Israel is Samantha Power’s first priority in opening statement to Congress

Samantha Power wants to be our next ambassador to the United Nations. Here’s her opening statement to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. She mentions Israel eight times in the statement and “the United States” eight times*.

First, the UN must be fair. The UN cannot focus disproportionate attention on a few, while giving a pass to others flouting their international obligations. There cannot be one standard for one country and another standard for all others. The United States has no greater friend in the world than the State of Israel. Israel is a country with whom we share security interests and, even more fundamentally, with whom we share core values – the values of democracy, human rights, and the rule of law. America has a special relationship with Israel. And yet the General Assembly and Human Rights Council continue to pass one – sided resolutions condemning Israel above all others. Israel – not Iran, not Sudan, not North Korea – is the on e country with a fixed place on the Human Rights Council ’s agenda. Israel’s legitimacy should be beyond dispute, and its security must be beyond doubt. Just as I have done the last four years as President Obama’s UN adviser at the White House, I will stand up for Israel and work tirelessly to defend it.

*Yes, she says America a number of times too.

Thanks to Adam Horowitz.