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CNN Today

Lieberman Choice Stirs Discussion in Israel

Aired August 7, 2000 - 2:39 p.m. ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

NATALIE ALLEN, CNN ANCHOR: Because of his faith alone, the choice of Lieberman is a milestone in American politics. And among the places where it's stirring conversation is the Jewish state of Israel.

CNN's Jerrold Kessel is in Jerusalem.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JERROLD KESSEL, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): As vice president, Al Gore has been involved less in the ins and outs of Mideast peacemaking, very much, as at Israel's 50th birthday celebrations, in underlining traditional support for Israel. Now, with Mr. Gore's choice of Senator Lieberman, real delight.

RABBI MICHAEL MELCHIOR, ISRAELI MINISTER FOR DIASPORA AFFAIRS: I'm very proud that the American society has matured to this point that a Jew who is a conscious Jew, a religious Jew, can be a candidate for this high position.

KESSEL: Only too aware that not since John F. Kennedy's election four decades ago has religion been a factor in a White House race, Israelis will be watching closely if it's a factor now.

DAVID LANDAU, EDITOR, HA'ARETZ: There is going to be awkwardness. There will be awkwardness because of his Jewishness, because he's been active in Jewish public life, in Jewish affairs, for so many years. And he has been outspoken on Jewish-Arab and Israeli- Arab issues.

KESSEL: Still, the choice of Senator Lieberman elicits uniform admiration among Israelis.

LANDAU: That's the very essence of American pluralism, of American separation of church and state, and indeed in many ways the essence of Al Gore's choice. He's chosen a man, if you like, despite his being a Jew and a practicing Jew, and at the same time, not denying or hiding or downplaying or soft-pedaling that fact.

KESSEL: If Mr. Gore is seen as distancing himself from President Clinton's personal conduct, the question being asked here: Is this a distancing from Mr. Clinton's Mideast policy, which has embraced, along with support for Israel, endorsement of Palestinian rights? MAHDI ABDUL HADI PASSIA, PALESTINIAN RESEARCH INSTITUTE: During the past eight years with Clinton administration, we have lots of American Jewish in the State Department, and the White House and the National Security Council. We didn't have any problem with them, as long as they stand for ethics and values and principle and just settlement.

Today we have a serious problem if those who are going to transfer their position to a religious position and to implement a religious aspects on any relationship vis a vis the Palestinians and Israelis.

KESSEL (on camera): The issue of religion in politics is something Israelis grapple with on a day-to-day basis. This is one time they'll happily watch how it plays out from the sidelines.

Jerrold Kessel, CNN, Jerusalem.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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