Jewish conference to honor Susan Rice

The Obama administration may not be getting a whole lot of love from the pro-Israel community these days, but tonight, the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations is giving their annual National Service Award to U.N. Representative Susan Rice.

Rice plans to use her acceptance speech at tonight’s event in New York to both defend the Obama administration’s record on Israel and spell out the increased military and security cooperation that’s taken place on Obama’s watch. Previous winners include House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) and House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer (D-MD).

Here are some excerpts of Rice’s speech, obtained by The Cable:

"America remains deeply and permanently committed to Israel’s peace and security. It is a commitment for this president and this Administration. It spans generations. It spans political parties. It is not negotiable. And it never will be," Rice will say.

"From the moment he took office, President Obama’s guidance has been clear: to strengthen and deepen that commitment. He has been clear all along that our special relationship with Israel is deeply rooted in our common interests and our common values."

"That’s why we’ve increased cooperation between our militaries to unprecedented levels. That’s why, even in these tough fiscal times, we’ve increased foreign military financing to record levels. That’s why we’ve also included additional support for the lifesaving Iron Dome anti-rocket system — which saw action just days ago in defense of innocent Israelis who live near the Gaza frontier."

"That’s why we’re working jointly to toughen up Israel’s security through the Arrow system; and through David’s Sling; and through joint military exercises that have never been more robust."

"That’s why, if you ask members of the uniformed military of Israel or the United States, if you talk to leaders at the Kirya or the Pentagon, you’ll hear the same assessment: the American commitment to Israel’s qualitative military edge has never been stronger. That’s a fact, plain and simple."

"Of course, the Arab world is undergoing unprecedented political change, and the calls for freedom across the region have brought legitimate security concerns. But let there be no doubt: we are doing all we can to ensure that Israel remains secure even as the region becomes more free."