J Street’s Yael Patir claims that, “During his eight years in office [US President Barack] Obama blocked all Security Council resolutions that were critical of Israel… so I don’t think Obama can be accused of being anti-Israel” (‘Is Obama planning his revenge on Netanyahu? (Online Edition, April 14). Actually, President Obama has supported resolutions both inside and outside the Security Council that harm, or would harm, Israel.

First, in February 2011, President Obama himself sought to condemn Israel in the UN Security Council for the “illegitimacy” of Jewish communities in the West Bank. Only when the Arab states insisted on their own resolution condemning these as “illegal” – a legally baseless assertion – was Obama compelled to veto the resolution. Second, in 2010, unlike presidents Bill Clinton in 2000 and George W. Bush in 2005, President Obama permitted the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference statement singling out Israel and insisting it joint the NPT. Third, in June 2010, President Obama agreed to a Security Council statement he could have easily vetoed, which “condemned” the “acts” that led to loss of life on the Gaza flotilla, thereby condemning Israel for the deaths of Hamas supporters who premeditatedly assaulted the Israeli boarding party enforcing the lawful inspection of Gaza-bound ships. Fourth, last year, President Obama supported Security Council Resolution 2231, which neuters a previous ban on Iranian develop of ballistic missiles that could one day hit Israel.

MORTON A. KLEIN

New York

This letter was published by JPost and may be found here.