Posted on 12/27/2005 8:32:47 AM PST by SJackson
WASHINGTON - In an effort to defend Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice against allegations of heavy-handedness in brokering an Israeli-Palestinian border-crossing deal, the heads of America's two largest synagogue movements are calling on members of the House of Representatives to sign a letter commending her efforts.
Rabbi Eric Yoffie, president of the Union for Reform Judaism, and Rabbi Jerome Epstein, executive vice president of the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, sent a letter to all House members, urging them to sign a letter congratulating Rice. The letter is making the rounds on Capitol Hill. Seymour Reich, president of the Israel Policy Forum, also signed the plea.
The congressional letter to Rice, initiated by Illinois Republican Rep. Henry Hyde and by California Democrat Rep. Lois Capps, states: "Your role in the achievement of this accord, and the subsequent successful opening of the Gaza crossing point, clearly demonstrates the value of robust, hands-on U.S. diplomatic engagement with Israel and the Palestinians. Indeed, more than three decades of Middle East peace efforts have shown that breakthroughs come only when the U.S. president or secretary of state is personally involved."
(Excerpt) Read more at haaretz.com ...
Articles on Israel can also be found by clicking the keyword Israel.
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Condi can protest all she wants about how she has no interest in becoming President, but I think she's going get to dragged into the job, kicking and screaming if necessary. When you look at the list of wannabe candidates for 2008, and then you look at Condi, she's just on a completely different level than the wannabe crowd.
That the Reform movement often supports things not in Israel's best interest is nothing new. It's sad to see the Conservative movement in on this.
Condi Rice is a protege of Brent Scowcroft and no friend of Israel.
Condi will never get my vote.
It certainly looks like a grooming process for President. She certainly will not get my vote under any circumstances.
The Rice and Israel issue has to do with two of a number of changes that need to occur and will, one way or another. People don't like philosophical/cultural changes, especially when those changes involve resumptions of older beliefs that were once discarded.
Please explain?
Please explain?
Reform and Conservative Jews are really theological "liberals".
The Orthodox Jews are the theological "conservatives" and generally support Republicans while the other two groups generally vote Democrat.
If I'm wrong on this, correct me.
If I'm right, it shows Rice - or the Administration which directs her - is politically naive at best, inept and stupid at worst with regrads to the Phillistinians and their goals and thinking.
I will never support her at any attempt for public office.
First off, to dictate how others should get along is really pie-in-the-sky especially when the person doing the dictating has never seen or been accustomed to incoming rocket and small arms fire. These things are not learned in universities. You have to experience it in order to make a judgement. The Jewish people and the Arabs have been at each others throats for a long time. They need to work it out amongst themselves.
Yoffie is a Marxist, not a "Jewish leader". Deformed so-called Rabbis love to hate Israel, praise the Arabs, and are willing to see all of Israel shrunk into Tel Aviv. Condi has been ridiculously anti-Israel in her bias. Less than 12 hrs after the Gaza withdrawl she said "not enough" and demanded "more Israeli sacrifices", which asking for NOTHING from Arafat Jr., Abbas. This press release is an absolute joke.
Regarding Rice's quote, I think you were hoodwinked by the NYT. Here is the blog I found. The NYT:
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Wednesday offered sympathy for the Israeli settlers who are being removed from their homes in Gaza but also made it clear that she expected Israel and the Palestinians to take further steps in short order toward the creation of a Palestinian state.The truth:
"Everyone empathizes with what the Israelis are facing," Ms. Rice said in an interview. But she added, "It cannot be Gaza only."
The transcript of the interview was posted by the State Department this week. It shows that the purported quote -- made the centerpiece of the Times story -- was constructed by the Times from two separate, unrelated comments by Rice -- one taken out of context, the other not even accurately quoted.
She is on another level, but can she play politics?
If I see one more patsy panzie white-bred wimp RINO idiot with no street skills and no edge, I am going to puke.
We need someone tough and who can fight. We need a
street-smart tough as nails scrapper, not a country club idiot convincing me that torturting terrorists and CFR and Drugs for already wealthy seniors is a good thing.
As far as now, I think the GOP is dead in the water unless things change real soon.
Say what you want about Rudy, but he was the only Mofo who kicked arafat out of the opera house.
Just what we need, another political "player."
A smart man once said:
"More Patton - Less Paton Leather"
The Pres cannot push, but must pull, that is, lead. Can Rice get the Senate to go along with her leadership? Unknown.
For the first time since 1967, Palestinians will gain control over entry and exit from their territory," she said, referring to the Middle East war, when Israel occupied Gaza and the West Bank.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/15/AR2005111500144.html
The only problem is that the "Palistinians" never controled any borders with Egypt in 1967. Slip of the tongue perhaps?
I stand by what I said. She will never get my vote.
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