These findings were part of an extensive Gallup poll that examined the views of Americans on world affairs. The poll, which was conducted after it was clear that Hamas won the majority of seats in the Palestinian parliament, found that most Americans are against the United States [U.S] having diplomatic relations with a Hamas-led Palestinian Authority if it does not recognize Israel, and more than half of the respondents think the U.S. should not give financial aid to the Palestinians even if Hamas agrees to recognize Israel.

The poll, which is conducted annually, has consistently found that the U.S. public tends to side with Israel more than with the Palestinians.

In the latest poll this trend continued, with 59% of respondents saying they sympathize with Israel and only 15% saying they sympathize with the Palestinians. Last year, those numbers stood at 52% and 18%, respectively.

Sympathy for Israel is at the highest point since the Gulf War in 1991, when it stood at 64% during the Scud missile firings. The closest it approached this point since then was in late 2002, when 58% sympathized more with the Israelis.

Of the respondent’s 68% viewed Israel favorably, this year's poll showed, while 23% viewed it unfavorably. These numbers, virtually unchanged since last year, are also at their most favorable since 1991.

The delegation is headed by Brig. Gen. Yeheskel Levy, the Chief Medical Officer, and will be accompanied by a representative of the Ministry of Health and additional IDF officers. The delegation will meet with various United States officials and will recommend the coordination of a humanitarian aid delegation to the disaster area in accordance with the assessments made at these meetings.

JEWISH AGENCY TO BRING
STUDENTS FROM NEW ORLEANS TO STUDY IN ISRAEL (9/7)
THE JEWISH AGENCY FOR ISRAEL has announced that thousands of students from the disaster stricken New Orleans area will be able to continue their studies in Israel as part of an initiative of the Jewish Agency for them to study in English in programs for overseas students offered by Israeli universities.

This week all Israeli Universities (The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Tel Aviv University, Haifa University, Bar Ilan University, Ben Gurion University) responded positively to the request of the Jewish Agency to expedite the registration of students from New Orleans wishing to study in Israel.

As of today contact has been made with many students from the New Orleans area and 20 students have already shown interest in coming to study in Israel.

The Chairman of the Jewish Agency, Zeev Bielski said: "This is first and foremost an initiative that stems from the comradeship and shared destiny between the citizens of Israel and the citizens of the USA. In addition to the academic gain, we are sure that the time spent in Israel will afford these students a meaningful experience for the rest of their lives and they will quickly become the best ambassadors for the State of Israel in the world."

HEBREW UNIVERSITY TO ACCEPT STUDENTS FROM TULANE (9/6)
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem has extended a helping hand in the form of accepting students from New Orleans whose studies have been interrupted by Hurricane Katrina.

Hebrew University President Prof. Menachem Magidor said that the university made this decision following the announcement by Tulane University, New Orleans’ largest institution of higher learning, that it would have to shut down for the fall semester.

Students from New Orleans will be accepted into the Hebrew University’s Rothberg International School for a semester or year’s study and will be housed in the university’s Mt. Scopus dormitories.

The provost of the Rothberg International School, Prof. Jaime Kapitulnik, left last Thursday for the U.S. in order to further arrangements for accepting the students. There, he is meeting with students and various organizations, including representatives of the Jewish community of New Orleans and Tulane University officials who are now in Houston, Texas.

"In order to ease the way for the students, we will shorten the acceptance process," said Prof. Kapitulnik. "We will also adjust our studies in accordance with their needs and will provide scholarships."

At this stage, the university is preparing to extend 20 scholarships, but if necessary this will be extended to additional students.

ISRAELI DIVERS VOLUNTEER
TO RECOVER BODIES IN NEW ORLEANS (9/6)
In what appears almost like science fiction, Israeli volunteer divers are heading to New Orleans to help look for bodies in flooded homes. They are part of a private delegation of Israeli volunteers who have extensive experience in rescues and complex emergencies garnered from work around the world.

Prime Minister Sharon also offered US President Bush comprehensive and urgent medical assistance following the natural disaster.

Prime Minister Sharon’s letter, including the offer of comprehensive medical assistance, was sent after Health Minister Danny Naveh and Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz checked the formats for extending medical assistance, including the dispatch of medical teams numbering hundreds of people, considerable medical equipment, medicines and additional necessary equipment.

VICE PREMIER MINISTER
SHIMON PERES’ REMARKS ON HURRICANE KATRINA (9/1)
(Communicated by Vice Prime Minister Peres’ Foreign Policy Advisor)
"Our hearts are with the citizens of Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi, as well as all those affected by Hurricane Katrina. In light of the great natural catastrophe that has struck these areas, today we are all Louisianans, Alabamans, Mississippians; today we are all Americans.

"We must all unite and help the families that have been impacted and hurt so tragically: families, women and children who have lost those that are dear to them, as well as those who have lost all they once had.

The crisis erupted over Israel's sale to China of replacement parts for Harpy attack drones. The U.S. wants to see Knesset legislation enacted within 18 months, tightening oversight of military exports, and is demanding a memorandum of understanding be signed.

The sanctions were imposed as the result of a bill passed last month by the U.S. House of Representatives, which placed a five-year ban on the purchase of defense items from any country that sells arms to China.

In the mid-1990s, Israel sold China the drones, which are said to attack and destroy enemy radar transmitters. It says that it is now upgrading them as provided for in the sales agreement.

Rafael, the Israel Armament Development Authority, has fit Bradley Fighting Vehicles and 7AV APCs in the service of the U.S. Army and the Marines over the last year with armor.

The add-on armor consists of tiles that contain an explosive charge that detonates when hit by a rocket, disrupting the incoming, armor-penetrating projectile.

According to Maj. John Conway of the U.S. Program Executive Office Ground Combat Systems (PEO-GCS), "Reactive armor has functioned very well. The soldiers in these units are excited about the product because it is providing a level of survivability that they previously didn't have."

"UJA-Federation of New York is committed to contributing to a better life for people in Israel by strengthening civil society," said Liz Jaffe, Chair of the Commission on the Jewish People of UJA-Federation of New York. "Relying on our extensive experience in social welfare, education and health services in New York, we partner with Israel's 'best and brightest' to create new models for Israeli society."

The survey, which was requested by the Hudson Institute for Political Research in Washington, was made on June 24 among 502 interviewees and tested the level of affection that the Israelis feel toward the Americans.

The values that [received] the highest [ratings] are democracy (25 percent), doing the right thing (22 percent), free trade and finance (20 percent), and trust in God (18 percent).

The surveyors [found] that the U.S. is considered a true [ally of] Israel. Most Israelis feel that Israel should be very thankful and highly thankful to the U.S., and an additional 27 percent feel that Israel should be averagely thankful to the U.S.

In parallel, only 11 percent feel that American activity is harmful to Israel and that [the U.S.] should not be appreciated at all.

Israelis value the cultural symbols of the American culture. Two of these were more prominent: movies and entertainment (29 percent) and amusement parks, such as Disneyland (25 percent). Following these are: fashion and clothing, such as Levis and Nike; American cars, such as Chevrolet; and [fast-food restaurants, such as] McDonald's.

Israelis were also asked to indicate what country they would count on to support them in time of crisis. Here there were no doubts. The U.S. and only the U.S. is considered to be such a country that can be counted on.

U.S. USES ISRAELI BOMB DETONATOR (2/17)
The MIDDLE EAST NEWS LINE has reported that Israel has provided the United States with a new system meant to locate and destroy roadside bombs.

U.S. officials said the Israeli system was provided to U.S. Central Command for the war in Iraq. The officials said the system remains in the development stage and will probably be upgraded.

The Israeli system sends a signal meant to detonate improvised explosive devices (IED) along roads before they can endanger passing vehicles. The Israeli mobile system was first employed in Lebanon in the late 1990s and has undergone improvement over the last two years.

Israel also used the IED protection system to detonate the explosive belts of Palestinian suicide bombers. No details were available.

U.S. SUPPORTS ISRAEL AT THE HAGUE (1/28)
The United States will inform the International Court of Justice at The Hague that it opposes the hearings on the legality of Israel's security fence, a U.S. administration official said Tuesday, THE JERUSALEM POST reported. The U.S. advisory opinion will be submitted before this Friday's deadline. This follows Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer's announcement, made in Israel on Monday, that his country would similarly support Israel at The Hague.

The Bush administration, fearing next month's forum could simply serve as an Israel-bashing event, is asking other countries to submit similar letters to the ICJ. Like Israel, the United States fears the dangerous precedent that could be set by this case, which politicizes the court. The court begins deliberations on February 23.

On Tuesday, the congressmen met with Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei in Abu Dis. Rep. Jane Harman (D-California) said that the members of the delegation made it clear to Qurei that he needed to take steps to halt terror and that there was "no evidence" that he had done so.

Sen. Jane Collins (R-Maine) added that the possibility of Qurei fighting terror is "not promising because of his lack of control over the security apparatus." The group was unanimous in its opinion that Yasser Arafat was not an honest partner for peace and that the Palestinian leadership had to be willing to challenge him.

ISRAEL TO COORDINATE
ANY UNILATERAL MEASURE WITH THE U.S. (12/16)
Minister of Foreign Affairs Silvan Shalom said today that he had told U.S. officials that no decision had yet been made regarding unilateral measures, and that if any were contemplated, they would fully be coordinated with Washington, HA'ARETZ reported.

Concerns have been raised in Washington over recent hints by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon that, were the road map to fail, Israel would consider instituting unilateral measures in the West Bank and Gaza. Sharon is to address the Herzliya Conference on Thursday, where he is expected to unveil details of the measures being considered to address the Palestinian issue.

Shalom explained in discussions with National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice and Vice President Dick Cheney on Monday in Washington that the security fence had largely contributed to the prevention of terror attacks and that its erection was therefore a necessary condition for progress in the political negotiations.

"The fence can be removed, but the loss of human lives cannot," Shalom said, pointing out that in the past, Israel had moved fences on its borders with Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon.

"This trade mission is an excellent opportunity to meet face-to-face and establish personal relationships with Israeli entrepreneurs and elected officials," Governor Ehrlich said. "Technology companies play a significant role in both of our economies and the formation of strong, strategic partnerships will truly be a mutual asset as we compete in the global marketplace."

Israel wants to use the Nautilus for protecting its northern border towns from Katyusha rockets fired by the terrorist group Hizbullah. Israel assesses that Hizbullah currently has 11,000 rockets aimed at Israel.

State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said, however, that the prospect of America's deducting loan guarantees to Israel was not inconceivable. Boucher noted Israel's construction of a security fence along its border with the West Bank, as a factor that may influence ongoing loan negotiations between U.S. and Israeli officials; the administration is opposed to the continuing construction of a barrier, which may interfere with Palestinians' lives or encroach on land designated for a Palestinian state. No direct aid to Israel, which amounts to nearly $3 billion in military and economic aid a year, is involved.

"To the American People:
"The people of Israel wish to express their most heartfelt sympathy for the American people as they mark the tragic events of September 11, 2001. Together, we mourn the loss of the more than 3,000 innocent victims and valiant heroes.

"The ties of shared values and genuine friendship between our two peoples are stronger than ever. We support you not only in the global fight against terrorism, but also in the battle for freedom and democracy. The world will only know peace and security when the tyranny of terrorism is finally defeated.

A main area of interest the conference will explore is the potential collaboration on research and development and commercial applications for renewable energy between U.S. Department of Energy and Israel's Ministry of National Infrastructures, and energy companies.

With the sounds of klezmer music, Israeli rock bands and peace songs in the background, a group of New York and Israeli dignitaries spoke on the Israel-US relationship from a podium set mid-parade. "Our spirits are sunny because there's a real chance for peace in the Middle East, and the world is understanding that Israel's battle against terrorism is the world's battle against terrorism," Senator Charles Schumer of New York told the crowd. Minister for Diaspora Affairs Natan Sharansky and Minister of Education Limor Livnat also attended the event for the first time.

Lawrence Schiffman, the chair of NYU's Skirball Department, explained that by traditionally including Israel studies within the framework of Jewish studies programs and not making it an independent field, a serious academic gap had been created. "Imagine during the Soviet period, no one studying about the Soviet Union," he said.

The Forward, a NYC-based Jewish newspaper, suggests two reasons for the void: Middle Eastern studies programs that are either hostile to Israel or narrowly focused on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict; and Holocaust- and religion-heavy Jewish studies departments that give little attention to modern Israel.

According to Kenneth Stein, founder and director of the Institute for the Study of Modern Israel at Emory University, "the burden of responsibly for the absence of Israel studies sits on the shoulders of American Jewry." During the 1960s and 1970s Jewish academics made a choice "not to focus on the study of modern Israel. They decided to focus on the Holocaust instead."

ISRAEL TECHNOLOGY
POWERS FBI’S COUNTER-TERRORISM DATA SYSTEM (4/28)
A system developed in Israel is powering a new counter-terrorism database within the United States' Federal Bureau of Investigation, enhancing the US government's ability to thwart terrorist attacks, ISRAEL 21C reported. The system will ensure knowledge and sharing of all terrorism-related information within the FBI and with the CIA, Department of Homeland Security, and other federal agencies. The tool created by the ClearForest company, will allow bureau analysts to more easily pore through the more than one billion documents that make up the FBI repository and share information with other intelligence agencies. ClearForest, with headquarters in New York and Research and Development facilities in Israel, is a leader in organizing unstructured information and finding important patterns that help analysts form theories and reach conclusions. Their tools, ClearTags and ClearResearch, will draw patterns from terrorism-related intelligence collected from several sources into a centralized 'datamart' that serves as part of the agency's modernized Trilogy network.

Brig. Gen. (res) Professor Haim Eshed, one of the fathers of Israel's Ofek satellite program assessed that while the manned exploration of space and the scientific experiments conducted are useful, future space exploration must make itself commercially viable. Eshed states that Israel's advantage in that realm lies in its expertise in miniaturization. Israel's small budget forced it to develop small but powerful satellites, which are easily convertible to commercial use. Budget constraints (costs of a launch rise exponentially with the weight of the payload,) compelled Israel to produce what Eshed calls one of the best "size for price" satellites in the world. Israel's satellites like the AMOS, the EROS imaging satellite, or Ofek are smaller and lighter than American satellites, but include up to 90% of the same hardware, he says. In fact, Israel can produce, light, quality satellites for as low as $10 million each. For comparison's sake, the launch alone of the Columbia cost NASA $450 million.

ISRAELI VOLUNTEERS
HELP IDENTIFY REMAINS OF COLUMBIA ASTRONAUTS (2/11)
As the people of the U.S. and Israel mourned the loss of the seven Columbia space shuttle astronauts, Israel offered practical help as well, sending experts in the field of body part identification to Texas to help NASA and rescue workers recover and identify the remains of those killed in the explosion, ISRAEL21C reported.

Four members of the Israeli volunteer organization ZAKA (a Hebrew acronym which means 'identification of disaster victims') arrived in Houston shortly after the explosion and were briefed by American experts before beginning work in the recovery area around Nacogdoches, Texas. Yisrael Stefanski, a ZAKA volunteer, said he and the other volunteers had been at the site of many terror attacks: "Unfortunately, we have too much experience with this type of work. We will help in the searches for body parts and we may be able to find and recognize things that the others cannot."

The ZAKA volunteers were initially brought to the scene at the request of the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Chief Rabbi of NASA to aid in the identification of body parts of the Israeli astronaut Ilan Ramon. Although Ramon's partial remains were soon positively identified by DNA examination, the volunteers remained at the scene to help the rescue worker identify remains of all the astronauts.

A joint program, beginning October 29, will allow students in Israel and in the United States to share courses in Jewish history, American Jewish history, and Israeli history.

Students will attend video-monitored classes with a satellite connection allowing them to engage the professors and each other in discussions, all in real time. This technology allows for a student in Los Angeles to attend the same lecture as a student in Tel Aviv, much as if they were in the same room. There will be other opportunities for students to interact, such as through the Internet, joint projects, and group discussions. The emphasis on personal communication aims to foster personal relationships.

Bush, who also termed Sharon a "close friend," said the Prime Minister had promised to work with the U.S. administration to facilitate the transfer of the NIS 2 billion (approximately $500,000,000) in Palestinian tax revenues that Israel has withheld since the beginning of the violence two years ago. The President also offered a vote of confidence in the Israeli economy. "I understand what terror has done to [Israel's] economy," Bush said. "Terror has affected our economy; terror has affected the Israeli economy. But we've got great confidence in the Israeli economy. We've got great confidence in the Israeli people. The greatest asset Israel has is the brainpower and ingenuity of her people. And I'm convinced that the economy will be strong."

Sharon, who praised the President's determined stance against international terrorism, said that Israel has never had a better friend in the White House than Bush. "As far as I remember, as we look back towards many years now, I think that we never had such relations with any president of the United States as we have with you, and we never had such cooperation in everything as we have with the current administration," Sharon said.

JEWISH NYPD TO SHOW SOLIDARITY WITH ISRAEL (10/10)
Fifteen Jewish NYPD policemen and policewomen will arrive in Israel to show their solidarity, and support and help the state, YEDIOT AHARONOT reported. The fifteen are members of Shomrim Society, an organization of Jewish police officers in New York, which has about 2,800 members. Fourteen out of the fifteen policemen are in active duty.

The policemen will not be able to arrive as an official delegation of the NYPD, because of the NYPD's policy to avoid interfering in foreign conflicts. However, according to Shomrim's President Harriet Bartomeo, they will be allowed to wear their uniforms during the visit. Bartomeo told Yediot Aharonot that "we may not be able to fight with Israel, but we want to show our solidarity and support, and to help as much as possible."

The organization's spokesperson David Goldenberg raised the idea of showing solidarity with Israel after the Passover Massacre in Netanya. "As a Jew it was hard for me to see my brothers and sisters in Israel being murdered in terror attacks. As a policeman I thought about what can be done to help with the morale in Israel," Goldenberg said. He added that the group will arrive "whenever Israel will need our help."

POLL FINDS STRONG US CHRISTIAN SUPPORT FOR ISRAEL (10/10)
THE JERUSALEM POST reports that poll results released this week by Stand for Israel, a project of the International Federation of Christians and Jews, indicate that 62% of US Christian conservatives support Israel and its policies.

The survey, which was conducted by the Tarrance Group, was designed to determine the extent to which various sub-groups of the US population back Israel. The poll found that 85% of American Jews and more than 50% of Protestants and Catholics also stand behind the Jewish state.

One of the poll's more interesting findings was that support for Israel among Republicans is sharply higher than among Democrats, even though many American Jews identify more closely with the Democratic Party. Among Democrats, just 46% said they supported Israel, as opposed to 67% of Republicans.

Despite warnings by Israeli officials that diversion of water from the Hatzbani River "is unacceptable," Lebanese workers have continued to lay infrastructure for a new water pumping station north of Ghajar, a town divided by the Israeli-Lebanese border. Lebanese President Emile Lahoud told reporters, "Lebanon's decision to benefit from the Hatzbani River to irrigate its parched land and villages in the south is final and irreversible."

Meanwhile, Minister of Defense Binyamin Ben-Eliezer told reporters, "Israel cannot pass over the subject of water - this is our life blood." At this stage, attempts to ease the crisis would be focused on American diplomatic efforts.

Meanwhile, according to YEDIOT AHARONOT, during a solidarity visit to Israel, eleven Chiefs of Police from the United States met with Police Chief Inspector General Shlomo Aharonisky and gave him a Magen David (Star of David) made out of pieces of steel that were taken out of the remains at Ground Zero in New York City.

CITY COUNCIL DEMANDS CLOSURE OF PA OFFICE IN NEW YORK (8/16)
The City Council of New York passed a resolution on Thursday urging U.S. President George Bush to shut down the Palestinian observer mission at the United Nations, HA'ARETZ reported. The resolution "strongly condemns the murderous attacks against civilians in Israel and calls upon President Bush to condemn the Palestinian Authority's support of terrorists and harboring of terrorists." In addition, the city council said, "as a government entity that shelters terrorist groups, the offices of the Palestinian Authority may pose a danger to New Yorkers."

Miller added that the NYC council members arrived in Israel "at this time because of our strong desire to express our solidarity and support for the people of the State of Israel in their struggle, which is our struggle too." He said that the residents of New York have felt a special bond with Israel since the terror attacks on the World Trade Center on Sept. 11. "Our experience on September 11th gives all New Yorkers a feeling of what it is to live in the shadow of death," he said.

Rumsfeld also took issue with the Arab claim that the West Bank is "occupied" territory that should be handed over to the Palestinians, and declined to call on Israel to abandon settlements.

Meanwhile, according to YEDIOT AHARONOT ON-LINE, the PA cabinet approved Israel's "Gaza first" plan on Tuesday. The plan was proposed by Minister of Defense Binyamin Ben-Eliezer and entails a gradual withdrawal of Israel Defense Forces troops from Palestinian controlled areas, in return for a Palestinian crackdown on terrorists. Following the cabinet meeting, Palestinian Planning Minister Nabil Sha'ath said "there is preliminary approval for the Israeli security plan."

U.S. STUDENTS DETERMINED TO STAY IN JERUSALEM (8/2)
Wednesday's terrorist attack on the Mt. Scopus campus of Hebrew University, which took the lives of five American students studying abroad and two Israelis, has strengthened feelings of solidarity among Americans and Israelis, THE JERUSALEM POST reported.

In response to the attack on Wednesday, U.S. President George W. Bush told reporters "I'm just as angry as Israel is right now. I'm furious about innocent life lost."

In addition, according to reports, the overwhelming feeling among Americans students is one of determination to continue their studies in Jerusalem. A friend of Janis Ruth Coulter, one of the five victims, recalled a conversation they had before she left to study at Hebrew University last spring. Ms. Coulter had told her friend that "if something did happen I would rather die as a Jew in Israel than by some random violence in the states."

Ayalon, 47, is a professional from the Foreign Ministry who, four years ago, was moved to the Prime Minister's Office in the capacity of deputy political adviser. Last year, Sharon appointed Ayalon as his political adviser. As Sharon's political adviser, Ayalon dealt with preparing visits and meetings for the prime minister abroad, and was also involved in ongoing contacts with foreign ambassadors and emissaries. In recent weeks, he has maintained contact with U.S. National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice, discussing ways of concluding Operation Defensive Shield.

Ayalon joined the Foreign Ministry 13 years ago, after completing business administration studies in the United States and a stint in the private sector. Prior to his position at the PMO, he served as assistant to Israel's ambassador to the UN, Gad Yaakobi.

Sharon would like to see Ayalon leave for Washington as soon as possible. Prior to his departure, however, his appointment will have to be approved by the Foreign Ministry's Supreme Appointments Committee and the Cabinet. The position of Ambassador in Washington has been vacant for about a month and a half, following the retirement of former Ambassador David Ivry.

U.S. JEWS RAISE $219 MILLION FOR ISRAELI TERROR VICTIMS (5/23)
The four movements of the major streams of Judaism in the United States, Orthodox, Conservative, Reform and Reconstructionist, joined the United Jewish Communities in raising funds to aid Israeli victims of terror through the UJC's Israel Emergency Campaign, THE JERUSALEM POST reported.

According to YEDIOT AHARONOT, the campaign raised $219 million since its launch last year, $120 million of which was pledged only in the past two months in response to the two most recent terror attacks in Israel. The donations will be allocated for summer camps and treatment for children harmed by terror attacks, counseling and support for victims and their families, support for emergency services including the purchase of ambulances and medical equipment, support for volunteer security programs in afflicted neighborhoods and the purchase of specially fortified buses.

UJC Board Chairman James Tisch said in a press conference on Tuesday: "Jews don't agree about everything, but when Jews are in danger, they always unite. We in America recognize the enormous cost in human lives, in human suffering, the economic impact on Israelis and Israeli institutions, and the great cost in increased security. So we do what we do best. We raise money to help the people of Israel during this time of crisis, and we join forces to do so."

President of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations Rabbi Eric Yoffie said, "To the people of Israel, we say, 'You are not alone.' To the terrorists, we say, 'We Jews are a diverse people, but understand this: As long as the weapon you choose is terror... we stand as one in the battle to defeat you.'"

$35 million of the money raised will be used to aid the 5000 Argentinean Jews who immigrated to Israel in the past year.

JUSTER: U.S. WILL USE
ALL RESOURCES TO FRUSTRATE BOYCOTTS OF ISRAEL (5/23)
In response to the intentions of some European countries to restrict Israeli imports because of Operation Defensive Shield, U.S. Undersecretary of Commerce Kenneth Juster condemned last week the trade sanctions taken against Israel, GLOBES reported.

"The administration opposes restricting trade with Israel," Juster said. He added "the Commerce Department is committed to using all the resources at its disposal to frustrate boycotts of Israel and companies doing business with it." Juster also warned U.S. companies that the Commerce Department would enforce all regulations forbidding U.S. citizens from participating in boycotts by other countries against Israel.

BUSH REAFFIRMS SHARON PARTNERSHIP (5/14)
White House Spokesman Ari Fleischer said on Tuesday that the Likud party vote against a Palestinian state does not change how U.S. President George W. Bush feels about the issue, THE JERUSALEM POST reported. "The president continues to believe that the best route to peace is through the creation of a state of Palestine that can live side-by-side in security with Israel," Fleischer said. Fleischer added that the president "knows he can work productively" toward achieving the vision of a Palestinian state with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.

Labor Party chairman and Minister of Defense Binyamin Ben-Eliezer said on Tuesday that the Likud Party's decision is a "no to peace," and will lead to a continuation of conflict and bloodshed. He noted that the Labor Party is a partner in a national-unity Government based on coalition guidelines, and not on Likud Party decisions.

U.S. HOUSE APPROVES AID FOR ISRAEL (5/13)
According to HA'ARETZ, The U.S. House Appropriations Committee approved on Thursday a $200 million supplementary aid package for Israel. The aid package now requires approval by the Senate. When the proposal for the extra aid was first raised about two months ago, the Bush administration argued that it was not the appropriate time to grant additional funds to Israel. But the supporters of the proposal in the House pushed ahead with the initiative and tied it to a $50 million supplemental aid package for the Palestinian Authority. Israel requested the additional funds to help finance its war against terror.

RETIRED US MILITARY OFFICIALS SUPPORT ISRAEL (5/7)
A delegation of retired senior officials the United States military visited Israel last week under the auspices of the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs (JINSA), THE JERUSALEM POST reported. The Ministry of Defense hosted the officers, including a former commander of the US Air Force Special Operations and a former Commander in Chief Naval Atlantic. The purpose of the visit, according to JINSA executive director Marsha Haltman, was "to enhance the strategic relationship between Israel and the United States."

According to mission participant Maj.-Gen. Robert Patterson USAF (ret.), there can be no doubt of Israel's strategic importance to the United States. "Having an ally like Israel is just essential to America," he said. The officers toured the Golan Heights, met with Israeli soldiers, and got a first-hand look at IDF patrols in the Gaza Strip. Lt.-Gen. Randall L. Rigby, US Army (ret.) said territory is important to securing the Jewish state's future. "If you are talking about Montana or Idaho then it probably doesn't matter, but if you are talking about Israel, then the Golan and the West Bank do matter. As a military professional, the ground that you have does matter strategically for the existence of the country." Rigby said a number of the soldiers with whom he met thanked the delegation for coming to Israel, because "they do not want to feel that they are in this struggle alone." As a result, said Rigby, "One of the things we attempted to do was to reassure them that America is right behind them, because you are a strategic symbol for the United States and for the Free World."

RALLY ON CAPITOL HILL
DRAWS TENS OF THOUSANDS IN SUPPORT OF ISRAEL (4/16)
Tens of thousands of Americans, Jews and non-Jews alike, from 15 states and Canada, rallied in solidarity with Israel on Monday outside the US Capitol building in Washington D.C., THE JERUSALEM POST reported. The rally was organized in a last-minute effort by the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations. Among those who addressed the crowd were U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz, former Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, Minister of Construction and Housing Natan Sharansky, Deputy Foreign Minister Rabbi Michael Melchior, Nobel laureate and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel, congressional leaders, and former New York mayor Rudolph Giuliani.

The rally began at 1 p.m. under tight security with a moment of silence intended to coincide with the start of Remembrance Day in Israel. It was followed by a singing of the Israeli and American national anthems and then
a steady stream of speakers, including a Catholic nun, Sister Rose Thering of NCLCI, and a Christian radio host.