with Netanyahu than with his prede-
cessors, Yitzhak Rabin and Shimon
Peres, who were driven by a vision
that enduring peace was at least a
possibility?
Netanyahu's turn to the
Evangelicals also may exacerbate his
problem with middle-of-the-road
American Jews, who generally regard
the Christian right as adversaries
despite their commitment to Israel.
The second element of
Netanyahu's strategy involved GOP
conservatives in Congress.
The prime minister originally had
tried to postpone the Washington
summit because Congress was out of
session. Republican leaders on
Capitol Hill, officials in Jerusalem
felt, would provide important protec-
tion against a public squeeze by the
administration and enable Netanyahu
to go home and say that U.S. support
is as strong as ever.
But by stressing his alliance with
some of the administration's fiercest
critics, Netanyahu steered the pro-
Israel effort — traditionally and
obsessively bipartisan — in the direc-
tion of the partisan wars.
"There's nothing wrong with seek-
ing Republican support; in fact, it's
smart," said the leader of a major
pro-Israel organization on Monday.
"Some of the Republicans have
become very good friends. The dan-
ger is that others are enthusiastic
about the prime minister primarily
because it gives them more weapons
to use against the administration. His
congressional strategy this week set a
very confrontational and partisan
tone, which is unfortunate, because
this is an administration that has
been very friendly to Israel."
The new conservative pro-Israel
enthusiasts have never been put to
the test by politically costly votes on
foreign aid or blocking arms sales to
Arab countries, this official added.
How much of the support of peo-
ple like Sen. Jesse Helms, R-N.C., is
based on a genuine commitment to
the Jewish state, and how much is
based on their desire for new
weapons in their partisan battles
against a despised president?
For that matter, how much of the
support of the Christian fundamen-
talists is based on real love for the
Jewish people, and how much is
based on their belief that Jews will be
essential cannon fodder for their
apocalypse?
Nobody knows, but many pro-
Israel leaders have their doubts.

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