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Bush To Discuss Israeli "Assassination Policy" With Sharon
BEN GURION AIRPORT, Israel, March 18 (IslamOnline) - Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon left Sunday for Washington where he will hold talks with U.S. President George W. Bush for the first time since both leaders took office.
The Israeli press noted that Sharon, who took office on March 7th, had broken with a tradition set by his predecessors in making the United States his first trip abroad rather than Egypt, the first Arab state to make peace with the Jewish state.
But in spite of the Israeli gesture, newspapers in Israel said the U.S. was likely to raise issue with Israel's extra-judicial killing - a euphemism for state sponsored assassination - of Palestinian protestors against Israeli occupation of Muslim holy sites.
The Jerusalem Post, a right-wing Israeli daily, reported on its online edition Sunday that the U.S. administration was currently "reviewing" the issue to see whether these actions may affect U.S. arms transfers to Israel. Israel has been using U.S. weapons to target Palestinian activists and have killed many using them.
Asked if Israel's policy regarding killings of activists and Intifada leaders has affected the U.S. delivery of arms to Israel, a State Department official said that, "We are reviewing the issue in the context of U.S. law and the situation on the ground. But we have not made any determination yet. All U.S. weapon transfers are closely examined to ensure compliance with U.S. laws."
Israel is by far the biggest beneficiary of U.S. foreign aid with around $3 billion a year. Other figures place the aid package at around $4 billion annually. Military aid has consistently increased and is expected to reach $2.4 billion by 2008, while economic aid is gradually declining.
"I am making my first working visit to the United States to strengthen the special relationship between Israel and the United States and to present to the President and his administration my government's positions and values on the Middle East, our relations with our neighbors and the future of the political process," Sharon said at a brief ceremony before his departure.
"We share the same joint values and interests such as hopes for regional stability and the rejection of terrorism and violence," he said.
Arms sales issues were unlikely to feature high during the visit. Israeli newspapers expressed dismay that the U.S. administration has come under pressure in recent weeks by Palestinians and pro-Palestinian lobbyists in Washington to stop arms transfers to Israel because of Israel's "policy of assassinations."
In anticipation of American backlash against Israel's excessive use of force, the Israeli Foreign Ministry and American Jews are reportedly waging a public opinion war in Washington, using public relations firms, pollsters, and think tanks, instead of guns, tanks, and combat helicopters.
Since early February, public relations firms Rubenstein Associates and Morris, Carrick & Guma have been working for the Israeli foreign Ministry to enhance Israel's image. They are working for an undisclosed sum on a three-month trial basis, dealing with media placement and monitoring media coverage of events in Israel.
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