The New Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee

The Forward runs a profile of Rep. Howard Berman, the new Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee:

The evenhandedness that Berman, 67, is perceived to bring to the job has earned him praise from both parties, a rare honor in the highly partisan atmosphere that has pervaded Congress in recent years. . . .

While Berman defines himself as a liberal, on Middle East issues he is perceived by a broad swath of Jewish communal officials to be firmly in the mainstream.

“I have known Congressman Berman for many years, and I am continually impressed by his personal commitment to strengthening the bond between the United States and Israel,” said Larry Weinberg, a board member of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. . . .

Several Capitol Hill insiders contacted by the Forward said that Berman stands out for his willingness to listen and learn about Middle East issues. While many lawmakers come to speak at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy’s annual fall seminar, he is the only one who sits through three days of discussions and presentations, even when he is not a speaker.

Berman was born in Los Angeles, graduated from Hamilton High, UCLA and UCLA Law School.  He has been in Congress since 1983.

His remarks earlier this week during the House debate on the Resolution recognizing the 60th anniversary of the founding of the modern State of Israel were a model of concise eloquence:

The remarkable story of Israel’s foundation and survival is inspiring. Shortly after the decision by the United Nations to partition the Palestine of the British Mandate into Jewish and Arab states, Israel declared its independence on May 14, 1948, in Tel Aviv. In response, Israel’s Arab neighbors invaded the new, and tiny, Jewish state. And, to the surprise of the so-called experts and pundits everywhere, the nascent Israel Defense Forces prevailed, defending the people of Israel and soundly defeating the Arab coalition.

"French President Nicolas Sarkozy called the emergence of the state of Israel a "miracle of the 20th Century." However, Golda Meir once remarked that there had been too much self-sacrifice and too many lives lost for Israel’s emergence to be considered a miracle.

"But the establishment and evolution of the state of Israel can be considered without doubt one of the dazzling human achievements of our times. Hundreds of thousands of Jews and their descendants have escaped oppression — or worse — because Israel exists. Spurning the authoritarian model that dominates its region and persevering in a sea of enmity, Israel has built a world-class civilization: a vibrant democracy, a thriving economy, and a culturally and academically rich society.

"The American people — and particularly the United States Congress — have contributed mightily to Israel’s sustenance and security over the years. Of that we are justifiably proud.

"But Israel’s triumphant story is also tinged with tragedy. Each year, just before its Independence Day, Israel honors soldiers who have fallen in its defense. A siren sounds all over the nation, and Israelis everywhere stop to remember.

"This minute of silence is a poignant memory for all who have witnessed it. But it is also, unfortunately, symbolic of Israel’s wider regional reality. For Israel has lived under the Damoclean threat since its birth. . . .

". . . Israel today lives under potentially greater threats to its wellbeing and existence than ever before. The daily rocket assaults from Gaza, controlled by fundamentalist Hamas, have wreaked vast physical and psychological damage on the people of Sderot, not to mention the fact that they have killed more than a dozen Israelis. And increasingly sophisticated rockets are being used; they are more deadly accurate by the day, and they have greater range. In Israel’s north, Hezbollah’s replenished missile supply poses an even greater threat.

"On the other end of the military spectrum, a theologically-based state — the Islamic Republic of Iran, whose President says Israel should be "wiped off the map" — is developing nuclear weapons and long-range missiles. . . .

". . . now it is time to reaffirm our nation’s pledge to Israel: that we will stand in solidarity with Israel against all violent assaults on its security and wellbeing.

"And, most of all, it is the time to say to our friend and ally, Israel: Congratulations on your incredible social, political, economic, and technological achievements in the face of the most stupefying odds. We in the United States could not be prouder of our special relationship with you.”