Averting Israel's isolation

Editorial

Think about it. Only one country stands between Israel and total isolation, Howard Kohr, executive director of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, told 500 attentive listeners in Scottsdale last week.

That country, of course, is the United States.

To maintain strong U.S. support, Israel advocates can make it their business not only to struggle to understand complicated Near East geo-politics, but also to stand up and be counted as participants in the American political process.

Practicing democracy at home will help to strengthen Israel's democracy halfway around the world.

It's time for those of us who have complacently exercised our responsibility as citizens only by entering the voting booth to take the next step: active participation. We can begin by calling our political party headquarters, showing up at district meetings, volunteering to answer phones, stuffing envelopes and distributing candidate literature.

We can file petitions to run for precinct committeemen, representing voters on a grassroots level, and building relationships with fellow party members and other elected officials.

Once we've earned political capital through local participation, we can spend part of it to strengthen U.S.-Israeli democratic ties.

We can help candidates and elected officials learn about Israel's rich culture, religion and politics by offering information and extending an invitation to visit a living, breathing classroom: the state of Israel. AIPAC, the American Jewish Committee and the American-Israel Friendship League all host interfaith political missions.

While Israel's history is ancient, its modern experiment in democracy is young. Together, the United States and Israel can explore valuable political lessons, learned through hard experience.

We also can contribute financially directly to candidates' campaigns or through a political action committee. Founders of a fledgling Grand Canyon Caucus PAC plan to contribute to pro-Israel candidates - Republican, Democratic and Independent - beyond Arizona's borders. For information, call 602-274-4224.

At last week's AIPAC meeting here, Kohr said the United States makes Israel feel like "part and partner with the greatest nation on the face of the earth." By practicing democracy, locally and globally, we each can do our part to make these words a reality.

Home