Wolfowitz Booed at Pro-Israel Rally
Mon Apr 15, 3:14 PM ET
By JIM ABRAMS, Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON - A top administration official was interrupted and booed Monday
when he told thousands of people gathered at the Capitol for a pro-Israel
rally that Palestinians as well as Israelis have been victims of Mideast
violence.
Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz was drowned out by chants of "no
more Arafat" and booed as he told a packed crowd of thousands that "innocent
Palestinians are suffering and dying as well. It is critical that we
recognize and acknowledge that fact."
Wolfowitz, the second-ranked official at the Pentagon (news - web sites),
was one of dozens of speakers at what sponsors said was the largest
pro-Israel rally ever staged in this country.
Hours after the rally began people were still streaming in, with the crowds
extending down Capitol Hill to the Reflecting Pool. People came in on
charter planes from New York, Los Angeles, Miami and Boston, and by
overnight bus from as far away as Wisconsin.
Most of the speakers conveyed similar messages: "We will stand with Israel,
we will stand for freedom," said House Democratic leader Dick Gephardt of
Missouri.
"We can't expect Israel to stand idle while its citizens are being
slaughtered," said Sen. Harry Reid (news, bio, voting record) of Nevada, the
Senate's No. 2 Democrat.
Wolfowitz too voiced strong support for Israel's fight against terrorism. He
said President Bush (news - web sites) was horrified by the carnage in
Israel and had asked Wolfowitz to represent him and stress that "terrorism
must end. Hatred of Israel must end."
But many at the rally showed little sympathy with Wolfowitz's further
message that the majority of Palestinians too want an end to violence and
that "hard decisions must be made by both sides to achieve a lasting peace."
He was forced to stop speaking several times to wait for the crowd to quiet
down.
Among the other speakers were Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel, former New York
Mayor Rudolph Giuliani (news - web sites), House Majority Leader Dick Armey,
R-Texas, former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (news - web
sites), Israeli Housing Minister Natan Sharansky, AFL-CIO President John
Sweeney and New York Gov. George Pataki.
The rally was sponsored by the Conference of Presidents of Major American
Jewish Organizations and the United Jewish Communities.
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