Rudolph Giuliani in the Jewish and Israeli Press

Sen. Rudolph Giuliani - 2008 U.S. Presidential Candidate

"... the best candidate for Israel"
"Mr. Giuliani visited Israel ... and declared: ´We’re together with you. We are bound by blood.´ "

"... I’m a half Israeli citizen now"

A collection of articles from the Jewish and Israeli Press

In this section we reproduce articles mainly from the Jewish and Israeli Press, quoting mr. Giuliani and the Jews´ opinions on him. As the material is quite massive, underlines to some key paragraphs and quotes have been added by Radio Islam. If we have deleted some section of text from the original (due to not being sufficiently interesting), this is indicated by: [...] .

Israeli newspaper Ha´aretz, 05/09/2006

Israeli panel: Giuliani is 'best' presidential candidate for Israel

By Ha´aretz Staff

Former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani is the "best" candidate in the 2008 race for Israel, a panel of eight Israeli experts assembled by Haaretz has determined.

Giuliani is followed by former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, Arizona Senator John McCain and New York Senator Hillary Clinton. Ranking bottom of the list is Illinois Senator Barack Obama.

As part of a new project, The Israel Factor: Ranking the presidential candidates" the panel will rank the candidates every month, up until the 2008 election, awarding them marks out of 10 on a series of questions that will determine which candidates are "best" for Israel.

The project is part of Rosner's Domain, and is moderated by Haaretz Chief U.S. Correspondent, Shmuel Rosner. Professor Camil Fuchs of Tel Aviv University, who is also the Haaretz pollster, is responsible for the statistical analysis of the rankings.

The panel also concluded that the chances of any of the candidates ordering future military action in Iran were not very high. Giuliani scored highest on this question, followed by Gingrich and McCain.

Clinton was the candidate the panel considered most likely to engage more vigorously in mediating a peace process between Israel and the Palestinians. She was followed by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and former presidential candidate John Kerry.

The Jewish Voice and Opinion, April 2007

"Hamas or Abbas, It Makes No Difference," Rudy Giuliani Says, No Israeli Concessions until the Arabs Stop Terrorism

By Susan Rosenbluth, Editor

Rudy Giuliani doesn’t care whether the Palestinian government is run by Hamas, which is recognized by the US as a terrorist organization, or Mahmoud Abbas, the chairman of Fatah who is regarded by the Bush administration as a moderate.

"Hamas or Abbas, it makes no difference. The ball is in their court, and we just have to show patience and not push any peace process until they do what they have to do," said Mr. Giuliani.

What they have to do, he said, is, at the very minimum, to recognize Israel’s right to exist and to renounce terrorism. Then, he said, Israel and the US should sit back and see if they mean it.

"They don’t just have to say the words. Anyone can say the words. They have to show that they are ending terrorism; they have to show that they are doing what they have to do to end terrorism. I’m a strong proponent of the philosophy that we can trust, but we have to verify," he said. "If all that happens, then it will lead naturally to a peace process, but we have to wait patiently until they are ready to make it happen. And no one should make any concessions to the Palestinians until they take those steps."

Mr. Giuliani, the former New York mayor who is now an all-but-declared Republican candidate for President, made his remarks on March 27 at a fundraiser organized by his exploratory committee in New Jersey in cooperation with NORPAC at the Englewood home of Rabbi and Mrs. Shmuley Boteach.

Understanding Terrorism

Mr. Giuliani told his supporters he was running for President because he believes he understands terrorism better than any other candidate currently running to hold the office.

He pointed out that, as far as he is concerned, Islamist terrorism against the West began in 1972 at the Munich Olympics when Palestinian terrorists kidnapped and murdered 11 Israeli athletes.

He said he remembered being appalled when the German authorities, who had arrested some of the terrorists, quickly released them. "They let them go because they were afraid if they did not, there would be more terrorist attacks in Germany," he said, pointing out that many European countries followed Germany’s example.

Leon Klinghoffer

He found it especially galling, he said, when Italian authorities released the murderers of Leon Klinghoffer, the 69-year-old disabled New Yorker who was murdered by Palestinian terrorists who had hijacked the Achille Lauro cruise ship in 1985.

"The Italians captured the terrorists and then released them two hours later, because they were afraid," said Mr. Giuliani.

As a US Attorney in the Reagan administration, Mr. Giuliani investigated the Klinghoffer case, and, he said, he became convinced that Yasir Arafat personally was responsible for the murder.

Ten years later, as mayor of New York, Mr. Giuliani threw Mr. Arafat out of a concert he was hosting at Lincoln Center for world leaders who were in Manhattan to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the UN. "I didn’t forget what he had done to Leon Klinghoffer," said Mr. Giuliani.

Oslo Mistakes

He called the concessions Israel was forced to make as part of the Oslo process before the Palestinians fulfilled any of their requirements, "mistakes."

"The US pushed Israel to make concessions, and it didn’t matter that the Palestinians did nothing to live up to their end of the bargain. This was wrong and we should never do it again," he said.

He maintained that, since 9-11, the vast majority of Americans feel an increased kinship with Israel.

"We must never be on the defense against terrorism. Never again. We must always be on the offense, never acquiescing, always doing what we have to do to keep our country safe and strong," he said.

Noah’s Ark

Before arriving at the Boteach home, Mr. Giuliani met with supporters for an impromptu dinner at Noah’s Ark kosher restaurant on Cedar Lane in Teaneck.

Asked for his views on Iran and Iraq, he said his primary policy is that "you don’t make concessions to people who are trying to kill you."

"I like the approach taken by Ronald Reagan, that we will gain peace only through strength. If we show weakness in Iraq, it will affect our ability to handle Iran, and that would be dangerous," he said.

He said he hoped President Bush would veto the Democrats’ bill to set a timetable for withdrawal from Iraq. "We must support our troops who are in Iraq on a mission against terrorism," he said. "Their job is to make sure Iraq becomes a bulwark against terrorism rather than a haven for terrorists."

"Clear, Hold, Build"

He offered a formula for success in Iraq: "clear, hold, and build."

By clear, he said, he meant "pacify." "Hold," he said, means to keep it that way. And "build," he said, means to encourage the Iraqis to take charge and reconstruct their country as a free democracy.

He insisted that while a variety of tactics should be employed to prompt the mullahs in Iran to eschew their efforts to develop nuclear weapons, the military option should not be taken off the table.

"The US must make it clear that, under no circumstances, will Iran be allowed to have nuclear weapons. Going to war with Iran would be terrible. The only thing that would be worse would be allowing Iran to have nuclear weapons," he said.

He dismissed the arguments of those who say the US should be able to contain a nuclear-armed Iran, just as the US contained the former Soviet Union and China during the Cold War. The Islamofascists, he said, "are a different kind of enemy."

"The communists in the Soviet Union and China were terrible, but didn’t make plans to come here to kill us. They didn’t send suicide bombers," he said.

The Jewish Voice and Opinion is a politically conservative Jewish publication which present news and feature articles not generally available elsewhere in the Jewish or secular media. Articles may be reprinted in their entirety with attribution.

The Guardian (guardian.co.uk), Wednesday August 15, 2007

Palestinian state would endanger US, warns Giuliani

By Fred Attewill and agencies

A leading Republican presidential candidate, Rudy Giuliani, has declared he is against the creation of a Palestinian state at present because it would "support terrorism" and endanger US security.

He underscored his uncompromising approach to foreign policy by adding he would be prepared to destroy Iran's nuclear plants "should all else fail".

In an interview with Foreign Affairs magazine, Mr Giuliani said "too much emphasis" had been placed on promoting negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians.

The US president, George Bush, has said he supports a two-state solution and leaders of Israel and the Palestinians met last week to discuss "fundamental issues" ahead of the creation of a Palestinian state.

However, the former New York mayor said: "It is not in the interest of the United States, at a time when it is being threatened by Islamist terrorists, to assist the creation of another state that will support terrorism.

"Palestinian statehood will have to be earned through sustained good governance, a clear commitment to fighting terrorism, and a willingness to live in peace with Israel."

He added: "America's commitment to Israel's security is a permanent feature of our foreign policy."

Mr Giuliani said that while he would not rule out negotiating with Iran over its nuclear programme - which Tehran maintains is solely for energy needs - such negotiations should proceed from "a position of strength".

"The theocrats ruling Iran need to understand that we can wield the stick as well as the carrot, by undermining popular support for their regime, damaging the Iranian economy, weakening Iran's military and, should all else fail, destroying its nuclear infrastructure," he warned.

As mayor of New York, which has a large Jewish community, Mr Giuliani repeatedly spoke out against the creation of a Palestinian state and was a staunch critic of the late Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat.

In 1995 he barred Mr Arafat from city-sponsored events held to celebrate the United Nations' 50th anniversary. He even ordered Mr Arafat be removed when he appeared at a Lincoln Centre concert.

Mr Giuliani is one of the frontrunners - along with Mitt Romney and Fred Thompson - to secure the Republican nomination to fight the 2008 presidential election.

The New York Times, June 18, 2007

Giuliani Meets With Israel’s Olmert

By Marc Santora

Rudolph Giuliani, who has had close ties to Jewish leaders since he was mayor of New York City, met privately with Israel’s Prime Minister Ehud Olmert today.

The two, who have known each other for more than a decade, met privately for about an hour. Mr. Olmert was in New York to meet with U.N. Secretary General Ban ki-Moon and is scheduled to meet later with President Bush.

Mr. Olmert’s visit comes at a particularly tumultuous time for his country, with the prospect for peace with the Palestinians as bleak as ever.

Gaza was taken over by Islamic militants from Hamas last week and Israel has yet to decide on what approach it will take towards the territory on its southern border.

While Mr. Giuliani’s aides did not provide details about what the two leaders discussed, Mr. Giuliani has proven himself a staunch supporter of Israel over the years. The meeting is something of a coup for the Giuliani campaign, as the 2008 candidates compete for the support of Jewish voters.

He was popular among Israeli political leaders even before New York was attacked by terrorists in 2001. Mr. Giuliani, now campaigning for president of the United States, still proudly boasts of once having Yassir Arafat thrown out of an event at Lincoln Center.

In December 2001, Mr. Giuliani visited Israel with a delegation of other New York political leaders and declared: “We’re together with you. We are bound by blood.”

On that same trip, during a luncheon given by then Foreign Minister Shimon Peres, Mr. Giuliani joked that he had only left America four times as Mayor and three of those trips were to Israel.

“So I’m a half Israeli citizen now,” he said.

New York Post, April 21, 2007

Giuliani Bandwagon Branches Out To Israel

By Maggie Haberman

A group of Israelis has launched a grass-roots effort to get people living in the Jewish state who are eligible to vote in the United States to line up behind Rudy Giuliani, it was reported yesterday.

The group, Giuliani Supporters in Israel, was launched by Mordechai Twersky, a onetime candidate for state Assembly in The Bronx in the early 1990s, according the Jerusalem Post.

Twersky has established a Web site, giulianisupportersinisrael.org, with background information including Giuliani's famed eviction of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat from a Lincoln Center concert in 1995.

"I did this as a private personal initiative, as a proud American and Israeli citizen, and I am confident that it will catch on," Twersky told the paper.

He said the campaign hadn't set up his group, but that he's been in contact with Team Giuliani since he got started.

Giuliani has historically been popular with Jewish voters, and took a hard pro-Israel line when he was in office. Giuliani's campaign didn't return The Post's calls for comment.

However, members of the group Republicans Abroad in Israel told the Jerusalem Post that they will sit on the sidelines during the GOP primary and then support the party's nominee.

In some past elections, planeloads of Israelis with American citizenship have flown to the United States to vote.

Giuliani was in Texas yesterday, giving a speech at Texas A&M University, home of the first President George Bush's presidential library.

New York Post, August 26, 2008

Giuliani Rips Obama´s Israel Policy - Says Its Ambiguous At Best

By Maggie Haberman

DENVER - Former Mayor Rudy Giuliani ripped Sen. Barack Obama as "ambiguous" in his stand on support for Israel, miles from the convention hall where the Democrats are celebrating the near-nominee.

Giuliani, who's known as being staunchly pro-Israel and in favor of a strong relationship between the US and the Jewish state, made the comments in a sit-down with The Post as he started a two-day attack on Democrats during their convention, acting as a surrogate for GOP Sen. John McCain.

"There's no question he's ambiguous about" his stand on Israel, Giuliani said, citing specifically that Obama said months ago before a Jewish political group that he supported an undivided Jerusalem, and later aides clarified it.

"I think that his position in dealing with the issues that are important to Israel, like they are important to me in America, is -- (the) best and kindest thing you can say is, ambiguity," he said, clearly referring to security.

Giuliani added it's "of grave concern. It either comes from deeply held views that he has or lack of experience, one or the other. But in either case he's too close to the presidency not to have formed views about this that don't require having to explain it two or three different times."

The comments from Giuliani, who enjoys strong popularity in Jewish communities -- which could play a key role in the swing state of Florida -- came as some Jewish voters have expressed hesitance over Obama, and have cited Israel as the reason.

Obama took a widely covered trip to the Mideast and visited Israel last month, and described the US as a "strong friend" of Israel.

Obama spokesman Tommy Vietor shot back.

"Barack Obama has been a strong friend of Israel in the Senate, as has Sen. Biden, and both will have an unshakeable commitment to Israel's security. Mayor Giuliani has now made more false attacks than John McCain has houses, so voters won't take this latest one too seriously," he said.

http://www.worldjewishnewsagency.org/jewish_society2.htm
Ness Technologies Presents Hanukkah Menorah to Rudolph Giuliani – Symbolizes the Linkage between Leadership, Israel and Miracles

Photo: Raviv Zoller, President and CEO of Ness Technologies (left) presents
Giuliani with a silver Hanukkah Menorah.

Ness Technologies, Inc. (NASDAQ: NSTC), a global provider of IT solutions and services, held its Leadership Summit on September 22, 2005 at David Intercontinental hotel in Tel Aviv, Israel. The guest of honor was Rudolph Giuliani, former Mayor of New York City. Aharon Fogel – Chairman of the Board of Directors of Ness Technologies, and Raviv Zoller – President and CEO of Ness Technologies, presented Giuliani with a silver Hanukkah Menorah. "We thought about a meaningful gift, linking the worlds of leadership, Israel and Ness Technologies," said Zoller. "I believe that we found the symbolic combination of these worlds in the Hanukkah Menorah, which symbolizes for the Jewish people the victory over an enemy and the victory of faith and spirit. We see these characteristics as necessary traits of leaders. We are honored to present this gift to Mr. Giuliani for his public service, which has affected the entire world and every one of us, as a symbol of true leadership." "Hanukkah, the Jewish Festival of Lights, is also the festival of Ness Technologies," said Zoller. "Ness was founded in the month of the Festival, in 1999. Ness acquired several companies, in a short time, and when we looked for a company name – the process was somewhat longer. Morris Wolfson, Ness Founder and a stockholder, suggested that everyone must agree that it's truly a miracle to establish a company in such a short time.

Miracle is Ness in Hebrew and we selected this name. Our vision was to be Israel's leading IT services company and to expand our activity globally.
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