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'AN ISRAELI AT HEART'
The political prostitutes in Washington fight hard for their Jewish customers, none harder than the majority leader of the House, Rep. Tom DeLay of Texas. Stepping out from the infamous house of ill repute on Capitol Hill, Congressman DeLay has sashayed off to Jerusalem, where—at taxpayers' expense—he is now performing tricks for his clients in the Jewish capital. READ: 'Be Not
Afraid,' US House Majority Leader Tells Israel By JULIE STAHL, Jerusalem Bureau Chief JERUSALEM—Tom DeLay (R-Texas), majority leader in the U.S. House of Representatives, told Israelis in Jerusalem on Wednesday not to fear in their war against terrorism. DeLay, who is a on a weeklong visit to the region, said that victory in the war on terrorism depends on the survival of Israel and U.S. support for the Jewish state would never falter. Speaking to Israeli parliamentarians and guests at the Knesset in Jerusalem, DeLay charged that it was Palestinian Authority (PA) Chairman Yasser Arafat and terrorist groups and not Israel who are oppressing the Palestinian people. The Texas Republican, who is a born-again Christian and staunch supporter of Israel, has been sharply critical of the U.S.-sponsored "road map." Where his heart lies Many evangelical Christians who supported Bush in the last election are opposed to the road map—which calls for the establishment of a Palestinian state by 2005—and are trying to make it an issue in upcoming elections. Traveling with Florida Republican Congressman Ander Crenshaw and their wives, DeLay met with former "refuseniks"—immigrants from the former Soviet Union who were refused the right to immigrate to Israel—and visited [Jerusalem's Wailing Wall]. Describing himself as an "Israeli of the heart," DeLay said that the bond between Israel and the U.S. is based on the "endowment of our God-given rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness . . . the universal solidarity of freedom. "In its name, I come to you—in the midst of a great global conflict against evil—with a simple message: 'Be not afraid,'" he said to rousing applause. "My country is not ignorant, nor are we indifferent to your struggle. We know our victory in the war on terror depends on Israel's survival," DeLay added. Support for Israeli terror measures "Israel's liberation from Palestinian terror is an essential component of the victory. And it's a liberation we are determined to secure—not merely a paper-thin cease-fire. A month ago, the House overwhelmingly passed a resolution—co-authored by DeLay—recognizing Israel's right to fight terrorism and acknowledging Israel's fight as part of the global war against terrorism. DeLay said the resolution underscored years of support for Israel in Congress and the position of the American people that "Israel's fight is our fight. And so it shall be until the last terrorist on earth is in a cell or a cemetery." Speaking to reporters after DeLay's speech, Likud Knesset member Uzi Landau said that the congressman's statements fit both Israel's and America's sentiments on terrorism. "You do not negotiate with terror. You're not trying to reach a cease-fire with them. You rather do whatever possible to eradicate them," said Landau, who also opposes the road map in its current form.
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