Thursday, June 05, 2008

Klein Cuts the Cake (and eats it, too)

Seems the ZOA's Mort Klein, or is that Mort Klein's ZOA, did well at the AIPAC Conference, according to this report:-

The annual debate over the Aipac Action Agenda — the pro-Israel powerhouse's lobbying platform — took a turn to the right this year, with the leader of the Zionist Organization of America introducing 14 amendments that were approved as official Aipac policy.

Most of the changes pushed for by the ZOA's president, Morton Klein, were minor, but each gave a right-wing tint to the platform. The action agenda is produced by the American Israel Public Affairs Committee's executive committee, which includes representatives from major Jewish groups, as well as Aipac board members.

...The other major change that Klein successfully pushed deals with the American embassy in Israel, which pro-Israel activists have long wanted moved from its current location in Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, the Jewish state's capital. Congress passed legislation in 1995 requiring the move, but administrations since then have utilized a clause allowing them to delay relocating the embassy if necessary for reasons of national security.

In the Monday meeting, Klein proposed adding quotation marks to the term "national security" and opposing the government's use of this waiver to prevent the relocation of the embassy — language that was reflected in his amendment.

Aipac's leadership opposed the amendment, arguing that it would put the pro-Israel lobby on record as contradicting the government's reasoning on issues of national security. Nevertheless, the change passed with the support of an overwhelming majority of the committee.

Morton Klein said after the meeting that he believes the amendments gained support because "15 years after Oslo, people are finally realizing that the [Palestinian Authority] has no real interest in peace."

...Klein did propose a number of changes that were rejected, including a call to drop the word "peace" when referring to negotiations with the Palestinians and to support the right of Jews to settle in the West Bank, even if the areas are under Palestinian rule.

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