President Obama reassures Israel via e-mail before Muslim speech
BY Kenneth R. Bazinet
DAILY NEWS WASHINGTON BUREAU
WASHINGTON - The White House tried to ease Israeli concerns over President Obama's fence-mending speech Thursday to the Muslim world, insisting he remains loyal to the strong U.S. relationship with the Jewish state.
In an e-mail sent to some Jewish groups and the U.S.-based lobby for Israel, the White House insisted Obama's outreach to the mainstream Muslim majority is no threat to relations with its key Mideast ally.
"The President's commitment to Israel's security is as firm as ever, which he has emphasized many times," the e-mail said.
There was also a late afternoon secret White House conference call with some Jewish leaders Wednesday to quell any concerns that the Cairo University speech signals a souring of U.S.-Israeli relations.
In his long-awaited speech, Obama will extend a hand of friendship to the world's 1.5 billion Muslims while urging them to turn their back backs on violent extremists like the Al Qaeda terrorist network, according to administration officials.
It's Obama's expected remarks on Israel's illegal settlements in the West Bank, however, that give Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu heartburn.
Obama is likely to state clearly that Israel must stop building houses on Arab lands in the West Bank - a key sticking point to the peace process that extremist groups like Hamas use to inflame Palestinians. Netanyahu is encouraging settlement-building.
But the White House e-mail to the Jewish groups said, "While we may have some differences of view with Israel at the moment over settlements, we are trying to work through them quietly, professionally, and without rancor or ultimatums, as befits a strong relationship with an important ally. We are confident we can do that."
Obama will also discuss his opposition to Iran's push to obtain nuclear weapons and urge governments with Muslim majorities to create jobs to improve the standard of living and shun the teaching of hate toward Israel and the West.
"We are very pleased that the President of the United States will give an address in the Arab world that urges Muslims to unite behind creating jobs, not jihad ... and hope not hate," said Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi, president of The Israel Project, a pro-Israeli group.
In Saudi Arabia, meanwhile, Obama told King Abdullah it was "important to come to the place where Islam began and to seek His Majesty's counsel."
Abdullah presented him with a large gold "medal of merit" necklace.
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