Strength and unity

February 29, 2012

Re “Christie offers tough talk on Israel at AIPAC gala,” February 15

I read with some surprise NJJN’s Feb. 16 article about the AIPAC dinner held in New York earlier this month (“Christie offers tough talk on Israel at AIPAC gala”). I was fortunate to be at the dinner, along with 2,700 other supporters of the U.S.-Israel relationship. I certainly was not aware that President Obama and Democratic House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi “were both booed by some members of the audience,” as reporter Robert Wiener reported. I did not hear any of them getting booed and those who I asked about the report did not hear it either.

In fact, the dinner was a remarkable celebration of the strength and unity of the pro-Israel community that brought together Democrats, Republicans, Independents, and those who are unaffiliated with any political party, to demonstrate their support and commitment to the U.S.-Israel relationship. It was an impressive tribute to the bipartisan cooperation — so rare on virtually every other political issue — that has characterized and continues to characterize U.S. support for Israel.

Congressman Steve Rothman
Washington, DC