Israel's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defense Ehud Barak said the Obama White House has been the most supportive administration throughout the two countries' diplomatic relations on matters of Israeli security, in a CNN interview "The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer."
Barak -also a former prime minister of Israel - said that though historically administrations from both political parties have supported the Jewish state President Obama's support, security-wise, is unparalleled.
"I think that from my point of view as defense minister they are extremely good, extremely deep and profound. I can see long years, um, administrations of both sides of political aisle deeply supporting the state of Israeli and I believe that reflects a profound feeling among the American people," said Barak. "But I should tell you honestly that this administration under President Obama is doing in regard to our security more than anything that I can remember in the past."
Asked by Blitzer if the president has been more supportive than previous administrations' Barak said, "In terms of the support for our security, the cooperation of our intelligence, the sharing of sorts in a very open way even when there are differences which are not simple sometimes, I've found their support for our defense very stablePressed if the Obama administration has been the most supportive ever, throughout history of U.S.-Israeli relations, Barak affirmed, saying that from his recollection of President Carter forward - "the defense relation between Israel and the United States are extremely stable and good."
Barak continued, "It doesn't mean that we agree on everything, it's very well known that differences between our government and the American administration about peace process about other issues, but I believe that in regard to world turmoil, in regard to Hezbollah, in regard to what happens in Syria, in regard to Iran, we basically – basically agree on the diagnosis. We don't agree on the prognosis on some of the issues."
Barak's comments come as presumptive GOP nominee Mitt Romney departs the country as part of a three-country tour that took him from London to Israel and now Poland as he campaigns for the presidency on foreign soil. While on the campaign trail in the United States, Romney has repeatedly criticized Obama for a lack of support for Israel, a valued US ally.
The Republican contender, however, has not proposed a drastically different set of policy standards for the Jewish state if he were to become elected. While abroad, Romney has largely declined to comment on his administration's policy telling reporters that he will not criticize US international matters on foreign soil.
Barak – formerly the Israeli prime minister from 1999 to 2001 and leader of the Labor Party until last year – was appointed to the current administration under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in 2009.
-CNN
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