Invisible Threat
The war between Iran and Iraq, and American concern about
a chemical weapons plant in Libya, have lifted the veil from a new
tool of destruction in the Arab arsenal against Israel — chemical
weapons.
Helen Davis' frightening Close-Up story on Page 24 describes
Israel's vulnerability to the growing Arab stockpile of internationally
outlawed weapons. Israel is developing an anti-missile missile to help
blunt the threat, but such a system is not expected to be combat
ready for 10 years.
In addition, Israeli analysts are certainly aware that chemical
attacks last year by Iraq on its Kurdish population were carried out
with bombs, not missiles. Nor can a missle defend against an ar-
tillery shell or indiscrimanatory wind-blown agents spewing from
a ground generator.
Israel's military planners have been handed a new dilemma
which will escalate the Middle East arms race. Given little choice
by an enemy who refuses to differentiate between civilian and
military targets, Israel will have to build its deterrent stockpile. Any
sign of weakness on its part could trigger a chemical nightmare.
are forsaking Israel to start new lives in America. It's a sad corn-
ment about Zionism and aliyah.
American Jewish leaders would also prefer that the Soviet Jews
go to Israel, but the reality is otherwise and American Jews are
prepared to help these new immigrants, wherever they choose to
settle.
Will funds be withheld from Israel to pay for resettlement here?
No one wants to answer that question directly. So far, several com-
munities, notably New York and San Francisco, are preparing
separate fund-raising campaigns to help pay for the absorption pro-
cess. And the Jewish Agency has come up with some incentives to
encourage Soviet Jews to settle in Israel, like offering outright grants
to those who go to Israel versus loans to those who come here.
Bearing in mind the tragic lessons of the Holocaust era, the first
priority for all of us is to do whatever possible to help Soviet Jews
gain their freedom. And while we can encourage them to choose
Israel, we must be prepared to welcome all who come to our shores
with open arms.
Good News, Bad News
II'S Au. MRS!
WIN 'Nib ONE
FOR TIE GiPFERI
The good news is that emigration figures from the Soviet Union
continue to improve, with some 19,000 Jews getting out in 1988 and
more than 30,000 expected out this year.
The bad news is that 90 percent of those emigrants are expected
to come to America — as opposed to Israel, which desperatly needs
them — and the cost of resettlement in the U.S. may adversely af-
fect funding for Israel.
The Detroit Jewish community, the national. UJA and the Jewish
Agency for Israel are grappling with the practical and ideological
problems raised by the situation. Israel is worried that American
Jewish organizations, faced -with increased costs for Soviet Jewish
resettlement, will cut back in funding the Jewish Agency. The
Israelis are also embarrassed by the fact that so many Soviet Jews
I INSIGHT
Novice Secretary of State Off To Impressive Start
WOLF BLITZER
Capitol Correspondent
T
he new secretary of
of state, James Baker,
impressed members of
the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee during recent con-
firmation hearings.
As Secretary of the Treas-
ury during most of the past
four years, Baker often ap-
peared before various Senate
panels. A pragmatic and
relatively moderate conser-
vative, he became well-known
and well-liked. Everyone
knew that he was quite know-
ledgeable about economic
affairs.
But there was also a popu-
lar notion that Baker, who is
widely regarded as President
George Bush's closest adviser,
was unfamiliar with the
nuances of foreign policy. His
actual experience in that area
6
FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 1989
was rather limited. Yet con-
ventional wisdom was quick-
ly and dramatically under-
mined this week.
On a wide range of interna-
tional issues Baker demon-
strated a keen grasp and did
not stumble when answering
questions on some of the most
sensitive problems facing the
United States today.
As White House Chief of
Staff during former President
Ronald Reagan's first term in
office and as Treasury Sec-
retary during most of the
second term, Baker clearly
absorbed a great deal of in-
formation. And this came
through during the Senate
grilling.
Thus, Baker promises to be
a strong Secretary of State.
He will still need to rely on
Lawrence Eagleburger, his
very able number two man
who has a alot of hands-on
foreign policy experience. And
yes, Bush, also personally
very experienced in interna-
tional affairs, will ultimately
call the shots.
But Baker, like George
Shultz before him, promises
to be an effective and involved
Secretary of State. That is the
major message sent from his
confirmation hearings.
Israeli diplomats and
American Jewish political ac-
tivists who covered the Baker
confirmation hearings had
good reason to be happy about
his performance. Responding
to questions, Baker
demonstrated strong support
for Israel. They were especi-
ally pleased by his repeated
opposition to the creation of
an independent Palestinian
state.
And signalling the Bush ad-
ministration's intention to
push for a new and early wea-
pons sale to Saudi Arabia and
other moderate Arab states,
Baker promised that the
United States would guaran-
tee that Israel maintain its
own qualitative edge over any
combination of Arab states.
The U.S. commitment to Is-
rael, he said, was "enduring"
and "unshakable."
"No wedge is going to be
driven between us and we do
not plan to put ourselves in
the position of delivering
Israeli concessions," Baker
said.
The Arabs, he added, must
come to accept the fact that
"peace must be made with
Israel and not with the
United States."
But what was equally as
important to the pro-Israeli
community in Washington
was the message sent to
Baker by senator after
senator, Republican as well as
Democrat. By asking ques-
tions about Israel and the
Middle East, they restated
their own personal support
for Israel.
They warned that the
United States should not
undertake any action which
might give the Arabs the
mistaken notion of any 'seri-
ous erosion in the basic U.S.
alignment with Israel.
Thus, Baker was told by the
liberal Sen. Alan Cranston
(D-Calif.), and by the conser-
vative Sen. Jesse Helms, (R-
N.C.), that the just-started
American dialogue with the
PLO must not come at the ex-
pense of Israel. They insisted
that the United States should
suspend its dialogue with the
PLO if that group resumes
terrorist operations.
Baker also made clear his
desire to be a Secretary of
Continued on Page 10
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