WASHINGTON – When Prime Minister Ariel Sharon concluded his speech at the AIPAC conference Tuesday, 40 U.S. evangelical church leaders, among them Pat Robertson and Gary Bauer, were waiting for him backstage. The evangelists form their political viewpoints according to three main sources of inspiration: The holy scriptures, which, according to the evangelists’ interpretation, forbid Jews to give up parts of Israel their utter hatred of Islam, and the Yesha Council members and right-wing Israeli politicians who utilize the evangelists’ clout to advance anti-disengagement campaign. According to one of Sharon’s advisors, the evangelists wanted to find out whether Sharon was not possessed by the devil, or if he has simply gone mad. They asked Sharon, among other things, whether he would be willing to promise Israel would never withdraw from the Golan Heights and the Holy sites and how he intends to ensure Israel’s security if and when a Palestinian state is established. “I know what I’m doing,” Sharon told them. “I would never give up when it comes to security.” Amen, the audience responded in unison, Amen. The real Dimona No Jewish lobby has more political power than the 100,000-strong AIPAC organization. This power is one of Israel’s greatest global assets. The real Dimona, if you will. But success has its price. Many U.S. congressmen and government officials consider the behavior of AIPAC members to be brutal, arrogant and inconsiderate they are convinced the organization must be suppressed for the sake of the U.S. foreign policy’s independence. AIPAC considers the FBI’s arrest of former Pentagon executive Larry Franklin on suspicion of passing information to the organization as a strange and sordid affair. Anti-Defamation League Director Abe Foxman told us he is not ruling out the possibility the motive for the probe is political, perhaps even anti-Semitic. In the short-term, AIPAC came out on top, as the organization was flooded with new members and contributions. But power has its limits - AIPAC does not want to quarrel with the White House, and its members are grateful Sharon is getting along wit Bush. Applying pressure In a recent meeting with Sharon’s advisor Dov Weisglass, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice preferred to discuss Israel’s obligations in accordance with the Sharm el-Sheikh agreements: The release of Palestinian prisoners, the removal of IDF roadblocks and the transfer of West Bank Palestinian cities to Palestinian Authority control. But the Israelis are attempting to convince the Americans that Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas should be pressured, not embraced. Hamas, the Israelis claimed, is forming an alternative militia in a bid to seize control of the territories. However, now that Hamas is not sending suicide bombers to Israeli coffee shops, the Bush administration is not as harsh in its criticism of the terror group, especially as the difficulties in Iraq and Afghanistan are forcing the Americans to cooperate with Islamic factors. Recently Palestinian officials asked the Americans why Israel has not disclosed any information regarding the future of the infrastructure in areas slated for evacuation and why Israel has not informed the Palestinian Authority whether the settler homes would remain intact or not. The information was not disclosed because Sharon’s government has not yet determined what will become of the settler homes. Sharon calls on the Palestinians to coordinate efforts, but it is the Israeli government that is not cooperating at this stage. Palestinians want answers The Palestinians had hoped that during Abbas’ U.S. visit they would receive clarifications on a number of burning issues. “First of all, we want clarifications regarding the (security) fence,” a senior member of Abbas’ entourage told us. “We received some from Condoleezza Rice. We want The Americans to criticize Israel’s construction in the settlements so the Palestinian state would have territorial continuity.” He said the Palestinians want Bush to call for an end to all settlement activity. “We want guarantees that Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza would not be the last,” the Palestinian official said. “Time is running out, we say during the meetings. Soon there will be no point in establishing a Palestinian state: The settlements, bypass roads and the fence will tear it apart.” When Arafat made his first official visit to Washington for the, he was greeted by Congress as a hero, but later the Americans viewed him as an arch-murderer. Today the Americans are embracing Abbas the Palestinians accompanying Abbas in Washington are convinced it is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.