Lieberman Heckled by Arab Americans[???]

["David Quarter" <davidquarter@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

[ The title seems a tad disingenuous given that the only person
identified in the article as heckling Lieberman does not to appear to
be Arab.]



Lieberman Heckled by Arab Americans
Sat Oct 18, 1:31 PM ET

By KATHY BARKS HOFFMAN, Associated Press Writer

DETROIT - Democratic presidential candidate Joe Lieberman (news
- web sites) was heckled Friday by several Arab Americans angry
with his support for Israel as he spoke about restoring peace and
trust in the Middle East.


AP Photo



"What about the wall?" shouted several attending the Arab
American Institute leadership conference as they interrupted
Lieberman's speech. The reference was to Israel's plan to build a
barrier that juts into the West Bank.


Lieberman, who is Jewish, insisted the wall is temporary.


"I regret the confiscations," said the Connecticut senator, referring
to the Palestinian land that has been taken in the effort to build the
wall.


Israel insists that the barrier is essential to prevent suicide attacks
and its construction would help create an atmosphere conducive to
peace talks. The Palestinians call the project a flagrant grab for
land before talks on the borders of a Palestinian state.


"It has nothing to do with security. It has to do with stealing from
the Palestinians," shouted Greta Berlin during a question-and-
answer session after the speech. Berlin had just returned from the
West Bank, where she was working with the International Solidarity
Movement, a pro-Palestinian group.


Several of the Democratic hopefuls planned to address the group
over a two-day period. Speaking first, Lieberman acknowledged his
religious beliefs in trying to reach out to Arab Americans, an
important voting constituency in several swing states.


He said they gathered Friday, "Not as Muslims and Christians and
Jews, or as people of Arab descent or European descent or African
or Asian descent. We are proud to be all those things. But we are
more than that. We are Americans. We are children of the same
God and of the same father, Abraham. We are brothers and
sisters."


Lieberman blamed the lack of progress toward peace between
Israelis and Palestinians on the failures of the Bush administration.
He received applause for some of his comments, including his calls
for tolerance and unity.


Mark Brewer, executive director of the Michigan Democratic Party,
gave Lieberman credit for appearing.


"This is really a genuine attempt on his part to engage in a
dialogue about very divisive issues," Brewer said.


Another Democratic candidate, Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Ohio, said
the United States must use its considerable influence with Israel to
ask it stop building walls and settlements, a remark that drew
applause.


Sen. John Kerry (news - web sites) of Massachusetts, speaking via
satellite, criticized comments made by a top Pentagon (news -
web sites) general who cast the war on terror as a religious battle,
and he faulted Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld for not
condemning the remarks.


Jim Zogby, president of the Arab American Institute, read a
statement from Wesley Clark (news - web sites), who could not
attend because of a hoarse voice. Clark criticized the
administration's record on Iraq (news - web sites) and civil rights.


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