Jewish American agenda

[Behind the Aegis]

Is there any difference between Republicans and Democrats on Israel? That's a point over which the two parties have contended mightily in recent years. But when more than 700 people gathered in downtown Philadelphia for the American Israel Public Affairs Committee "Salute to Congress" gala, differences were swept under the carpet.

The affair was yet another demonstration of the wall-to-wall support for the pro-Israel agenda of AIPAC among both officeholders and activists. And to emphasize just how broad the coalition for support is, the group was able to call in as speakers Howard Dean and Ken Mehlman, the chairmen of the Democratic and the Republican national committees, respectively.

Neither disappointed, as each pointed to the longstanding support of the major parties for Israel and for strengthening the US-Israel alliance. Each lambasted Palestinian terrorists, and stressed that Israel's security would not be compromised in the search for peace.

But for all of the scrupulous bipartisanship fostered by AIPAC, there were still some critical differences between the messages put forward by Dean and Mehlman. And in these speeches can be discerned the different approaches of the two parties toward the task of winning Jewish votes.

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