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June 25, 2004/Tamuz 6 5764, Vol. 56, No. 40
House backs Bush pledge to Israel
RON KAMPEAS
Jewish Telegraphic Agency
WASHINGTON - A vote in Congress overwhelmingly backing President Bush's diplomatic assurances to Ariel Sharon suggests bipartisan and Jewish unity - but a closer reading reveals some fissures between Democrats and Republicans, and among pro-Israel lobbyists.
The resolution passed the U.S. House of Representatives on June 23 by a 407-9 vote. As Bush did, the resolution recognizes "new realities on the ground, including already existing major Israeli population centers" in the West Bank, and rejects any Palestinian refugee "right of return" to Israel.
The vote is a clear turning point: Congress has streng-thened Israel's hand im-measurably in any future U.S.-brokered talks with the Palestinians by recognizing the historic shift in U.S. foreign policy outlined in Bush's April 14 speech.
"It lays the foundation of American policy with regard to the future of Middle East peace on these critical core issues," said Josh Block, a spokesman for the American Israel Public Affairs Com-mittee, who noted the rarity of bipartisanship in a highly charged political season.
Missing, however, is any explicit reference to the price the Israeli prime minister paid for the historic assurances: a pledge to withdraw from Gaza.
The omission reflects differences over the Pale-stinians' role in the process, between those who favor drawing the Palestinians back into talks and those happy to shut them out.
Americans for Peace Now said that leaving out the Gaza withdrawal - and the Palestinians - meant the dovish group could not support the resolution.
The resolution "fails to endorse the most important aspects of Prime Minister Sharon's disengagement proposal," said Debra DeLee, APN's president. "It fails to back the evacuation of Israeli settlers, which is a central reason why President Bush offered his political assurances to Sharon."
Also opposing the resolution was Tikkun, another dovish group, which supports Israel's withdrawal from the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
The resolution's language was the result of negotiations between the offices of Reps. Tom DeLay (R-Texas), the House majority leader, and Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), the minority whip.
DeLay's views are close to those of Sharon, who has done his best to sideline the current Palestinian Authority leader-ship in planning the with-drawal, and to those of right-wing Israelis who oppose a withdrawal.
Hoyer is closer to those in the pro-Israel community who - like the Bush administration - favor a Gaza withdrawal and hope it will help produce a more responsible Palestinian leadership willing to crack down on terrorism.
A Senate version of the resolution, also touted by leaders of both parties, does mention the Gaza withdrawal, reflecting greater cooperation between Bush and Senate Republicans. It also refers to Israel's pledge to limit settlement growth and to the temporary nature of the West Bank security barrier.
It was unclear when majority leader Sen. Bill Frist (R-Tenn.) and minority leader Tom Daschle (D-S.D.) would propose the resolution.
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