Pa. senator: Support for Israel 'rock solid'

Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Specter made a strong pro-Israel statement, as well as a calculated campaign pitch, to a full Hillel auditorium as part of PennPAC's Israeli Activism Day yesterday.

In statements that appealed to patriotism, Specter reiterated the government's, and his own, pro-Israel position.

"As Prime Minister [Ariel] Sharon undertakes a difficult path," Specter said, "though the U.S. government may not always agree with what he does, support for Israel is still rock, rock solid."

"Jerusalem is the capital of Israel and we ought to have our embassy there," Specter said regarding his own views.

As a supporter of the Terrorist Prosecution Act and the Syrian Accountability Act, Specter also called for more stringent anti-terrorist measures, and to lessen anti-Israel indoctrination in Palestinian schools.

Specter was cautious, yet optimistic, about post-war Iraq.

"We won the war in a hurry," he said, "but we are not equipped to be policemen. We are making a real effort to establish a fledgling democracy in Iraq and to get the Iraqis in control of their own destiny as soon as possible."

Ever-skeptical of illegitimate Palestinian dealings, Specter was liberal in his criticism of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.

"It is hard to get anything really done as long as Arafat is still on the scene," he said.

Specter also expressed doubt about the foreign policies of Syria and Iran.

"Syria has a porous border," he said. "Syria still has terrorists."

He rounded off his pro-Israel comments with an injunction to Penn's students to stay politically active and vote for him in the upcoming election.

"Stay with it," he told the auditorium. "Maintain your stance as pro-Israeli activists." He then made an appeal to Jewish voters to keep Jewish senators in office.

Following his speech, Specter took a number of questions from the audience despite time constraints.

"It's really great that he came here to show his support," College sophomore Meira Levinson said. "He's pro-Israeli and he's making a difference."

"I couldn't have asked for anything better," said College junior Galit Heller, a Hasbara fellow and the event's main organizer. "He was strong and sincere. He made strong comments and came off well to Israeli supporters."

Sponsored by Penn's Pro-Israel Activism Committee and Hasbara Fellowships, Israeli Activism Day is meant to channel students' pro-Israel efforts and teach them how to turn their ideas into Locust Walk-advertised events.

As a Penn graduate and honorary co-founder of Jerusalem Fellowships, the parent organization of Hasbara Fellowships, Specter was the event's keynote speaker.

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