FRIDAY, JUNE 13 (10AM-10 PM!
Among other local
evangelical leaders
who attended the
conference were the
Rev. Nicholas Hood
III of Plymouth
United Church of
Christ and Pastor
David Victor
Glenn Plummer of
the Redford-based
Fellowship of Israel
and Black America.
During the confer-
ence, when Cohen
went to visit U.S.
Rep. John Conyers,
D-Mich., Flowers led
Robert Cohen
the delegation.
"It was four or
five African-American ministers and
me:' Cohen said. "In addition to three
specific issues — passage of the for-
eign aid bill, stronger sanctions against
Iran and support for the Mideast peace
process and Israel's efforts — Conyers
needs to hear that he has constituents
— African Americans — who care
about Israel, not just Jews. It's a very
important message to deliver:'
Rabinowitz said many Democrats
feel emboldened to push that argument
given the GOP's harsh rhetoric about
Obama and Israel. McCain, an Arizona
senator, has portrayed Obama as a
Hamas-supported candidate, and Bush
delivered a speech at the Knesset last
month that many observers viewed as
an attempt to tag the Illinois Democrat
as an appeaser.
In his June 2 speech to AIPAC,
McCain took direct aim at Obama,
arguing that his plan for a phased U.S.
pullout from Iraq would lead to the
creation of a "potential terrorist sanctu-
ary" that would profoundly "affect the
security of the United States, Israel and
our other friends, and would invite fur-
ther intervention from Iraq's neighbors,
including a very much emboldened
Iran:'
In keeping with the increasingly
popular Democratic approach, Obama
fired back at the Republicans, painting
them as advancing a reckless foreign
policy that has hurt Israel.
"I don't think any of us can be sat-
isfied that America's recent foreign
policy has made Israel more secure,'
Obama said."Hamas now controls
Gaza. Hezbollah has tightened its grip
on southern Lebanon and is flexing its
muscles in Beirut. Because of the war
in Iraq, Iran — which always posed a
Longtime AIPAC activist Marc
Weinbaum of Bloomfield Township,
who was at his 12th AIPAC conference,
agrees.
"There are many African Americans
and evangelical Christians as well as
Jews:' he said. "It makes our message
that much more powerful during the
delegates' visits to Congressional lead-
ers."
Additionally, AIPAC expects to
achieve growth through its new syna-
gogue initiative.
"We've been seeing a marked
increase in the size and frequency of
delegations from various congrega-
tions of all denominations from across
the country coming to the policy con-
ference and getting involved in pro-
Israel politics:' AIPAC's Block said.
"Obviously, that's a good thing and
we have a synagogue outreach pro-
gram to build on that trend. Rabbi
[Joseph] Krakoff [of Congregation
Shaarey Zedek in Oakland County]
was at the conference this year with
more than 100 congregants. That is a
big deal and something the commu-
nity should be very proud of!"
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greater threat to Israel than Iraq — is
emboldened, and poses the greatest
strategic challenge to the United States
and Israel in the Middle East in a gen-
eration.
"Iraq is unstable, and Al Qaida has
stepped up its recruitment. Israel's
quest for peace with its neighbors
has stalled, despite the heavy bur-
dens borne by the Israeli people. And
America is more isolated in the region,
reducing our strength and jeopardizing
Israel's safety"
"Senator McCain refuses to under-
stand or acknowledge the failure of the
policy that he would continue,' he said.
"I refuse to continue a policy that has
made the United States and Israel less
secure:"
In a conference call immediately
following the speech, McCain's highest
profile Jewish supporter, U.S. Sen. Joe
Lieberman, I-Conn., rejected Obama's
arguments, saying he was wrong to
blame Iran's resurgent power on the
Iraq war.
"If Israel is in danger today, it is not
because of American foreign policy:'
Lieberman told reporters. "Its because
Iran is a terrorist, expansionist state'
Obama sounded several notes
more often associated with his hawk-
Team on page A23
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June 12 • 2008
A21