The Democratic and Republican parties take a similar stance concerning the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, an ongoing religious war for the Holy Land in the Middle East. Events such as the Gaza War and Israeli’s Unilateral Disengagement Plan stand as modern examples of this constant struggle between the Israelite and the Palestinians, dating back thousands of years. The two very polar parties ardently defend Israeli’s right to exist as a nation; however, the candidates of these parties find difficulty in balancing the latter with a diplomatic means to end Israel’s aggression towards the Palestinians in an effort for peace in the Middle East.
The platform of the Democratic Party is well represented by President Barrack Obama and Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. who share similar beliefs about belligerents Israel and Palestine. During an interview with the Atlantic in 2008, President Obama said that the idea of a Jewish state was “fundamentally just”. Both Biden and Obama feel that the United States needs to strengthen its diplomacy with Israel. Biden and Obama took part in sponsoring the Palestinian Anti-Terrorism Act in 2006 and have supported financial aid and military assistance programs during his political career, supporting his rhetoric with activism. In addition, both find that the conflict has worsened over time and have noted the need for more serious negotiations and means of making peace in the Middle East.
The Platform of the Republican Party is well represented by Senator John McCain and Sarah Palin who both take a pro-Israel stance much like the Democrats. Senator McCain fully supports Israel and stressed the importance of military assistance so that Israel may defend itself from the Palestinians. McCain also said that he would support military force against Iran if they ever developed atomic bombs, posing a serious threat to Israel. Sarah Palin also seeks to back Israel, evidenced by her passing of legislation in June of 2008 which congratulated Israel on its 60th anniversary since its founding. The legislation also promoted “strong bonds of friendship” between the US and Palestine. McCain cosponsored the Palestinian Anti-Terrorism Act in 2006 along with Democratic candidates Barrack Obama and Joe Biden.
Although the Democratic and Republican parties find common ground in their beliefs concerning the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, the parties take different routes in solving the problem. The Democrats articulate a much more diplomatic route for peace in the Middle East, pushing for serious peace-talks and criticizing past talks for only making the situation. On the other hand, Republicans convey a much more aggressive and militarized approach to the conflict, evidenced by McCain’s fervent support of military support for the state of Israel. These views align with the Republican Party’s tendency to support militaristic activity and a strong military presence in foreign affairs, similar to a phrase coined by a Republican Party leader and former president of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt, “Speak softly and carry a big stick.” The Democratic approach to peace in the Middle East is also comparable to the general consensus that means other than military force can be used to establish peace, evidenced in 2002 by the vote in the House of Representatives for the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq in which Democrats voted 81 for and 126 against.
Sources: "The Candidates on the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict - Council on Foreign Relations." Council on Foreign Relations. N.p., 19 Sept. 2008. Web. 15 Nov. 2010. <http://www.cfr.org/publication/14756/candidates_on_the_israelipales
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