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Thursday, May 25, 2006
Some headlines and summaries from JTA
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Senate tones down Palestinian anti-terrorism bill
A Senate version of the Palestinian Anti-Terrorism Act narrows its scope and restores presidential prerogatives.
The version of the bill passed this week in the U.S. House of Representatives split the pro-Israel community. The American Israel Public Affairs Committee strongly backed the House version, but dovish pro-Israel groups opposed it because it cut off assistance to the Palestinian Authority no matter who governed it and removed the president’s power to waive its provisions for national security reasons.
A Senate version, written in close consultation with the White House and due to come to the Senate floor by Friday evening, targets the Palestinian Authority only so long as Hamas, a terrorist group, is in power and refuses to renounce terrorism or recognize Israel’s right to exist. It also restores some of the president’s waivers, specifically allowing the United States to assist P.A. President Mahmoud Abbas, a relative moderate who is in a power struggle with Hamas.
The Senate bill earned praise from Americans for Peace Now, which called it “responsible.”
Once the bill passes the Senate, it goes to House-Senate conference.
McCollum, AIPAC make up
A Minnesota congresswoman reconciled with AIPAC.
Rep. Betty McCollum (D-Minn.) met Wednesday with Howard Kohr, the executive director of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, to discuss the fall-out after McCollum’s chief-of-staff alleged that an AIPAC volunteer accused McCollum of “supporting terrorists” for opposing legislation that would cut assistance to the Palestinian Authority.
The volunteer, Amy Rotenberg, had previously said the chief of staff, Bill Harper, misconstrued their phone conversation.
McCollum, who has strong relations with the St. Paul Jewish community, opposed the legislation, saying it would tie U.S. hands should a moderate Palestinian leadership emerge. She favors isolating Hamas, a terrorist group.
After a month of tense exchanges, Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-N.Y.), who is close to AIPAC and McCollum, brokered a meeting.
In a statement, McCollum described “a polite conversation in which we agreed to disagree regarding the policy implications of H.R. 4681.”
She “appreciated” Kohr’s acknowledgement of her pro-Israel record. “I expressed my resolve to continue to work with all pro-Israel groups who are committed to working respectfully and constructively for security, peace and human dignity in the Middle East,” McCollum said.
Olmert to go to Europe
Ehud Olmert is scheduled to visit London and Paris next month.
The Prime Minister’s Office announced the June 11-15 tour Thursday after Olmert returned from his first trip to the United States as prime minister.
According to Israeli officials, Olmert will assess bilateral ties in Paris and London, as well as Europe’s role in diplomatic efforts to curb Iran’s nuclear program.
Congressman asks Bush to press Israel on Christians
A congressman asked President Bush to take up the plight of West Bank Christians with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.
Rep. Henry Hyde (R-Ill.), the chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives’ International Relations Committee, wrote Bush last week, saying: “I cannot be blind when Israeli actions seem to go beyond the realm of legitimate security concerns and have negative consequences on communities and lands under their occupation.”
According to columnist Robert Novak, who reported the letter Thursday, Hyde attached a five-page single-space report by the latter’s staff. It says the “Christian community is being crushed in the mill of the bitter Israeli-Palestinian conflict” and charges that Israel’s security barrier and settlements “are irreversibly damaging the dwindling Christian community.”
Novak says Bush’s staff was “unsympathetic” to Hyde’s concerns. It is not clear if Bush raised the issue with Olmert when they met this week.
Israeli court changes mind on admitting lawyer
An Israeli court reversed itself and barred a British human-rights lawyer from entering Israel.
Israeli judge Avraham Tal reversed his ruling made earlier Thursday when he said the Interior Ministry could not bar Kate Maynard from Israel, where she wanted to attend a human rights conference.
Tal did ask the ministry to allow Maynard to enter Israel, but the ministry refused to do so.
Maynard was involved in last year’s filing of a private war-crimes suit against Doron Almog, a retired Israeli army general, in connection with a counterterrorist action in the Gaza Strip.
http://www.jta.org/
posted by Somebody @ 10:59 PM Permanent Link
 
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