This week, as
the war in Iraq dominates the news and our worries about the Middle East,
American supporters of Israel's government came to Capitol Hill to try to
block the Bush Administration from moving forward on the "Road Map" peace
plan.
About 5,000 members of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC)
came to the annual convention to voice concern about the plan, while
attempting to avoid the appearance of a direct confrontation with
President Bush. Both Secretary of State Powell and National Security
Advisor Condoleezza Rice spoke in support of the plan, stating that the
"road map" is to be implemented, not negotiated, and that Israel must play
its part to pave the way. Half the Senate and close to half the House came
to AIPAC's Monday night gala.
Then on Wednesday came the Stand for Israel crowd. The fervent Christian
supporters of Israel were addressed by Attorney General John Ashcroft and
House Majority Leader Tom Delay who warned against negotiating with the
Palestinians as a folly that would "amount to a covenant with death."
Delay is reported to view Israel as the biblical promised land.
A number of Republican and Democratic Congressional leaders plan to send a
letter to Bush, with the signatures of dozens of members, that urges him
to take a position that clearly backs the Sharon government. Steny Hoyer
(D-MD), Roy Blunt (R-MO) and House International Relations Committee
Chairman Henry J. Hyde (R-IL) are among those cited as preparing the
letter.
Americans for Peace Now and the Israel Policy Forum, two American Jewish
organizations that are supporters of Israeli-Palestinian peace quickly
responded with messages and action calls of support for the "Road Map"
peace plan.
The plan itself has not been released to the public or officially provided
to Israel and the Palestinian leadership although reports of its contents
have been published. CMEP will be studying the document and sending you
more information and guidance for advocacy.
The following is an update on the advocacy effort by CMEP and others to
stop Israel's settlement activity in the occupied territories by placing
conditions on new aid to Israel. The Iraq War Supplemental will soon be
finalized -- (HR1559 & S 762). Differences in the House and Senate
versions of the bill will be ironed out in a House-Senate conference
expected to take place early next week, with the bill headed back to the
floors of both chambers for passage before Congress breaks for its Spring
recess on April 11th. It looks like any conditioning on Israel's aid will
be limited to the ban on the use of U.S.-backed loan guarantees for
activities in the West Bank and Gaza. However, this will probably be
inconsequential since it has long been a requirement of all U.S. aid to
Israel that it cannot be used in the occupied territories. It is hoped
that the recent advocacy focus given the settlement policy will make it
feasible for the Administration to press the Sharon government to change
its settlement policy.
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