WASHINGTON, D.C. (February 17, 2010) — The Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC), Wednesday called on President Barack Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to repudiate remarks by Rep. Brian Baird (Democrat, Washington) calling for U.S. intervention to break the Israeli “blockade” of Gaza. We find Rep. Baird’s comment disturbing and troubling on many levels.
According to an Associated Press report, Baird made the following comment in remarks to a group of students in Gaza: “We ought to bring roll-on, roll-off ships and roll them right to the beach and bring the relief supplies in, in our version of the Berlin airlift.”
Given the outrageous nature of his statement and the fact it was made in Gaza by a U.S. congressman, we feel it is important for the administration to speak out forcefully and clearly in repudiation of his words.
Matthew Brooks, executive director of the RJC, sent the following letter to President Obama and to Secretary of State Clinton:
“On behalf of the Republican Jewish Coalition, I write to ask you to repudiate the recent remarks by Rep. Brian Baird (D-WA) regarding Gaza.
“Rep. Baird told students in Gaza this week that the U.S. should send ships to the coast of Gaza and bring supplies to the Palestinians there ‘in our version of the Berlin airlift.’
“We ask that your administration speak out loudly and clearly against Baird’s remarks and the efforts of Baird and other congressional Democrats to bring pressure on Israel regarding Gaza. In January, Baird was one of the 54 congressional Democrats who signed a letter to President Obama, asking the President to pressure Israel to lift security measures along the Gaza border.
“Baird’s remarks in Gaza ignore several important facts: Egypt also has a blockade of Gaza in place and is constructing a wall, similar to Israel’s, to stop the smuggling of people and weapons across its borders with Gaza; Israel allows huge quantities of food, medicine, and other humanitarian supplies into Gaza each day; Israel has prohibited only building supplies from coming into Gaza, to prevent them from being diverted by Hamas to military use. Israel has taken necessary and justifiable steps to stop terrorism originating from Hamas-controlled Gaza.
“We ask you to repudiate the congressman’s remarks and declare that the United States will not take action against Israel nor bring diplomatic pressure to bear against Israel in an effort to force Israel to take unilateral actions that could compromise her security in the face of the continued threat of Palestinian terrorism and rocket attacks emanating from Hamas-controlled Gaza.
“We look forward to your response.”
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Preceding provided by Republican Jewish Coalition