OPINION
CONTENTS
14
FRONTLINES
Local Issues
KIMBERLY LIFTON
As the campaigns heat up in the U.S.
and Israel, local races crowd the ballot.
20
ELECTIONS '88
Two Democracies,
Two Elections
GARY ROSENBLATT
Israel and America have strong
imilarities and basic differences.
T he Jewish Senator
Isr ael Groups Oppose
Israelis and Arabs meet on the West Bank: Coming to terms with realities.
It's Time For Jews And Arabs
To Stop Baiting One Another
JAMES ZOGBY
Special to The Jewish News
I
am an Arab American. There are
2.5 million Arab Americans. We are
immigrants and descendants of im-
migrants from Lebanon, Syria, Palestine,
Egypt, Jordan, Iraq and Yemen.
While these names may frighten you,
to us they represent the nations of our
origins and the homes of our families and
friends.
We, as a community, do not agree with
all of the policies of those Arab states. We
feel free to criticize them when it is
necessary to do so.
Nevertheless, we do share a deep con-
cern for the welfare of their people — our
people. We want to see them secure, with
their basic rights protected. We want to see
our people build on our proud history and
traditions to create a future of prosperity
and peace.
In recent years our community has
matured in America. We are growing rapid-
ly in organization and experience. Political-
ly, we have come of age.
Arab Americans are participants in
both the Republican and Democratic par-
ties and in the national debates on a broad
range of issues that affect our lives and our
community's interests. This year, for exam-
ple, more than 50 Arab Americans were
elected as delegates or committee members
to the Democratic Convention.
As a member of the platform commit-
tee, I was able to introduce and place in the
party platform, planks calling for an im-
proved census count, an end to ethnic
stereotyping, protection of political rights
of non-citizen residents in the United
James Zogby is director of the Arab
American Institute.
States, and a strong U.S. commitment to a
peace policy in Lebanon and the Persian
Gulf.
It is none of these issues, however, that
have sparked concern in the American
Jewish community. What has drawn fire to
us is our work in raising the issue of
Palestinian rights.
In nine Democratic party state conven-
tions we were able to organize support to
pass a party platform plank affirming the
right of Palestinians to self-determination
alongside a secure state of Israel. We also
were able to debate a minority plank on
this same question at the national
convention.
Some in the Jewish community were
alarmed by that plank. We believe it was
long overdue.
It is a fact that the conflict between
Israel and the Palestinians is sharpening
over the matter of the now 21-year-old oc-
cupation of the West Bank and Gaza.
It is also a fact that a sharpening
debate exists in the United States over the
direction our policy ought to take to resolve
this conflict. Arab Americans are proud of
the role we have rightfully played in this
policy debate.
Arab Americans and Jewish
Americans have profound differences in
this debate. As the debate expands (and I
am certain that it will) each of us will pas-
sionately present our case and organize to
win.
Yet we must never, in this debate, resort
to anti-Semitism or Arab-bashing. This I
believe, we cannot afford. While we will
disagree, we cannot tolerate those
dangerous and despicable practices.
At the same time, it is imperative that
we carefully define these terms so we do not
abuse and cheapen them. If anti-Semitism
Continued on Page 10
JAMES DAVID BESSER
Some barbs for Chic Hecht of Nevada
and a lo ok at House and Senate races.
Stalemate 11?
HELEN DAVIS
Will next week's Israeli election
leave Labor and Likud equal again?
Cover art by Carol Steuer
EDUCATION
Mushrooms
HEIDI PRESS
An experimental
program
is providing Jewish
education that's fun.
center
Jewish Book Month is the subjec t
of our monthly family section.
ANN ARBOR
Pink & Yellow Badges
97
SUSAN LUDMER-GLIEBE
Gay Jews around the campus
are doubly sensitive to discrimination.
DEPARTMENTS
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36
46
54
60
75
90
104
110
114
116
146
Inside Washington
Synagogues
Life In Israel
Sports
For Women
Entertainment
For Senior S
Engagemen is
Youth
Births
Single Life
Obituaries
CANDLELIGHTING
6:15 p.m.
October 28, 1988
Sabbath ends Oct. 29: 7:18 p.m.
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
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