Pro-Israeli resolutions have trouble passing in the House.
By NATHAN GUTTMANus israel 88(photo credit: )
The US public is supportive of Israel and condemns the actions of Hizbullah, according to a recent poll.
The poll, commissioned by The Israel Project among likely voters in the US, found that 68 percent of the respondents believed Hizbullah had not acted properly and only 7% saw the organization's activity as proper. A similar margin was found in regards to the actions of Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
"The American voters clearly believe that the Hizbullah has gone too far," said Jennifer Laszlo Mizrahi, who heads The Israel Project.
The poll was conducted by Greenberg-Quinlan-Rosner among 1,000 likely voters.
On Capitol Hill, negotiations were conducted on Wednesday concerning the passage of a House resolution supporting Israel. The Senate unanimously approved Tuesday a resolution expressing support for Israel and calling the administration to take diplomatic action against Syria and Lebanon because of their support for terrorism.
In the House, attempts to enroll the leadership of both parties to cosponsor the pro-Israeli resolutions failed, after minority leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) refused to cosponsor the resolution if it would not include in its language a call for both sides to minimize civilian casualties. The legislators behind the resolution, led by Eric Cantor (R-VA) refused to change the language, arguing that Israel is already doing all in its power to limit the damage to civilians. Since Pelosi would not sponsor the resolution, Rep. Tom Lantos (D-CA) the ranking Democrat on the Foreign Relations Committee, signed on as cosponsor with the Republican majority leader John Boehner (R-OH).
The resolution was expected to be approved by the House Wednesday afternoon.
Also on Capitol Hill, some 3,500 Christian activists, members of Christians United for Israel - a pro-Israel Christian advocacy group, conducted lobbying meetings calling for support of Israel. Karin Isabell from Minnesota, one of the participants, joined 200 other representatives from her state for meetings with their elected officials in the House and Congress.
"We wanted to talk to our representatives and tell them that we want our nation to support Israel," Isabell said after the meeting.
The Jewish community of Washington DC rallied in support of Israel at the Freedom Plaza, between the White House and Capitol Hill. Under banners reading "America Stands With Israel," several hundred of Israel's supporters gathered, waving flags of Israel and the US and signs calling for the release of captured IDF soldiers and for the destruction of the Hizbullah. The speakers included Israel's ambassador to the US Daniel Ayalon, Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS) and Maryland Governor Robert Ehrlich. All speakers expressed support for Israel's actions in Lebanon and underlined the need to dismantle Hizbullah.
Leaders of the US Jewish community will meet Thursday with senior administration officials and with leaders of congress to discuss the US stand regarding the situation in the Middle East and express the support of the Jewish community in the Israeli actions.
