House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Rep. Howard Berman (D-Calif.) met with leaders of the Conference of Presidents of American Jewish Organizations last week, and said he believes the focus of Israeli-Palestinian negotiations should be on settling the borders, because it is"the one issue you could settle fairly quickly in the context of this dispute."
He also told the group that Hamas will not be taken off the U.S. terrorist list and that President Obama "will not go back on the conditions for allowing Hamas to participate in the political process."
Here’s the Conference’s release on the meeting:
HOUSE FOREIGN AFFAIRS CHAIR: HAMAS WILL STAY ON TERRORIST LIST
New York, June 29, 2009 …In a special briefing last week with leaders of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, Congressman Howard Berman, Chair of the important House Committee on Foreign Affairs stated that Hamas will not be taken off the terrorist list and that President Obama “will not go back on the conditions for allowing Hamas to participate in the political process.” He added that the Arab governments will need to take a number of “meaningful steps during this interim period.”
Regarding further details about the Middle East peace process, Congressman Berman stated that while he feels that any final status agreement would include the major settlement blocs as part of the state of Israel, he also believes that compromise from both sides will take place, allowing the process to move ahead. He agreed that the focus should be on settling the boundaries, because it’s “the one issue you could settle fairly quickly in the context of this dispute.” He also stated that in his diplomatic negotiations, he has worked to get Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, kidnapped by Hamas terrorists in June 2006, released or, in the interim, to obtain access for the International Red Cross to see him.
Regarding Iran, Congressman Berman stated that Russia is an “indispensable part” of developing a strategy around Iran’s need for refined oil products and restricting what Iran can get, in terms of both product and investment. The United States is looking to work with its allies and then expand outward to create a multilateral sanctions effort. Chairman Berman also plans to hold hearings in July on the Iran Refined Petroleum Act, which he co-authored, in July and to start the legislative process in the fall.
Conference of Presidents Chairman Alan Solow and Executive Vice Chairman Malcolm Hoenlein said that this was an important dialogue especially given Chairman Berman’s important position in the formulation of U.S. foreign policy. “Congressman Berman has been a long time friend of the Conference and his leadership on vital issues like Iran and U.S.-Israel relations is essential,” the leaders said.
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