Opinion

Kirk is clearly a strong Israeli backer

Posted May 08, 2009 11:00 pm

During the 2006 and 2008 Tenth District congressional campaigns, a number of people tried to argue that Congressman Mark Kirk and his opponent Dan Seals were equally "pro-Israel."

Experienced observers in Washington, Jerusalem, and the 10th District found the notion laughable, since Congressman Kirk is arguably Israel's (and America's) strongest advocate in the U.S. House.

As reported in The Washington Post on Thursday, April 24, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton appeared before a panel of the House Appropriations Committee, "implicitly" rejected Israel's position and said Israel would not get U.S. support to stop Iran's pursuit of a nuclear weapon unless it made concrete "efforts" (read concessions) vis-a-vis the Palestinians.

Congressman Kirk (along with New York Democrat Nita Lowey) asked that the House counter any such effort to pressure Israel into making a bad deal by seeking "to restrict aid to the Palestinian Authority."

Does anyone really think Dan Seals would have done that?

Dr. Richard L. Benkin

Mt. Prospect

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