Jewish groups support Rice for her staunch defense of Israel [View all]

[King_David]

Thursday, 06 December 2012 13:46 Ron Kampeas, JTA

WASHINGTON — The very quality that helped get Susan Rice in hot water with some in Washington is what many pro-Israel groups have come to appreciate — she is a vigorous and reliable defender of the Obama administration’s foreign policies.

Rice, the US ambassador to the UN who is widely seen as a leading candidate to replace Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, has garnered plaudits from Jewish communal leaders over her defenses of Israel at the world body.

“She has proven herself as an ardent defender of major Israeli positions in an unfriendly forum,” said Abraham Foxman, the ADL’s national director.

“And I’m more comfortable with the person I know than the person I don’t know. She is close to the president and that’s important in that position if you have someone you can relate to and understands us.”

If Obama nominates Rice, however, she would likely face opposition from Senate Republicans

http://www.ijn.com/ijn-news/national/3597-jewish-groups-support-rice-staunch-defense-israel