U.S. ambassador said: "My family fears for my life"

In the shadow of war in the south, representatives of various countries come down to meet with the vertices of the state, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Shimon Peres and Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman.

But far from the media eye, an interesting meeting took place this morning (Tuesday) between the Chairman of Agudath Yisrael in Jerusalem, Rabbi Meir Porush and Rabbi Aaron David Davis - Foreign Relations of the Agudath Yisrael in Jerusalem alongside the incoming U.S. ambassador Michael Alan Rettney, in his house on Egron Street in the city. The meeting was also attended by Jeremy Brandt who serves as political representative of the U.S. State Department in the consulate.

Mr. Rettney has a rich resume and is highly influential on U.S. and Israeli matters and in recent years held various U.S. embassies and consulates throughout the world including Qatar, Morocco and Beirut and as chief mediator between the provisional governments in Baghdad.

This is the first meeting of this version held by Porush. Two months ago U.S. ambassador to Israel, Dan Shapiro visited his home.

But the meeting this morning, which was supposed to be a routine part of the close ties between the U.S. consulate and Agudath Yisrael in Jerusalem, quickly became timely in the spirit of these days when Hamas and other terrorist organizations fired at most of the state of Israel.

Rabbi Porush told the ambassador that at the time when Menachem Begin was head of the opposition in Israel, Begin asked the then U.S. President, what would you do if they were shelling at Washington, Seattle and Chicago? '"In the same way we may ask today," he said, "when the State of Israel has become a front for Hamas and other terrorist organizations."

The ambassador reiterated that he had received a clear message from Washington that Israel has a right to protect its citizens and the United States have a deep understanding on the matter.

The ambassador told of his personal experience. "When the siren went off in Jerusalem," he said, "I received phone calls from family members concerned and frightened for my well being. Indeed," he concluded, "This situation is certainly not pleasant."

After the meeting the ambassador concluded to continue establishing links between Agudath Yisrael - Jerusalem and the Consulate.

'בחדרי' גם ברשתות החברתיות - הצטרפו!