-Caveat Lector- http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=JPost/A/JPArticle/PrinterFull&cid= 1036619253808
New Congress remains strongly pro-Israel Janine Zacharia Nov. 6, 2002 WASHINGTON While congressional support for Israel has been overwhelmingly strong in recent years regardless of which party controlled Congress, pro-Israel lobbyists celebrated the Republican sweep in Tuesday's mid-term election. "This new Congress is very supportive and is likely to be the most pro-Israel Congress that we've seen," said one Jewish official who tracks the Israel issue on Capitol Hill. Morris Amitay, the head of the non-partisan pro-Israel Washington PAC, said, "If you are looking strictly at Israel, it was a good night." Others said the impact would be minimal, since support for Israel is generally bipartisan. Several of Israel's key Democratic detractors in the House, who often loudly opposed but failed to block pro-Israel legislation, had already been eliminated in the primaries. "There has been a tradition of bipartisan support for Israel," said one Jewish official with a major American Jewish organization. "I don't see any traditional implications in terms of Congress's support for Israel arising out of this election." The number of Jewish senators grew from 10 to 11 with the victory of Democrat Frank Lautenberg in New Jersey. Norm Coleman, who triumphed in Minnesota, is also Jewish and has been a long-time member of the Republican Jewish Coalition. Coleman had been competing against another Jewish senator, Paul Wellstone, before Wellstone was killed in a plane crash last month. "Coleman is going to be terrific. He will be strongly pro-Israel," said Amitay. The number of Jews in the House of Representatives remains 26 out of a total of 435. It appeared the strong Republican showing in the House and Senate rates would bolster the president as he pursues regime change in Iraq. He has already won an endorsement from the outgoing Congress for war if diplomatic efforts fail. "This has empowered Bush to go forward with his foreign policy, his battle against terrorism and Saddam Hussein, and his strong stance against the Palestinians," said Jack Rosen, president of the American Jewish Congress. Rosen added that he believed the American people wanted to help Bush solidify support on Capitol Hill for his foreign policy agenda. Some Jewish officials expressed disappointment that Rep. John Sununu (R-New Hampshire) had triumphed in his Senate bid against Democratic Governor Jeanne Shaheen. While Sununu has been a consistent supporter of foreign aid, he has rejected several prominent AIPAC legislative initiatives over the years. One Jewish activist who has tracked US-Israel relations for decades posited that Republican control of both houses of Congress could be problematic if Bush is prompted to take a tough line with Israel's Likud leadership. In such a scenario, the president's own party, the activist said, may be reluctant to criticize the president. While some forecast that more American Jews could vote Republican in the 2004 election, the community is still largely Democratic. David Harris, deputy director of the National Jewish Democratic Council, said that while Israel remains a bipartisan issue, many of the Republicans' domestic priorities are opposed by the bulk of Jewish Americans, who are overwhelmingly pro-choice and favor a strong separation of church and state. This article can also be read at http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite? pagename=JPost/A/JPArticle/ ShowFull&cid=1036619253808 [ Back to the Article ] Copyright 1995-2002 The Jerusalem Post - http://www.jpost.com/ <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/";>www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance�not soap-boxing�please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'�with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds�is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html <A HREF="http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html";>Archives of [EMAIL PROTECTED]</A> http://archive.jab.org/ctrl@;listserv.aol.com/ <A HREF="http://archive.jab.org/ctrl@;listserv.aol.com/">ctrl</A> ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
