Romney to Break Fast of Temple Mount Mourning with Netanyahu

[dayag]

Very interesting timing. I look forward to reading Gov. Romney's remarks.

Mitt Romney’s planned visit to Israel on the fast day mourning the destruction of the Holy Temples shows his understanding of threats to Israel, says his campaign adviser.

“What better way for the Governor to understand the opportunities and the threats to Israel than to be there on a day when the people of Israel and Jews around the world commemorate and mourn the destruction of the Temple and of Jerusalem twice in their history," Dan Senor wrote in an email after the Weekly Standard revealed the date of his planned visit, July 29...

source: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/Ne...6#.UAKhtpB0gfw

[dayag]

I love the fact that he recognizes the reality that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel.

US Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney delivered a foreign policy speech in Jerusalem on Sunday, saying it was a deeply moving experience to be in Jerusalem, "the capital of Israel."

Romney stated that not only did Israel and the US hold shared interests, the two countries hold "shared values," despite the 5000 miles between them.

Addressing Iran, Romney said that the US has a "solemn duty" not to let Iran's leaders act on their malevolent intentions toward Israel. He stated that history teaches that when despotic regimes secure weapons, peace gives way to violence...

Romney called Israel's security a "vital national interest" of the US. "Israel must defend itself and it is right for us to stand with you," said Romney.

In what appeared to be veiled criticism of US President Barack Obama, Romney said that standing by Israel meant more than just providing military aid. He said that the diplomatic distance between the US and Israel serves to embolden Israel's enemies.

Following the Olympic Committee's decision not to hold a minute of silence to remember the 11 Israeli victims of the 1972 Munich Olympics terror attack, Romney made a point to honor the victims in his speech, which was met by applause from the audience.

The Republican candidate praised Israel, the "start-up nation," for its "cutting-edge technology," thriving economy, democratic values and freedom of press.

"I love this country, I love America, I love the friendship we have," Romney stated as he concluded his speech.

source: http://www.jpost.com/DiplomacyAndPol...aspx?id=279326

[dayag]

Romney hints of support for settlements:

Coming closer to the country you are about to visit: Are Israel’s settlements legal or illegal? Should Israel build more of them or dismantle them?

“I am afraid that any discussion of settlements would lead me into waters of showing a distance between me and the president. That will not be appropriate for me to do while on foreign soil.”

source: http://www.haaretz.com/weekend/week-...emium-1.453917

[Aliyah1995]

Don't get me wrong, I wish Romney well (he can't be worse than Obama for America or Israel). But politicians will say all sorts of things, especially before elections. We'll see (if he get's elected).

[dayag]

Don't get me wrong, I wish Romney well (he can't be worse than Obama for America or Israel). But politicians will say all sorts of things, especially before elections. We'll see (if he get's elected).

You are absolutely correct, of course, Aliyah. Obama in 2008 came to Israel and declared that "Jerusalem will remain the capital of Israel" and yet the U.S. embassy remains in Tel Aviv. So, yes, politicians do say all sorts of things in an election year.

Romney, who met Sunday with President Shimon Peres and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, declared Jerusalem to be the capital of the Jewish state; and said that should he be elected, the US Embassy in Israel would be relocated from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

source: http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7...262094,00.html