Cleveland Jewish News - Joyce Visits Israel, Talks Defense

News Article

By Michael C. Butz

Swelling Middle East tension involving Syria and Israel's ability to defend itself in the event of military action were the backdrop for U.S. Rep. Dave Joyce's first trip to Israel last month.

The Russell Township Republican, a congressional freshman whose district includes Solon, Chagrin Falls, Gates Mills, Moreland Hills, Lyndhurst, Highland Heights and other East Side communities, joined several other congressmen on the American Israel Education Foundation-sponsored trip from Aug. 10-18, which took them to places like Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and various cultural landmarks.

One of the highlights of the trip for Joyce, he said, was his opportunity to meet Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

"There's a man whose No. 1 concern is the state of Israel, and it was very clear from his delivery, his prepared remarks and his answers to questions that it's of paramount concern to him," said Joyce, recounting an instance in which Netanyahu likened the United States to an 800-pound gorilla, militarily speaking, and emphatically stated "the gorilla needs to get in the room."

"You could just sense his frustration with the administration in this country. We're allowing the enemy to potentially see daylight between our shoulders, which to me is completely wrong," Joyce said. "It's very important that we continue to support our greatest ally, and it's important that if this administration doesn't set the tone, that we in the House set the tone that Israel is our ally and we'll work with them to maintain their peace."

Joyce, a member of the powerful House appropriations committee, which determines project funding, felt it was important to see how some U.S. funds are put to use in Israel.

"The money we're spending over there is put to tremendous use. When you see the Sling, and all the work they do on intelligence on a day-to-day basis to protect their state -- that's the size of New Jersey -- against overwhelming odds ... you realize we cannot let Iran get a nuclear weapon," he said, referring to David's Sling, an air-defense system designed to intercept medium-range missiles. "We have to protect or do whatever is necessary to make sure that does not occur."

During a lunch in Jezreel Valley, the delegation spoke with a man who told them "the Iron Dome (missile defense) had just saved his grandchildren and daughter who were down in Elat by knocking bombs out of the sky," Joyce said. "He gave everybody in the delegation a framed picture, thanking them for keeping his family alive. It was pretty moving."

When the delegation visited Tiberias and the Sea of Galilee, artillery fire could be heard in the distance.

"You didn't feel nervous ... but you realize that to us it's startling, but the people of Israel live in a constant state of fear," Joyce said. "When they hear the alarm go off, they have 12 to 15 seconds to try to make it to safety, and that's rough for people who just want to live in peace."

The congressional delegation also met with President Shimon Peres, Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat; Yitzhak Molcho, senior adviser to Netanyahu; Major Gen. Amos Yadlin, who spoke about strategic threat assessments; and Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon, who spoke about the challenges of maintaining Israel's borders.

The delegation also spoke to Saeb Erekat, chief negotiator for the PLO Negotiation Affairs Department, whom Joyce said "had a hard time acknowledging Israel's right to exist."

Though he eventually did, and though he said "it's important that the Palestinians and Israelis live in peace," Erekat "didn't win over too many fans in the delegation," Joyce said.

One of the most moving parts of the trip, Joyce said, was his and his wife Kelly's visit to Yad Veshem, the Holocaust history museum.

"The architecture is such that it gives tremendous meaning to each and every exhibit. You start off on the bottom ... and it takes you through the natural progression of the unfortunate things that took place. When you get to the top, it talks about survivors and about all the records of the people who are there, and then you walk out and it's just a beautiful green valley that overlooks Israel. You get the feeling you've walked out of this darkness and into this new beginning," Joyce said. "No one talks during the whole thing. You couldn't even really ask questions because you're so overwhelmed by the exhibits and photos that show you man's inhumanity to man. It's just so hard to comprehend on such a scale."

Source