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May 28, 2004/Sivan 8 5764, Vol. 56, No. 36
Senator blasts pro-Israel lobby - again
MATHEW E. BERGER
Jewish Telegraphic Agency
Washington - Never known as genteel or soft-spoken, Ernest "Fritz" Hollings is ending his 38 years in the Senate with a typical bang - and one that a number of Jewish groups could do without.
In a speech May 20 on the Senate floor, the South Carolina Democrat blasted the pro-Israel lobby for the second time this month and suggested that presidents and lawmakers for years have followed policy prescribed by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.
"You can't have an Israel policy other than what AIPAC gives you around here," Hollings said. "I have followed them mostly in the main, but I have also resisted signing certain letters from time to time, to give the poor president a chance."
Hollings, who is retiring this year at age 82, took to the floor to defend a column he wrote in a newspaper in his home state earlier this month, suggesting that the Bush administration went to war in Iraq on Israel's behalf.
The comments come as Demo-crats are fighting to retain 3-1 support among Jewish voters and campaign donors. President Bush's vigorous prosecution of the war on terrorism and his strong support for Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon have made him unusually popular, for a Republican, with Jewish voters.
Several American Jewish organizations reacted strongly to Hollings' column, suggesting he was scapegoating the Jewish community and providing ammunition for anti-Semitic attacks.
"I don't apologize for this column," Hollings said. "I want them to apologize to me for talking about anti-Semitism."
And he reiterated his view that the Iraq war was fought for Israel.
"That is not a conspiracy. That is the policy," he said. "Everybody knows it because we want to secure our friend, Israel."
Hollings also said he spoke out of concern for Israel and the dangers he believes the war raised for the Jewish state.
"I think, frankly, we have caused more terrorism than we have gotten rid of," he said.
In his newspaper column, Hollings cited Israeli experts as saying that prewar Iraq posed little danger to the Jewish state.
Hollings has had a mixed record in his 38 years in the Senate, and some pro-Israel lobbyists say he has a poor voting record on Israel. He also is known for putting his foot in his mouth, and in the past has apologized for remarks that offended blacks and Japanese.
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