BACKGROUND A WORLD OF ELEGANCE American Jews And The PLO Faceoff At Columbia University RUTH MASON Special to The Jewish News L A Selection of Style and Creativity Attractive to all Tastes Specializing in Original and Innovative Designs MB JEWELRY DESIGN & MFG. LTD MORRIS BEDNARSH, ANTHONY FERRARI APPLEGATE SQUARE 29847 NORTHWESTERN HWY. SOUTHFIELI MI 356-7007 hilsum misses & misses petites contemporary fashions Spring Wear Arriving Daily HARVARD ROW MALL 11 Mile Road at Lahser "Our I Specialty Is Rust" 354-4650 Free HERB'S RELIABLE SERVICE BUMP & PAINT BUMPING & PAINTING — Same Location Since 1972 — Pickup and Delivery SHOP 493-0212 HOME 356-3677 Senior Discount Excellent Color Matching Insurance & Fleet I SAVE YOUR DEDUCTIBLE* *Ask for details 3116 W. 12 Mile Rd. Berkley, MI 48072 545.7393 SOON WILL HAVE A NEW LOOK -c 0, Parties Galore! Complete Party Planning • Bat Mitzvahs • Bar Mitzvahs Weddings • Anniversaries Call Parties Galore: 855-8801 36 FRIDAY, MARCH 24, 1989 I eah Shakdiel listened to Nabil Shaath and wept. Shakdiel is a religious Israeli from the Negev development town of Yerucham. Shaath is a chair- man of the Political Commit- tee of the Palestine National Council and an aide to PLO Chairman Yassir Arafat. The two former enemies gathered with 50 other Israeli and Palestinian leaders and several hundred American Jews and Arabs at an un- precedented peace conference at Columbia University last weekend. Shakdiel and other Israeli participants, keyed up from the excitement of openly meeting with Palestinians and PLO officials, were moved by Shaath's use of an old Jewish tale to explain the political changes within the PLO. The Palestinians had been like the real mother in the King Solomon story, Shaath said, addressing an audience of 700 on the open- ing night of the two-day conference. According to the fable, which illustrates Solomon's great wisdom, two women come to the king, each claim- ing to be mother to the same baby. Since there is no way to unequivocally prove materni- ty, the king decides that the baby should be cut in two whereupon the real mother relinquishes her claim. "We were like the mother who would rather relinquish her child than see it cut in two," Shaath said, explaining Palestinians' prior refusal to agree to any partition plan. "But years of suffering led us to think differently. Maybe land and property is not like a child. Maybe we have to ac- cept dividing the land so the child can live." This was just one of many dramatic and emotion-filled moments during the con- ference, entitled, The Road to Peace: Co-Existence Between Israelis and Palestinians and organized by a coalition of Israelis, Palestinians and Americans. While Israelis and Palestinians have been meeting secretly for years and some more public meetings have taken place recently in Europe, this gathering was the first public meeting in the United States of Israeli leaders, including eight cur- rent and former Knesset members and such illustrious figures as former head of in- telligence for the IDF, Yehoshafat Harkabi, and Palestinian leaders. Organized by the Israeli monthly New Outlook, the Palestinian daily Al Fajr and American peace groups, the stated purpose of the confer- ence was to provide an oppor- tunity for the two sides to discuss the issues that divide them and to gain a greater understanding not only of For some it was the first civil meeting with "the enemy," using the medium of polite discourse. each other's viewpoints but of each other's fears. The substance of the con- ference went beyond words. Many Israelis and Palestin- ians were seasoned "dialog- uers" who considered every such meeting a small step for- ward. But for some, it was a first civil meeting with "the enemy," using the medium of polite discourse in the halls of the academy. The Israeli government had made it clear that it did not look with favor upon Israeli citizens attending the con- ference. The Labor Party, in- cluding invitee Abba Eban, declined to attend. The United States did not agree to grant visas to the PLO of- ficials until three days before the conference. The Israelis who did come were aided by the organizers in finding in- genious ways to circumvent Israel's law prohibiting con- tact or talks with the PLO. The panels, chaired alternate- ly- by a Palestinian and a Jew and consisting always of an equal number from each side, spoke to the audience rather than to each other. Say "PLO" to an American Jew and chances are he or she will associate the word with images of terror, of evil, of threat to the existence of the heart of our people. But spend two days in a room with in- telligent, articulate, reasonable Palestinian men and women, and something happens. Stereotypes begin to crumble. Not one of the Palestinians who came from the West Bank • and Gaza pre-1967 Israel, the United States, and many other coun- tries will reminiscent of the gun-toting, green-fatiqued, kaffieh'd and unshaven Arafat, though clearly all revered him as their leader. Listen to stories of their childhoods, their ac- complishments, their hopes and you begin to feel what you of course must of known all along: In many ways, they are just like us. But humanization was not the only by-product of the con- ference and suspicion habits . place, and will continue to play a role in Israeli-Palestin- ian relations for a long time to come. The Palestinians came across as reasonable, flexible people, passionately wanting peace and willing to compromise long-cherished ideals to attain it. "We have accepted Israel, they stressed. We have endorsed UN resolu- tion 242, called for a Pales- tinian state living in peace alongside a secure Israel; we have renounced terror! But the 25 Israelis at the conference, most from left wing parties or peace groups, are not the ones who need convincing. "Ninety percent of Israelis don't trust the PLO," said Yossi Sarid, a Citizens Rights Movement MK. "They view the PLO as evasive, fickle and two-faced, and they have good reason to be fearful. The PLO must prove it practices what it preaches." If the Palestinians want to convince the majority of Israelis of the sincerity of their new public positions, they have a way to go. Even in a conference of like-minded Palestinians and Israelis, there were what most of the Israelis considered serious- miscalculations and insen- sivities on the part of the Palestinians. In a panel on American Jews and Palestin- ians, Ibrahim Abu Lughod a PNC member, and the only Palestinian who sounded ag- gressive in tone, lauded Elmer Berger and Noam Chomsky, anti-Zionist Jews who are anathema the American Jewish community and to Israelis. The Israelis pounce. MK Ran Cohen, a reserve IDF Colonel Rabbi Arthur Hertz- berg, a noted Zionist thinker and leader are angered by this and try to convince the Palestinians not to bring up names that will alienate the very Jews they are trying to reach. The Palestinians insist.