Kerry's support for Israel repels Arab voters [View All]

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Kerry's support for Israel repels Arab voters

By Ashraf Fahim
Special to The Daily Star
Tuesday, June 01, 2004

NEW YORK: The battle for the hearts and minds of Arab-American voters has taken a decidedly negative turn for presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, Senator John Kerry.

A raft of statements by Kerry lauding President George W. Bush's unequivocal support of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has alienated some in a community that, though relatively small, is strategically situated in certain states expected to be closely contested in the November election.

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Kerry's recently expressed views have been a letdown to community leaders like James Zogby, president of the Arab-American Institute (AAI), who is in close contact with the Kerry campaign. At an AAI conference in October, Kerry had won plaudits for labeling Israel's separation barrier "provocative and counter-productive." But he has since called it a "legitimate act of self-defense."

Zogby says that Kerry's views on Israeli-Palestinian issues risk alienating those for whom that issue is paramount. "There is a significant portion of the community - about 30 percent - that is not convinced that there is a fundamental difference (between Bush and Kerry) on this issue," he says, "which is a critical issue that they care a great deal about, maybe to the exclusion of others."

More: http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=10&categ_id=2&article_id=4729

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