By Sarah Breger
Tensions Boil over at the AIPAC conference
“New construction in East Jerusalem or the West Bank undermines mutual trust and endangers the proximity talks that are the first step toward the full negotiations that both sides want and need,” said Hillary Clinton at the AIPAC conference this morning. Yesterday, the president of AIPAC Lee Rosenberg took the administration to task for the public nature of the dispute over East Jerusalem housing expansions. “Allies should work out their differences privately,” he said. Read more about the origins and history of AIPAC, the powerful pro-Israel organization in a feature piece from Moment’s archives.
Obama and Netanyahu will meet, after all
Despite predictions in Washington political circles of a deliberate slight, President Obama will meet with Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, who is in town for the AIPAC conference. Unsurprisingly, Ethan Bronner of the New York Times reports that both the Israeli and American governments claim success in the political skirmish over building in East Jerusalem.
Healthcare Reform passes with a 219-212 vote
After a long protracted battle, Congress passed the Healthcare reform bill with a 219-to-212 vote along party lines. “In the end what this day represents is another stone firmly laid in the foundation of the American dream,” said Obama of the bill’s victory. To learn about the Jewish and Israeli view on healthcare read Moment’s interview with prominent Israeli bioethicist Noam Zohar.