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THE CENTER EgaSE SAT MUM 1432850 A36 September 18 • 2008 MI supportive of Israel that should be attractive to the Jewish community. ohn McCain's Jewish sup- Sources familiar with the forma- porters characterize him as tion of the platform say the language a Republican maverick who dealing with Israel and fighting anti- shares his party's bedrock support for Semitism was drafted in consulta- Israel and combating anti-Semitism. tion with the American Israel Public Critics dismiss him as the standard- Affairs Committee and other groups. bearer of a staunchly conservative The platform echoes AIPAC's posi- party at odds with the Jewish commu- tion on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, nity on a host of issues. calling for a two-state solution but They're both right, judging from placing the onus on the Palestinians the platform approved last week at the to take several key steps and calling Republican convention in St. Paul. on nearby Arab countries to play a The platform includes a call for an more constructive role. It also declares end to all government-funded embry- support for "Jerusalem as the undi- onic stem-cell research and a ban on vided capital of Israel and moving the all abortions — positions that, polls American embassy to that undivided show, are contrary to those of most capital of Israel:' Jewish voters. Of course, they also do Both McCain and Sen. Barack not conform to the views of McCain, Obama, D-Ill., the Democratic who has said that he would revoke nominee, have said that the status of President Bush's restrictions on federal Jerusalem ultimately would be decid- funding for stem-cell research, permit ed in negotiations between the two abortions in cases of rape, incest and sides. McCain has pledged to move the threats to the life of the mother. embassy to Jerusalem right away — a On immigration, McCain, the U.S. promise that the Obama campaign senator from Arizona who is the rejected, essentially calling it a lie. Republican nominee for president, The GOP platform calls for the iso- has pressed for legislation that would lation of Hamas and Hezbollah and provide undocumented workers with vows to maintain Israel's qualitative a path toward citizenship, but the plat- edge in military technology over its form declares: "We oppose amnesty." enemies — all positions shared by The McCain campaign reportedly Obama and McCain. decided to avoid significant fights over In several contexts, the platform the platform rather than upset leaders stresses the need to combat anti- of the party's conservative base, many Semitism — on college campuses, in of whom have expressed concern over Europe and across the world — and the GOP nominee. His supporters declares that discrimination against argue that the platform is irrelevant to Israel at the U.N. is unacceptable." understanding McCain and that vot- It says that Iran cannot be permit- ers will make their decisions based on ted to obtain nuclear weapons, calls how they view the candidate. for a "significant increase in political, Texas state Sen. Florence Shapiro, economic, and diplomatic pressure" the only Jewish female Republican in on Tehran and insists that the United her state legislature, said that the plat- States "must retain all options" in form is "not what guides my everyday" dealing with the situation. decision-making and doubts voters Without naming Obama, the plat- will be using it to make decisions. form draws a contrast with the his They will and should be "looking previously stated willingness to meet at John McCain and his positions and with the Iranian president. It states: record:' she said. "We oppose entering into a presiden- Another Jewish delegate from tial-level, unconditional dialogue with Texas, Houstonian Stuart Mayper, the regime in Iran until it takes steps said the strong "pro-life" language in to improve its behavior, particularly the platform could be a problem for with respect to the support of terror- some Jews. But, he quickly added, the ism and suspension of its efforts to platform contains language strongly enrich uranium." ❑