Middle East

NOTEBOOK

Legislators Weigh In On Israel

Harry Kirsbaum
Staff Writer

M

ost of Michigan's legislators
in Washington, D.C., came
together in condemning ter-
rorists and supporting Israel last week.
Both Michigan senators voted for Senate
Resolution 534, which passed by voice
vote on July 18. House Resolution 921
passed by a vote of 410-8 on July 20. Three
of the eight "nays" were from Michigan:
Rep. Caroline Cheeks Kilpatrick, D-Detroit;
Rep. John Conyers, D-Detroit; and Rep.
John Dingell, D-Dearborn.
"We need to stand behind Israel in their
fight against Hezbollah, which is why I
supported a Resolution passed by the
Senate last week backing Israel's right to
defend itself,' said Sen. Debbie Stabenow,
D-Mich., who is up for re-election this
year. "I remain deeply concerned about the
loss of innocent life on both sides?'
Not all House members from
Michigan agreed with Resolution 921,
according to their comments on the

House floor on July 20.
"The capturing of Israeli soldiers and
the attacks on innocent civilians by the
terrorist organization Hezbollah is abso-
lutely unacceptable,' said U.S. Rep. Joe
Knollenberg, R-Mich."The president was
correct when he stated that Israel has a
right to defend itself against the aggres-
sions by Hezbollah. The U.S. must stand
. side by side with our friends in the Middle
East — especially Israel — as they fight
terrorism in and around their borders."
John Dingell called for more American
involvement.
"I believe it will take a substantial
investment on our part as a Congress to
provide Lebanon and Israel with the assis-
tance they need to overcome this crisis
and re-establish security along their bor-
der," he said to the House. "Unfortunately,
this resolution does not address these
issues and is an inadequate statement of
policy to the parties who are friends of
peace?'
Cheeks Kilpatrick said the resolution
sends the wrong message.

"I believe that offering unconditional
support to Israel's response sends the signal
that the House supports the continuing
and increasing carnage that is taking place
in Lebanon," she said on the House floor.
"I fully recognize that lives have been lost
in Israel, too. All of these deaths are tragic
and deplorable. This resolution does not
even offer counsel to Israel to aggressively
pursue the course of minimizing civilian
loss of life I 1

For more comments and the full wording of
both resolutions, visit the Jewish News Web
site at JnOnline.us. Click on News in the left-
hand menu.

Proportional Response
Responding to two anti-Israel rallies in
Dearborn last week, Wendy Wagenheim,
Jewish Community Council president, co-
authored a Detroit Free Press column on
July 25 with Andrew Doctoroff, president
of the Michigan Chapter of the American
Jewish Committee, and Daniel Levy, chair,
Michigan Region of the Anti-Defamation
League, that called on moderate Arab and
Muslim leaders to "break bread together!'
Excerpts from their letter:

"It is a Jewish mission to seek peace
based on justice, because peace without
justice will not long stand. For this reason,
the vitriolic rhetoric spewed by thousands
of protesters at anti-Israeli rallies held
last week in Dearborn, heard by people
throughout Metro Detroit, was deeply trou-
bling and harmful to both communities:'
they wrote. "... there are certain funda-
mental realities that everyone must face
if there is to be any purpose to a dialogue.
Israel has a right to exist. Debates pertain-
ing to Israel must not include incendiary
rhetoric and demagoguery. Hamas and
Hezbollah engage in terrorism. Israel has
not only the right, but an overwhelm-
ing need, to protect itself. Israel must act
militarily to prevent future attacks by
Hezbollah. And Israel must not be equated
to any terrorist organization, including
those it is currently combating.
"Are there moderate leaders in the Arab
and Muslim communities who will publicly
acknowledge these truths? If so, we will
break bread together and listen respectfully
to one another. Together, we can perhaps
transcend our differences and blaze a trail
that others can follow?'

- Harry Kirsbaum, staff writer

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July 27 • 2006

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