Ambassador
James B. Cunningham

Biography

Speeches

Ambassador James B. Cunningham
American Friends of Hebrew University
Monday, June 8, 2009, 8:00 p.m.
CMR

Good evening. Leslie and I are delighted to welcome you to our home tonight. This occasion enables me to continue, and possibly expand, the Embassy’s long and meaningful relationship with The Hebrew University.

I know that you have a very busy and intensive schedule but I hope you are also finding some time to enjoy yourselves in Israel. It is gratifying to see the many honors bestowed on individuals who have contributed their time and support to the University, and I understand more honors will be given tonight. You are certainly an impressive delegation – a testament to the strength of your commitment both to the Israeli people and to the Hebrew University.

I want to take just a few minutes to talk about America’s strong commitment to Israel, to a two-state solution, and indeed to peace throughout the Middle East. President Obama gave a remarkable speech in Cairo last Thursday. I’m sure most of you watched it live or read the text, but I would like to underscore the importance of some of the President’s remarks. The speech generated tremendous anticipatory commentary in the media, and I am well aware of the anxieties felt by many of our Israeli friends that the President was planning to take them by surprise with a new peace plan or perhaps seek to gain Arab and Muslim support at Israel’s expense.

Instead, the President did something quite different: he stood in the political and cultural heart of the Arab world and reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to Israel, calling the ties between our countries an unbreakable bond. He reminded his audience of the tragic history of the Jewish people, of the horrors of the Holocaust, and condemned the denial of the Holocaust as “baseless, ignorant and wrong.” He stressed that threats to destroy Israel only serve to remind Israelis of the terrible trauma of the Holocaust and to prevent the achievement of peace for all of the region’s people.

The President also recognized the suffering of the Palestinian people and the legitimacy of their claim to statehood. As the President said, “But if we see this conflict only from one side or the other, then we will be blind to the truth: the only resolution is for the aspirations of both sides to be met through two states, where Israelis and Palestinians each live in peace and security.”

This then is the essence of our policy: the two-state solution must become a reality in order to enable both Israelis and Palestinians to live in peace and security. This is an Israeli interest, a Palestinian interest, and an American interest. There is also a critical role for the Arab states to play. The Arab states must help the Palestinians develop their institutions and their economy, recognize Israel’s legitimacy, and look to the future and not the past.

In order to achieve our goals, we are looking to both Israelis and Palestinians to fulfill their commitments under the Roadmap. For Israel, this means freezing settlements and removing outposts. For the Palestinians, it means abandoning violence and ending incitement. The United States and the international community will have to do their part as well to help ensure Israel’s security and the development of Palestinian institutions and economy, including serious engagement with the Israeli government and Palestinian Authority on the best means to address humanitarian needs in Gaza without benefiting Hamas. The President recognizes that the United States cannot impose a solution on the parties, but we are determined to create the space in which negotiations can resume and progress can be made.

Much has been said during the past few weeks about U.S.-Israeli differences over settlements. I would remind you that these differences are not new. I would even say that the failure to resolve our differences over settlements in the past has contributed to an erosion of trust that neither the U.S. nor Israel can afford to take lightly. I do not think this is a crisis, however, but rather an opportunity for us to take a fresh look at a long-standing irritant in our bilateral relations, and indeed in Israel’s relations with all of its neighbors and the international community. I am confident that through our sustained discussion of the problems posed by continued settlement activity, we will come up with appropriate solutions. 

We face serious challenges to peace and security in the broader Middle East. Extremist ideologies, terrorism and Iran’s hegemonistic aspirations threaten peace and undermine regional stability.

The United States understands and shares Israel’s apprehension regarding Iran’s nuclear program. The President has discussed at length with Prime Minister Netanyahu his plans to use diplomacy and dialogue to try to convince Iran’s leaders to change course. At the joint press conference in Washington with Prime Minister Netanyahu, President Obama said, “We are engaged in a process to reach out to Iran and persuade them that it is not in their interest to pursue a nuclear weapon and that they should change course.  But I assured the Prime Minister that we are not foreclosing a range of steps, including much stronger international sanctions, in assuring that Iran understands that we are serious.”

As stated in UNSC Resolution 1850, lasting Arab-Israeli peace can only be based on an enduring commitment to mutual recognition, freedom from violence, incitement and terror, and the two-state solution, building upon previous agreements and obligations.

With that hope and that vision, I thank you for your continued endeavors to build and sustain the close academic ties between the U.S. and Israel, especially during these difficult economic times.