Previously I presented the case against Daniel Kurtzer as the next U.S. ambassador to Israel.
I won’t cover old territory again — except to say that the man who expects the nomination of the Bush administration to this important position would be a bad choice. He’s tied directly to failed policies of the past. He helped shape them, in fact, probably more than any other diplomat.
But that criticism raises an obvious question: If not Kurtzer, who then?
There’s no question that Kurtzer would be a predictable choice for the Bush administration. He would be, in some ways, a safe choice. He has been part of the Middle East policymaking establishment in Washington for many years. I will even agree that few, besides me, would dare to question his credentials, his experience and his record.
Nevertheless, if there is to be any progress in the Middle East, we have to stop making the same mistakes over and over again. We need to begin looking for new paths. We need to begin questioning the assumptions that have formed the foundation of our recent policies. That will not happen by picking a man who, like it or not, represents the mistakes, the old paths and the erroneous assumptions.
There’s another name being whispered in the ears of the Bush administration by a broad array of people who recognize a new approach is needed in the Middle East.
He’s not a predictable choice. He’s not a safe choice. But he is certainly not tied to the failed policies of the past.
His name is Ed McAteer — a Christian businessman who has been known as a friend of Israel for at least two decades.
McAteer, president of the Religious Roundtable, has, at the urging of friends and elected officials, allowed his name to be submitted for consideration by the White House.
A remarkably diverse coalition of national and local elected officials and Christian and Jewish leaders has sent letters of support on his behalf. These include: Governors Don Sundquist of Tennessee and Mike Huckabee of Arkansas, Sen. Fred Thompson of Tennessee, Mayor Willie Herenton of Memphis, Rep. Ed Bryant of Tennessee, Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore, Americans for a Safe Israel Chairman Herbert Zweibon, Southern Baptist Convention President James Merritt, Rabbi Rafael Grossman, Bush’s Tennessee Chairman David Kustoff, Pastor Adrian Rogers and Thomas Nelson Publishers President Sam Moore.
Why McAteer?
“When Jerusalem’s mayor, Ehud Olmert, remarked some years ago that Ed McAteer ‘should be America’s ambassador to Israel,’ he was right on the mark,” explains Zweibon. “He is intimately familiar with the terrain, the issues and the personalities. The Religious Roundtable, of which he is chair, has taken an active interest in Middle East affairs, which has given Ed the opportunity to become personally acquainted with many of the leading figures and key players.”
In fact, I know first hand that when Olmert made that suggestion to McAteer that his response was: “There’s no job on Earth, including president of the United States, that I would like more.”
In his letter to President Bush, Zweibon said, “Mr. President, the position of U.S. ambassador to Israel is too important to be awarded as just another political favor. The American-Israeli strategic alliance is crucial to the future of the Middle East, and the ambassador to Israel plays an important role in assessing the region, advising the administration on policy as well as implementing policy decisions. Ed McAteer’s background, his ability to communicate with Israel’s leaders, and his personal religious faith combine to eminently qualify him for the position.”
There’s one more important point: Not only is this an ambassadorial appointment too important to be awarded as a political favor, it is also too important to be awarded on the basis of resume — on the basis of previous diplomatic service. Ed McAteer is not looking for a diplomatic career. He’s looking to serve America in a critical role at a critical time in a mission for which he has been well-prepared.
If you would like to join me in supporting Ed McAteer as the next U.S. ambassador to Israel, you can do so by writing to Stuart Holiday at 151 Old Executive Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20500. There is no e-mail address available.
