Boehner says US must be strong partner for Israel

House Speaker John Boehner says the U.S. commitment to Israel should be stronger now as the American ally faces challenges to its existence in the volatile Middle East.

In an address Sunday to the Jewish National Fund conference in Cincinnati, the Ohio Republican dismissed suggestions that Israel has isolated itself and he argued that the Jewish state stands above others as the "one true beacon of freedom and opportunity" in the region.

The U.S., he said, must stand by Israel's side "not just as a broker or observer — but as a strong partner and reliable ally."