Visiting US Congressmen pledge support for Israel

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090805/wl_mideast_afp/mideastdiplomacyisraeluscongress

Wed Aug 5, 11:55 am ET

JERUSALEM (AFP) – A delegation of 25 US lawmakers from the opposition Republican party assured Israeli President Shimon Peres on Wednesday of strong congressional backing for the Jewish state.

"To a person, all of... us will tell you that we are here, first and foremost, to reconfirm the message that the US Congress stands staunchly on the side of Israel and its struggle," said Republican Whip Eric Cantor.

"We are here to figure out how to strengthen the US-Israel relationship."

Peres warned the visiting lawmakers of the danger of a nuclear-armed Iran.

"What will happen if we do not attain peace? I'm afraid the Middle East will go nuclear," he said.

"This is a point of no return. It would be a mistake that all of us would regret. We have to stop the Iranians and we have to prevent others from going this way."

Iran says its nuclear programme is for civilian purposes only but Israel, which has the Middle East's sole but undeclared nuclear arsenal, fears it is cover for a weapons drive, a suspicion shared by the United States.

Washington has expressed readiness to engage Iran on the nuclear issue but has warned that its offer of dialogue is not open-ended.

A similar delegation of 30 Congressmen from President Barack Obama's Democratic party is to travel to Israel next week.

A top US ally, Israel has in recent months come under diplomatic fire from Obama's administration over its refusal to freeze settlement construction in the occupied West Bank, including annexed Arab east Jerusalem.