Ambassador O’Brien concluded his interview on America Reports yesterday stating strongly his support for Israel as President Herzog visits the United States.

O’Brien: “Israel is not an apartheid state. It’s the only place in the Middle East where you have religious freedom – where Christians and Muslims and Jews can practice their religion in safety. It’s the only democracy in the region. It’s our closest ally in the region and it’s a beacon of liberty…Israel is our ally. We need to support them. The president needs to send a strong message to President Herzog that we’re there for them. They’re under threat from Iran, they’re under threat from terrorists in the West Bank, they’re under threat from Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon. They’re literally surrounded by their adversaries, and yet they conduct themselves as a democracy that believes in the rule of law. We need to stand by our Israeli friends; it’s a Jewish state. It’s a home for Jews that have been persecuted around the world for many years. We’ve got to stand with Israel.”