WASHINGTON, D.C. - Montana's Congressman, Denny Rehberg, released the following statement in response to President Obama's Middle East policy statements.

"From Tunisia to Egypt, we have recently witnessed an awakening of North Africa and the Middle East to human rights and democracy at a level that was unimaginable a year ago.  I was pleased to see that President Obama acknowledged these historic events of the 'Arab Spring.'  However, I was very disappointed the President used this opportunity to question Israel, the first true democracy in a region ruled by dictators.  His statement supporting a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, contingent on using the 1967 borders as a starting point, undermines Israel’s ability to successfully negotiate a lasting peace and is not an appropriate demand for the U.S. to make of our closest ally in the region."