What Will John McCain Find In Israel?

After finally securing the Republican nomination, it looks as if "the Maverick" will be taking a tour of the holy land fairly soon.

(Ynet News) Republican presidential candidate John McCain will arrive in Israel on March 18 as part of a delegation of senators visiting the region.

The schedule for the trip has not been released yet, but it is expected to be a brief, one-day visit during which McCain will meet with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and Defense Minister Ehud Barak.

According to US sources, the trip is aimed at boosting support for McCain among Jewish voters in the US.

Despite being a minority in America, all three remaining candidates are heavily courting Jewish voters. Barack Obama is also pursuing after Jewish voters, speaking favorably towards them while Hillary Clinton seems to have Jewish roots in her blood.

Editor's note: At least on paper camera, all three candidates seem to be pro-Israel, although what this author wants to know is when are they going to move the American Embassy to Jerusalem?

Update (4/1): It looks as if images of John McCain's visit are surfacing on the web.



(Image: Senators John McCain and Joe Lieberman with Israel Defense Minister Ehud Barak at Sderot Police Station's Qassam Collection. Credit: The Israel Project)

You can find more images over at The Israel Project (Hat Tip: IsraelPolitik)

Sovereignty Is Sweet! Jerusalem To Add 10,000 More Apartments

It looks as if the Israeli government is finally realizing that Israel, not the international community should dictate where Israeli's build their homes.

While some may wonder what Bush may say about this when he visits the holy land, it is certain that Israeli's will be glad to know that they can finally build on lands they owned before the modern Jewish state was birthed.

(Israel National News) The new neighborhood, in an area near the Kalandia checkpoint and the Separation Wall which includes the area of the abandoned Atarot Airport, will contain more than 10,000 apartments, making it the largest Jewish neighborhood in eastern Jerusalem. The zone is included in regions which were annexed to Israel following the Six Day War, and is part of lands which were owned by Jews before the establishment of the State of Israel. Boim is awaiting permission from the Israel Lands Authority (ILA) for the project. The ILA says it plans on approving a permit.

Hopefully construction of these apartments will begin soon, as many of these residents are probably anxious about moving into their new (long overdue) homes.

Update (12/28): Sadly, it looks as if these homes will not be built due to US pressure.

President Bush To Visit Israel?

It looks like Israel will receive a rare appearance from the US. Apparently it seems as if President Bush is considering visiting Israel next month, which should make for some "interesting interactions."

(Ha'aretz) A senior Jerusalem source said that Bush would come to Israel for two days on January 10, Israel Radio reported.

During his visit, Bush is expected to focus on promoting Israeli-Palestinian negotiations in the framework of agreements reached at last week's Mideast peace conference, held in Annapolis, Maryland[.]

This visit will be Bush's first visit to Israel since he took office seven years ago. Bush visited Israel in 1998 when he was governor of Texas. In contrast, U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice visited Israel three times in the six week period leading up to the Annapolis peace summit.

While it is curious as to why the President thinks that a visit the Jewish state will change a few minds, lets pray that his trip will open his eyes, at least when it comes to Jerusalem.

Bush To Iraq: Israel Is The Standard

It looks as if the President of the United States has finally declared a future goal for the Iraqi people. Although it is doubtful that the violence in the region would end (as that would be like asking for taxes to disappear) Bush seems to have settled upon what a future Iraq should look like.

And Israel is its name-o.

(IndyStar.com) President Bush held up Israel as a model for defining success in Iraq on Thursday, saying the U.S. goal there is not to eliminate attacks but to enable a democracy that can function despite violence.

With his Iraq policies under increasing fire from the American public and lawmakers from both parties, Bush went to the U.S. Naval War College here to declare progress. As the president pleaded for patience, his top national security aide went to Capitol Hill to meet with Republican critics.

Despite the fact that Israel has its own problems regarding terrorism, this has not stopped the nation from thriving in a hostile region. Israel has given much to the world, especially in the realms of health and technology, not to mention attracting internet giants like Google, Microsoft and AOL.

The tiny state of Israel leads the entire middle east region as far as innovation is concerned, and hopefully Iraq (and other aspiring democracies) would be able to attain a similar status as the Kosher state.

US Congress Recognizes Undivided Jerusalem

Despite the fact that every executive branch has postponed moving the American embassy from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv, the US Congress seems to recognize the holy city as not only undivided, but Israel's right.

(Forward.com) With backing of pro-Israel activists on Capitol Hill, lawmakers are pushing to pass a resolution hailing Israel's control over all of Jerusalem. [...]

The measure - introduced by Rep. Tom Lantos of California, Democratic chair of the House Foreign Relations Committee, and by Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen of Florida, the committee's ranking Republican - "commends Israel for its administration of the undivided city of Jerusalem for the past 40 years, during which Israel has respected the rights of all religious groups." It also congratulates Israel for defeating its enemies during the war, and calls on the president to move the American Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, in accordance with the Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995.

With elections coming up in the US, Jewish lobbyists could use this time to ask political candidates from both parties whether or not they would consider enforcing the Jerusalem Embassy Act if elected.

Most of the candidates have already lean towards Israel, with one politician visiting the holy land (a trend that needs to continue while in office).

Perhaps this would be a great question to ask the politicians on the next round of presidential debates?

Israeli Forest Named After Australian Prime Minister

(Image Credit: CNN)


(Hat Tip: Israellycool)

How cool is this! Australian Prime minister John Howard will have an Israeli forest named after him (to his honor) for standing with Israel through thick and thin.

(AJN.com.au) PRIME Minister John Howard will be honoured with a Jewish National Fund (JNF) forest in his name at a gala dinner in Melbourne next month.

To be named the John Howard Negev Forest, the forest will be located in Israel's Negev region, the focus of the JNF's Negev Now campaign.

Howard is expected to personally accept the honour at the fundraiser for JNF's Victorian branch at Crown Palladium on May 20, which will also feature Lebanese-born Middle East commentator Brigitte Gabriel.

JNF Victorian president Tom Borsky praised the Howard Government for its "genuine commitment and friendship towards the Jewish community".

John Howard has been one of the few western nations whose leadership has demonstrated a genuine friendliness towards the Jewish people, and it is good to see his name honored upon Israeli land.

As far as I can tell, most nations honor a person by naming a street or building after them, and even going as far as building a statue to their honor. Not Israel. They'll name a piece of the ecosystem after your name, which (in my opinion) definitely beats dead stone engraved to your image.

Update (5/1): It looks like something similar is being done for Coretta Scott King.

America's Future Presidents Line Up To Kiss Israel?

Regardless of whether they are a Republican or a Democrat, a liberal or a conservative, God fearing or poll fearing, man or woman, white, black or attempting to be black, it seems that every candidate running for the White House presidency is doing everything they can to gain Jewish favor nation wide.

(Jewish Telegraphic Agency) It's a Washington ritual as reliable as the cherry blossoms, if nowhere near as pretty: Midterm congressional elections are over and aspirants for the most powerful job in the world are throwing their hats into the race for the U.S. presidency.

Another ritual within the ritual is lining up Jewish support, and this year is no different. Some candidates are acting immediately: This month, U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) plucked Jay Zeidman, President Bush’s popular Jewish outreach official, to lead his Jewish campaign.

Sometimes it’s even sooner than immediately: For the past two years, Ann Lewis, who has been prominent in Jewish causes since she served as the Clinton administration’s deputy communications director, has been sounding out Jewish support for Clinton’s wife, U.S. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.).

Other pro-Israeli candidates include:

• Senator Joe Biden of Delaware (Democrat)
• Senator Sam Brownback of Kansas (Republican)
• Senator Barack Obama of Illinois (Democrat)
• Newt Gingrich (Republican)
• John Edwards (Democrat)
• Senator John McCain of Arizona (Republican)
• Governor Bill Richardson of New Mexico (Democrat)
• Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani (of 9/11, a Republican)
• Senator Chris Dodd of Connecticut (Democrat)
• Former Governor Mitt Romney of Massechusettes (Republican)
• Former Governor Tom Vilsack of Iowa (Democrat)

All of them seem eager to gain public support from the American Hebrews, with several having actually visited Israel in the flesh. Although this upcoming election is sure to be a rough one (as Hillary can probably tell you), Israel will have an ally in the oval office.

Presidential Candidate Visits Israel

Mitt Romney, a presidential candidate for 2008 (on the GOP side) is currently visiting the holy land in order to get a first hand perspective to what Israel is all about.

(Jewish Telegraphic Agency) Mitt Romney, a candidate for the Republication nomination for the U.S. presidency, is in Israel.

Romney, who just ended a term as Massachusetts governor, is addressing this week’s influential Herzliya Conference, which draws top Western policymakers to discuss the Middle East.

His trip was sponsored by the Republican Jewish Coalition, which seems to have endorsed him early on (to my knowledge at least).

Hopefully we see more of this activity from both sides of the political aisle.