J Street President Jeremy Ben-Ami released the following statement upon the Senate’s passage of the New START Treaty:
J Street applauds the Senate’s ratification of the New START Treaty and is pleased by the bipartisan support for passage before the end of the 111th Congress. The treaty will enhance the long-term security interests of the United States and Israel, among many other benefits. In particular, the New START Treaty is a critical part of President Obama’s efforts to rebuild the US-Russian relationship, which has enabled unprecedented cooperation between Moscow and the international community against Iran’s nuclear program. More so, by curtailing nuclear stockpiles in the former Soviet Union, the treaty reduces the risk of fissile materials, weapons components, or complete warheads falling into the hands of extremists who seek to target the US, Israel and its Western allies. As we look ahead to 2011, we can only hope that a similar resolve to rise above partisan differences can be brought to pursuing the resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, an American priority for decades under both Democratic and Republican administrations.