Pro-Israel caucuses to discuss Elon plan

By · May 19, 2008

Pro-Israel lawmakers from 13 countries will meet in Washington to affirm support for Israel.

Issues on the table during the conference Wednesday and Thursday include the status of Jewish refugees in the region, the plight of minorities and a joint declaration of support for Israel..

The conference of the International Israel Allies Caucus Foundation is convened by the offices of the Congressional Israel Allies Caucus, co-chaired by U.S. Reps. Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.) and Dave Weldon (R-Fla.).

The conference, to take place in one of the congressional office buildings attached to the Capitol, will devote a session to the consideration of ways to end the refugee status of millions of Palestinian.

Benny Elon, the chairman of Israel’s National Union Party and of the Knesset’s Christian Allies Caucus, will attend and will promote the refugee component of his “Israeli initiative,” which rejects the two-state solution favored by the Bush administration, Israel and the Palestinian Authority. His plan would annex the West Bank to Israel while making its Palestinians citizens of Jordan; Jordan rejects the plan.

Lawmakers from the European Union, South Africa, Switzerland, Japan, Philippines, Brazil, Uruguay and Canada will attend the conference.