N.Y. Jewish Leaders Lobbied Rice on Gaza Border Deal
Excerpts:
“New York Jewish leaders encouraged U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to intervene aggressively in the Israeli-Palestinian dispute over the Gaza border crossings, telling her this would gain the support of American Jews, according to sources affiliated with the community’s liberal wing.”
“In particular, the sources said, they urged her to take a tough line against Israel, especially on issues such as a settlement freeze and dismantling illegal settlement outposts. The sources said several leading New York Jews held talks with Rice recently at which these issues, as well as the impasse over the border crossings, were discussed.”
“IPF President Seymour Reich, who participated in the meeting with Rice, told Haaretz, “We don’t presume to say that it was because of our conversation with the secretary of state, or the political paper we sent her, that she acted so aggressively to achieve the border crossing agreement.” However, he added, ‘I have no doubt that we bolstered Rice’s instinct and strengthened her opinion that aggressive American involvement was needed to achieve practical results.’”
U.S. Jews Pushed Rice Into ‘Unprecedented’ Intervention
Excerpts:
“American Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice last week broke her previously stated policy of guiding, but not directing, negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA). Rice used “unusual personal involvement” to pressure Israel and the PA, according to the liberal New York Jewish daily The Forward.”
“Under the agreement, Israel agreed to drop its demand for direct surveillance at the Rafiah border and to rely on video cameras without having authority to intervene on matters of security.”
“The left-wing Israel Policy Forum, Reform movement members and Americans for Peace Now met with Rice to express their backing before her recent trip to the Middle East. The Forum also sent a letter to Rice stating the ‘strong support’ that the Bush administration has ‘from Jewish Americans on both sides of the aisle.'”
“The agreement is in direct contradiction to the disengagement law, according to left wing activist Meron Benvenisti. He wrote in the Hebrew daily Haaretz, ‘One should not dismiss the importance of the Rafiah agreement [which] contradicts the disengagement plan as approved by the Knesset. [It] stated, Israel will oversee and guard the external land envelope.'” .