From: Sen. Mark Warner’s Office
To: sunflower_chong@yahoo.com
Sent: Friday, April 27, 2012 6:02 AM
Subject: Responding to your message
Dear Ms. Sun Wah,
Thank you for contacting me regarding the current situation in Israel.
As a vibrant democracy, Israel remains our strongest ally in the Middle East. Our partnership is rooted in mutual security interests in the region, shared democratic values, and historic ties dating from the U.S. support for Israel’s creation in 1948. I believe that it is critically important—now more than ever—that the United States maintains its strong and steady support for Israel, particularly in light of the threats it faces.
The Iranian-sponsored plot to attack the Saudi and Israeli embassies serves as a sobering reminder of the threat posed by the regime in Tehran, both to Israel and the rest of the world. Iran not only sponsors terrorism worldwide, but it also continues to recklessly pursue a nuclear program and engage in proliferation activities, which aid and abet our enemies and pose a grave danger to world peace.
Given the magnitude of the Iranian threat, I believe we need to continue to ratchet up economic and diplomatic pressure on Iran. To that end, I have co-sponsored the Iran, North Korea, and Syria Sanctions Consolidation Act, which would increase economic pressure on Iran and further isolate Tehran from the global economy. Earlier this year, I also co-signed a letter to President Obama urging him to sanction Iran’s central bank, which would impede Tehran’s ability to process the proceeds from oil revenues. I was also an early co-sponsor of the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act of 2010, which also targeted Iran’s energy sector and has subsequently been signed into law. As the Treasury Department has recently informed me, the tools provided by this law have had a significant impact in cutting off Iranian banks’ access to the international financial system, and have helped to isolate and pressure Iran. However, clearly more must be done to change the thinking of the Iranian leadership.
In addition to Iran, Israel faces a host of other threats, including Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza, which continues to support attacks against Israel and frustrate prospects for peace. Although I am in favor of a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict, I do not support the Palestinians’ current bid for statehood at the United Nations. This move not only undermines the peace process, but UN recognition of a Palestinian state at this time would reward a government in which a large role is played by Hamas, a group that has been designated a foreign terrorist organization. Ultimately, I believe that a lasting peace is only possible through direct negotiations between the Israelis and the Palestinians.
Again, thank you for contacting me. For further information or to sign up for my newsletter please visit my website at http://warner.senate.gov .
Sincerely,
MARK R. WARNER
United States Senator
