Vice President Dick Cheney arrived in Israel Sunday and met with Israeli President Shimon Peres and other top leaders in Israel's government. Cheney reaffirmed the US commitment to Israel's right to defend itself from rocket attacks and from "forces dedicated to Israel's destruction." BBC:US Vice-President Dick Cheney has given strong backing to Israel ahead of talks with Palestinian leaders.
Mr Cheney said the US would never put any pressure on Israel over issues he said would threaten its security.
Speaking in a news conference with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, he described America's commitment to Israel's security as "unshakable".
Mr Cheney will visit the West Bank town of Ramallah on Sunday for talks with Palestinian leaders.
"America's commitment to Israel's security is enduring and unshakable, as is our commitment to Israel's right to defend itself -always - against terrorism, rocket attacks and other threats from forces dedicated to Israel's destruction," Mr Cheney said.
"The United States will never pressure Israel to take steps to threaten its security."
Mr Cheney reaffirmed Washington's commitment to the establishment of a Palestinian state and said Palestinian leaders could be "certain of America's goodwill".
I think it's a positive sign Cheney raised the issue of "rocket attacks and other threats from forces dedicated to Israel's destruction." I assume the reference to rocket attacks relates to the Palestinians, and the reference to "forces dedicated to Israel's destruction" refers to Iran. But it could be a reference to the Palestinians. It's another good sign that Cheney says Israel shouldn't be pressured into a deal with the Palestinians. But, the Palestinians will wait and bluster and complain as the final months of Bush's term run out, knowing the pressure on Israel to cave in will increase. Bush has erred by publicly saying he wants a peace deal before the end of his term. That strengthens the hand of the Palestinians, not Israel.
By the way, the BBC report doesn't mention the Palestinians being pressured to stop the rocket attacks and the terror attacks. Palestinian attacks need to stop immediately, but I don't see the US or anyone else putting real pressure on the Palestinians to stop their terror attacks.
The above photo (credit AFP) shows Israeli President Shimon Peres (L) and US Vice-President Dick Cheney at the presidential residence in Jerusalem Sunday.
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