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Tuesday, November 29, 2005
Some headlines and summaries from JTA
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Hoyer looks to Israel aid
Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said he believes the United States will approve a supplemental aid package for Israel next year.
The U.S. House of Representatives’ minority whip said he believes an aid package, to develop the Negev and Galilee regions in the wake of Israel’s withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, will find support in the next congressional session. Israel had been expected to ask for additional aid this year, but held off after the U.S. government incurred huge costs from fall hurricanes.
“Next year, hopefully it will get serious consideration,” Hoyer said Tuesday in a meeting in New York with JTA’s editorial staff. “If we have the willingness to do so, we can afford to deal not only with tragedies at home but continue to invest in parts of the world that are critical.”
In a wide-ranging discussion, Hoyer said he believes Iran will come under increasing European pressure to end its presumed nuclear-weapons program, and said the United States should do more to end genocide in the Sudan. He called national security policy the Democratic Party’s “Achilles heel,” adding that the party must do more to showcase its security credentials and communicate a coherent foreign policy vision to Jews and other voters.
U.S., Israel discuss Iran
Iran was a focus of the renewed Israel-U.S. strategic dialogue.
“Discussions covered a broad range of regional issues,” State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said in a statement Tuesday. “Both sides also expressed concern at the Iranian government’s growing radicalization and its irresponsible policy on nuclear issues.”
The dialogue, which resumed Monday, had been suspended for three years because of U.S. displeasure over Israeli arms sales to China.
A memorandum of understanding signed this summer gives the United States a veto on Israeli arms sales.
Leading the dialogue are Tzachi Hanegbi, an Israeli Cabinet minister; and Nicholas Burns, a U.S. undersecretary of state.
E.U. official blasts Hamas
Hamas will remain on the European Union’s list of terrorist organizations until it renounces violence and recognizes the State of Israel, E.U. officials said.
E.U.’s ambassador to Israel, Ramiro Cibrian-Uzal, made the comments Monday to reporters.
At the same time, Cibrian-Uzal said he respected the Palestinian Authority’s decision to allow Hamas to participate in Palestinian legislative elections slated for January.
Jewish leaders meet new German official
Jewish officials met in New York with Germany’s new foreign minister.
Frank-Walter Steinmeier, in the United States for talks with American officials, met separately Monday with Jewish leaders from the American Jewish Committee, the World Jewish Congress, the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations and the Leo Baeck Institute.
The Jewish officials said they discussed issues ranging from the allocation of funds to home-bound Holocaust survivors to German-Jewish relations to Germany playing a role in fostering interreligious dialogue in Europe among Jews, Christians and Muslims.
“We dealt with all of the outstanding issues that the Claims Conference will have to deal with the new government on,” said Rabbi Israel Singer, chairman of the WJC. “I wanted him to know that these are not just internal issues, but external issues as well.”
Leaders also raised the issue of Iran’s nuclear ambitions. Germany is a member of the European Troika negotiating with Iran on nuclear issues.
Presidents Conference Executive Vice Chairman Malcolm Hoenlein said he has “every reason to believe we will have a good relationship with” Steinmeier, who recently was named foreign minister in Germany’s new government.
Canada sets up peace center
Canada will establish a center to provide wide-ranging support for peace efforts in the West Bank, Gaza and throughout the Middle East, Canada’s foreign affairs minister announced yesterday.
The Canada Centre for Peace and Democracy in the Middle East will provide a platform for increased Canadian activity with both the Palestinian Authority and Israel, and will serve as “a concrete symbol of Canada’s dedication to supporting Palestinians in their nation-building,” Pierre Pettigrew said.
“Our goal is to contribute to the foundation of a viable Palestinian state, with a dynamic society and vibrant economy,” Pettigrew said. “We want to improve living standards and help create a Palestinian state that includes democracy, the rule of law, strong public administration and good governance.”
B’nai Brith Canada expressed concern that the plan for the Centre “conspicuously omits any references to Palestinian terrorism.” The center “should have as its cornerstone an insistence by Canada that Palestinians live up to their repeated promises to rein in terrorists,” said Frank Dimant, the organization’s executive vice-president.
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