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“'anti - Israel' Adviser Top Pick for Ambassador to Syria?”
by WND - Aaron Klein   
August 13th, 2009

Long considered one of Jewish state's greatest foes in Washington

JAFFA, Israel – Daniel Kurtzer, President Obama's Mideast adviser, is the lead candidate to serve as U.S. ambassador to Syria, a senior Egyptian security official told WND.

Kurtzer, a former U.S. ambassador to Israel, long has been seen in Jerusalem as one of the Jewish state's greatest foes in Washington. He has been identified by Jewish and Israeli leaders, including prime ministers speaking on the record, as biased against Israel and is notorious for urging extreme concessions from the Jewish state.

In a surprise move, the White House in June announced it decided to send a U.S. ambassador back to Syria, a dramatic sign of reconciliation between the two countries. The U.S. withdrew the American ambassador to Syria in 2005 after the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. Syria was widely blamed in the murder.

Syria, in a military alliance with Iran, also is accused of supporting the insurgency against U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. Syria openly supports Palestinian terrorism, and hosts the leaders of the Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorist groups.

According to a source with close ties to the State Department, the Obama White House recently transferred responsibility of U.S.-Syrian policy from State to the White House.

The White House did not immediately respond to a query about whether Kurtzer was being considered for the position.

'Foe of Israel'

Kurtzer came under fire last summer when he traveled to Damascus where he reportedly urged Syrian officials to fast-track negotiations with Israel aiming at an Israeli withdrawal from the strategic Golan Heights. Kurtzer at the time stressed he was not in Damascus as part of Obama's campaign but instead was visiting as a private expert attending an international lawyers conference.

The Golan looks down on Israeli population centers and twice was by Syria to mount ground invasions into the Jewish state.

Kurtzer has been blasted by mainstream Jewish organizations, including the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, which usually restrains itself when commenting on U.S. officials.

"We oppose the appointment of Kurtzer because of his long, documented record of hostility to and severe pressure upon Israel," said Zionist Organization of America National Chairman Morton Klein.

He has angered Israeli leaders many times for pushing Israel into what they described as extreme concessions to the Palestinians.

"With Jews like Kurtzer, it is impossible to build a healthy relationship between Israel and the United States," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Nentanyahu was quoted saying in 2001 by Israel's Haaretz newspaper.

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