Wednesday, July 18, 2012

US State Department Questioned Regarding Israel's Omission From Anti-Terrorism Summit


US State Department Questioned Regarding Israel's Omission From Anti-Terrorism Summit

Last year, under the leadership of the United States, the Global Counterterrorism Forum (which met in Istanbul this June) was formed under the leadership of the United States, to "provide a unique platform for senior [counterterrorism] policymakers and experts from key partners in different regions to share key insights and best practices".

Apparently to placate co-chair Turkey, Israel was omitted from membership of this forum, which in addition to Turkey and the United States, comprises Algeria, Australia, Canada, China, Colombia, Denmark, Egypt, the European Union, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Morocco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Pakistan, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom (where, incidentally, a planned Al-Quaeda terrorist plot against London Jewish targets hasjust been revealed).

The Obama government promised that a means would be found to include Israel, yet Israel still awaits inclusion.

Here's what the State Department said early last month:
Question: Has Israel requested membership to the Global Counterterrorism Forum? Has the United States, as a co-host of the forum, sought to get Israel involved?
Answer: Our idea with the Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF) was to bring together a limited number of traditional donors, front line states, and emerging powers develop a more robust, yet representative, counterterrorism capacity-building platform. A number of our close partners with considerable experience countering and preventing terrorism are not included among the GCTF’s founding members.
We have discussed the GCTF and ways to involve Israel in its activities on a number of occasions, and are committed to making this happen.
Senators Joseph Lieberman and Mark Kirk wrote to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton expressing concern about
"the absence of our ally, Israel, from the Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF), which you attended in Istanbul last week….
 As you know, there are few countries in the world that have suffered more from terrorism than Israel, and few governments that have more experience combatting this threat…
 We look forward to hearing from you about whether the Administration shares our views that Israel rightfully belongs as a full participant in the GCTF, and what, if any, steps you are prepared to take to right this wrongful omission."
And now Rabbi Marvin Hier of the Simon Wiesenthal Center has written to Secretary Clinton:
 "I am well aware that Turkey, one of the co-chairman of the Forum is in opposition to an Israeli presence, but with all due respect to Turkey or any other country, the Forum was created by the United States and Israel is amongst the United States’ most reliable and trusted allies.
…[H]aving a Global Counterterrorism Forum and not including Israel, is like having a global technology conference and excluding the United States of America. There is no one with more experience at combatting terrorism or educating civilians about it, than the State of Israel. I think the time has come for the United States to make it very clear why Israel continues to be excluded.“
Read more here and here

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