14

Friday; October 19, 1984

THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS

The

.experience anti respect it takes to be Judge.

48th District Court.

Paid for by the Committee to Elect Ed Sosnick
P.O. Box 1036, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48303.

48TH DISTRICT
ELECTION
BECOMES
MIDDLE EAST
MICROCOSM

BY ALAN HITSKY
News Editor

Voters in Birmingham, Bloom-
field Hills, Bloomfield Township, West
Bloomfield, Orchard Lake. Keego
Harbor and Sylvan Lake will have to
look far down the ballot on Nov. 6 to
vote for judge of the 48th District
Court. Many won't take the time or
trouble; others believe they will be de-
ciding between two qualified, dedi-
cated attorneys who are running for
election; and some believe they will be
taking sides on volatile Middle East
issues.
The candidacy . of Edward Ajlouny
has created a stir in the Jewish com-
munity. Ajlouny and opponent Ed-
ward Sosnick are respected attorneys
in the Detroit area, each having more
than 20 years' experience in the prac-
tice of law. Ajlouny's presidency of the
Detroit-based American Federation of
Ramallah, Palestine has, however,
created concern.
Detractors point to Ajlouny's
statements in two Detroit News arti-
cles in 1980 and 1981: "Jewish-Israeli
stranglehold on U.S. policy in the

Middle East" . . . "We support the
PLO's objectives in their quest for es-
tablishment of a Palestinian home-
land" . . . All revolutions come about
through violence . . ." The statements
have led to concern, and donations to
Sosnick's campaign.
Ajlouny does not deny making
these statements. But he does deny
that he advocates terrorism or vio-
lence, that he supports the Palestine
Liberation Organization, or that he is
a Palestinian radical.
He told The Jewish News that as a
native of Ramallah he supports a
homeland for the Palestinians "and
that's something I'm sure the Jewish
people would understand after the hell
they went through in World War II.
This is a view that is shared by many,
many people around the world, includ-
ing many Presidents of the United
States and Secretaries of State."
The American Federation of
Ramallah, Palestine, he explains, con-
tributes money for scholarships and
helps support a hospital, women's

groups, and an old age home in Ramal-
lah, ten miles north of Jerusalem. At
the same time, because of its Palesti-
nian identity, we are concerned with
the plight of Palestinian refugees in
the West Bank and Jordan." Although
90 percent of the Palestinians are Mos-
lem, the Ramallah group is predomin-
antly Christian.
Ajlouny flatly rejects claims that
he supports the PLO or terrorism. He
endorses the PLO's aim of a Palestin-
ian homeland, he says, but rejects the
stance of terrorist elements within the
PLO.
"Violence has not solved anything
and I don't condone violence. There
has been violence on both sides and it

has sometimes continued because of
its own weight," he says. You don't
call all Jewish people terrorists j-as..
because they support (Ariel) Sharon,
(Menachem) Begin or (Rabbi Meir,
Kahane."
In referring to his statements i
the Detroit News, Ajlouny explained
that as president of the Ramallah
organization at the time, he was ex-'
pressing sympathy with the plight ef
the Palestinian refugees. "I do ilOt
condone violence, but sometimes it has
been inevitable. It is something that I
have no control over. I have not given a
single cent, nor has my organization,
to the PLO."
Aljouny criticizes the "whisr.,
campaign" during the election. "Cer,
tain elements are spreading these vi-
cious rumors about me. It has been
inside and outside the Jewish commu-
nity.I respect Ed Sosnick and I hope he
respects me in return."
Sosnick is senior trial attorney for
the Oakland County ProsectitoCs i
Office, with 16 years' experience. He