Some Jewish leaders yesterday voiced concern about Democratic nominee-to-be John Kerry's 1997 description of Yasser Arafat as a "statesman" and his conflicting comments on Israel's security fence.
The Post reported Kerry praised Arafat's "transformation from outlaw to statesman" in a 1997 book, although he told Jewish leaders last week in New York that he now agrees with President Bush that Arafat must be isolated.
"By 1997, we knew that Arafat had done nothing to change the promotion of hatred and murder of Jews in Palestinian Authority media and refused to outlaw Hamas and Islamic Jihad," said Mort Klein, head of the Zionist Organization of America.
"In 1997, to have said that is really shocking," Klein added.
Sen. Norman Coleman (R-Minn.), speaking on behalf of the Bush campaign, yesterday denounced Kerry's remarks on Arafat, saying: "Yasser Arafat has been a terrorist from the beginning to the middle to the end."
But American Jewish Congress President Jack Rosen said many people were wrong about Arafat in 1997, adding he's more concerned that Kerry told Arab-Americans that Israel's security fence is a barrier to peace while defending it to Jews. ("JEWS WARY OF DEM'S ARA-FLATTERY", By DEBORAH ORIN, The New York Post)
I would have to agree with Mr. Rosen that Kerry's 1997 statement is not so different from similar sentiments expressed at the time by both Democrats and Republicans. It is indeed his more recent musings on Israel which give me the willies.
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