever having been allowed even a visit by the Red Cross? The U.S. Congress on the other hand, continues to demonstrate steadfast solidarity with and friendship for Israel. Following the brouhaha over the announcement of future construction in Jerusalem, 327 U.S. Representatives signed a letter to Secretary of State Clinton confirming their “commitment to the unbreakable bond that exists between our country and the State of Israel and to express to you our deep concern over recent tension.” We (FLAME) have long recognized the great importance that the U.S. Congress has in our relationship with Israel. We foster that relationship by sending our monthly hasbarah (educating and clarifying) messages to every member of Congress – Representatives and Senators. From the feedback that we get, those messages are well received. It is a very successful program. There is no question at all that the relationship with the United States is by far Israel’s most important diplomatic asset. To put not too fine point on that, our country is the only true, the only reliable friend that Israel has. We have to get over the recent problem (to quote the Congressional letter) one of “occasional misunderstandings and conflicts that occur in every important undertaking.” We must hope and fully expect that this will turn out to be a very temporary bump in the road of a relationship that is very important to both sides. But contrary to what many believe, the relationship between our two countries is not a one-way street. Far from it! U.S. aid to Israel provides a large return on its investment. Under the 2010 budget, about $75 billion will be spent on military action and military aid this fiscal year. Israel will receive around $3 billion – all of it in military aid. Contrary to what many believe, there is not one dollar of economic aid to Israel. And of the military aid, 70% -- $2.1 billion must be used by Israel to purchase U.S. military equipment. This helps the United States to stay at the very top in the manufacture of its own cutting-edge military equipment. There is the added contribution of Israel’s renowned technical capability to U.S. military research and development. Further, the United States and Israel have jointly developed state-of-the art emergency systems. There is also – strategically most important and provided without question – port-of-call availability for our troops, ships, aircraft, intelligence operations and pre-posting of military materiel and equipment for any emergency in that area of the world. There is much more, most of it confidential. As you must be aware, American university campuses have become hotbeds of anti-Semitic and of anti-Israel propaganda – in some cases even violence. This evil climate, which became much exacerbated after the Gaza “Cast-Lead” operation, is fueled by left-wing professors and students (sad to say, many of them Jewish), but mostly by Muslim students. Many of them seem to come to this country, not to study, but mostly to make trouble. We (FLAME) counter that evil by publishing our hasbarah messages monthly in twelve university newspapers. It is a most important program (but very expensive). I wish we could afford to do more of it. For over 25 years, FLAME has brought these facts and much more to the attention of the American people by publishing our monthly hasbarah messages in major national magazines in an ever-changing array of metropolitan newspapers and in about 50 small-town newspapers all across the United States. We reach audiences estimated at over 10 million that would otherwise not be informed or sadly misinformed about Israel and about the Middle East. We have been doing this important work with the help of good people like you who send us $25, $50, $100 (and in some wonderful cases, quite a bit more). We are the most transparent of all Jewish philanthropies – the only one that every year publishes, unsolicited, its financial statement. You will note that, quite in contrast to many other Jewish organizations, which compensate their executives lavishly, we have never paid and still don’t pay any executive salaries and work only with part-time skeleton staff. The money that you contribute to us goes directly to the good cause, as you intend, and not to swollen overhead or fancy salaries. You will be pleased to know that Charity Navigator, the foremost arbiter and evaluator of U.S. philanthropies and charities has awarded us its coveted 4-star (highest!) rating for the third year in a row. Very few philanthropies attain such rating – let alone in three consecutive years. Thank you for your support and thank you for your generosity, and let’s hope that the little problem between our country and Israel will end just as quickly as possible. Shalom and sincerely yours, P.S.1: FLAME is, of course, a 501(c)(3) organization. Your contribution is tax-deductible to the full extent of the law. P.S.2: Please consider pledging a monthly amount for one year. It will help us in assuring continuity for publishing our important messages. If you should feel so inclined, please mark the appropriate box on the donation form. Also, please be sure to give us your e-mail address. It will allow us to put you on our hotline list and to keep you fully informed. P.S.3: We invite you to review the library of our recent and past hasbarah messages, as they have appeared in major national media.
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