U.S. Presidential candidates voice uncritical support for Israel

Friday May 23, 2008 18:44 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC News

U.S. Presidential hopeful Barack Obama made an appearance at a Florida synagogue Thursday in an effort to get support from Jewish voters.

US Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama

Speaking at the the "B'Nai Torah" synagogue in Boca Raton, Obama said the threat posed by Iran was grave and immediate, pledging to address the threat should he become president.

He said that he would not negotiate with the Hamas party (the elected government of the Palestinian people), and would be fully supportive of Israel if he were elected.

The other two top Presidential candidates, John McCain and Hillary Clinton, have long declared their unabashed and unwavering support for Israel.  Only potential Green Party candidate Cynthia McKinney has made any statement in support of the basic, internationally-recognized rights of the Palestinian people.

The American Israel Political Action Committee, or AIPAC (EH-pac), has placed ads in Florida papers questioning Obama's involvement with an organization that funded a project of a pro-Palestinian rights group.

All three Presidential frontrunners are scheduled to make appearances at the AIPAC annual conference, to be held next month.

George Bush and the Israeli Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert, are also expected to attend.

The American Israel Public Affairs Committee, or AIPAC, is the third most powerful lobby in the US, based on monetary and in-kind contributions. 

The group calls on candidates to commit to unwavering support for the state of Israel.  Israel is by far the largest recipient of US foreign aid, and every president since Carter has maintained that aid level.

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