World Tribune.com
NextCard Internet Visa

Israel ponders prospect of Jewish U.S. veep

Special to World Tribune.com
MIDDLE EAST NEWSLINE
Thursday, August 10, 2000

TEL AVIV -- Israel is quietly asking whether the prospect of a Jewish vice president is good for the state.

So far, no prominent Israeli is saying otherwise.

U.S. Vice President Al Gore has chosen Sen. Joseph Lieberman, a Connecticut Democrat, as his running mate in his race against Republican nominee George Bush. Lieberman is the first Jew nominated for one of the two top spots in the United States.

Israeli newspapers on Tuesday reported with a trace of amazement how the 58-year-old Lieberman eats only kosher food and did not appear for his own nomination because it was on the Jewish Sabbath. Instead, he sent his pre-recorded acceptance speech by video cassette.

For Israeli officials, the question is whether a Jewish vice president will work to improve U.S. relations with Israel and side with Jerusalem in any political confrontation with the Arabs. Other questions are whether Lieberman will influence Al Gore on Middle East issues.

Prime Minister Ehud Barak did not respond. But some of his aides expressed satisfaction.

"It fills my heart with pride," Minister for Diaspora Affairs Michael Melchior said. "It is a sign that American society is going through a process of maturity, in that it has reached a point in which a Jew, that is a conscious Jew, a religious Jew such as Lieberman can be a candidate for so high a position."

Lieberman has strong ties with Israel. He regards himself as a Zionist and has often visited Israel. Lieberman's wife is a member of a Zionist organization.

Efraim Inbar, director of the BESA Center for Strategic Studies at Bar-Ilan University, is a cousin of Lieberman.

"It's a fantastic appointment," former Foreign Ministry director-general David Kimche said.

Zalman Shoval, two-time Israeli ambassador to Washington, said as vice president, Lieberman would seek to change the tone of U.S. policy toward Israel. Shoval, a member of the Likud party, said Lieberman is a "hawk" when it comes to Israel's security.

Shoval said under a Gore-Lieberman White House, activists such as Peace Now would have less influence. Clinton became an honorary member of Peace Now and several of his leading staffers, including White House National Security Adviser Samuel Berger, are said to be members of the organization, which calls for Israeli territorial concessions for peace.

The former Israeli ambassador said a Gore White House would also tone down Clinton's involvement in Israeli politics. Clinton was said to have helped Barak's successful campaign for prime minister and over the last two weeks sent senior aides to try to stop the defection of then-Foreign Minister David Levy.

"I would say that if Gore and Lieberman are elected, which seems at this stage difficult to predict, their White House would be less of a tool of Peace Now than the Clinton White House," Shoval said. "The White House will continue to be more friendly and less involved in Israel's domestic issues."

Lieberman is known for his pro-Israel record. After a spate of terror bombings in Israel in 1997, he was the only Democrat to join five Republicans in brandingYasser Arafat as the ''villain'' of the peace process in a letter to Clinton.

''I just hope that issues of Israeli relations don't become paramount and that the Democratic party and Mr. Gore will try to be even-handed in the peace process,'' said Hanan Ashrawi, a Palestinian spokesperson.

Thursday, August 10, 2000


Contact World Tribune.com at world@worldtribune.com

Return toWorld Tribune.com front page
Your window on the world