SOMERSET CLEANERS Same Day Service Monday thru Saturday No Extra Change Washington Correspondent S BEAUTIFULLY LAUNDERED AND FINISHED REG. 900 Same day shirt service available at these two locations: In Southfield, Twelve Mile at Evergreen and Middlebelt at Northwestern Highway in Farmington Hills. WITH ANY INCOMING DRY CLEANING ORDER OF $6.95 OR MORE I g FREE I ABSOLUTELY 1 PAIR OF PANTS CLEANED AND PRESSED with any incoming dry cleaning order of $6.95 or more. May not be combined with any other coupon. Expires 1/1/90 I 1 SHEETS, PILLOW CASES AND BACHELOR BUNDLES • 8 lb. Minimum • Beautifully laundered and finished 70!: Expires 1/1/90 THIS COUPON WORTH THIS COUPON WORTH When presented with any $6.95 incoming dry cleaning order. Coupon must be surrendered when leaving order for procesing. Not valid with any other coupon. When presented with any $6.95 incoming dry cleaning order. Coupon must be surrendered when leaving order for procesing. Not valid with any other coupon] Expires 1/1/90 Expires 1/1/90 • Suede & Leather Cleaning • Invisible Reweaving • Alterations and Repairs • Drapery Cleaning • Executive Shirt Service • Wedding Gowns • Fur Cleaning OPEN: Mon. - Fri. 7am - 7pm, Sat. 8am - 6pm TROY 643-0807 2862 W. Maple (at Coolidge) TROY 583-1574 5119 Rochester (at Long Lk. in Meadowbrook) ROCHESTER 656-8544 1978 S. Rochester (at Hamlin) BIRMINGHAM 644-6667 794 N. Woodward (4 blks. N. of Maple) FRANKLIN 737-0721 32740 Franklin (3 blks. S. of Cider Mill) SOUTHFIELD 559-9232 19715 W. 12 Mile Rd. (at Evergreen) 38 FRIDAY, DECEMBER 1, 1989 Continuing Support Of Israel Belies Criticism Voiced In U.S. WOLF BLITZER SHIRTS r I CAPITOL REPORT LATHRUP VILLAGE 569-7440 26079 Southfield Rd. (ad 10% Mile) FARMINGTON HILLS 477-0818 25882 Middlebelt (e1 11 Mile) FARMINGTON HILLS 474-2866 20417 W. 12 Mile Rd. (at Middlebelt) •FARMINGTON HILLS 851-7665 31799 Middlebelt (at Northwestern Hwy.) ince the outbreak of the intifada two years ago, Israel's image has been badly tarnished in the United States, even among Israel's best friends in Con- gress and the American Jewish community. Even very well-known and highly-respected mainstream Jewish leaders have publicly distanced themselves from policies ad- vanced by Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir and other Israeli ministers. During Shamir's recent visit to the United States, 41 of them signed a letter stating that most American Jews do not reject the notion of exchang- ing land for peace. At the same time, four in- fluential Jewish con- gressmen — Steven Solarz, D-N.Y., Mel Levine, D- Calif., Larry Smith, D-Fla., and Howard Wolpe, D-Mich. — joined other members of the House Foreign Affairs Committe in urging Shamir to completely suspend Israel's arms relationship with South Africa. This increasing tendency to dissent publicly from the Israel government line has intensified in recent years as a result of many other con- troversial Israeli decisions, including the 1982 invasion of Lebanon, the promotion of West Bank settlement ac- tivity, the Jonathan Jay Pollard spy scandal, the Iran-contra affair, and the Who is a Jew debate. What was clearly unaccep- table behavior for Israel supporters a decade ago is today almost commonplace. But remarkably, this will- ingness to criticize Israel has not been translated into any serious weakening of sup- port where it counts the most —in U.S. economic and military assistance as well as private charitable con- tributions to the United Jewish Appeal and other organizations supporting educational institutions, hospitals and social services in Israel. Indeed, in the 1980s, the margin of support in the House of Representatives for the worldwide foreign aid appropriations bill — of which Israel is the largest recipient — has actually widened despite the historic unpopularity of foreign aid. Public opinion polls show a similarly impressive pro- Israeli resilience. When the American public is asked a very general question — "Are your sympathies with Israel or the Arab nations?" — Israel continues to win by wide margins. A 10-year analysis of the Washington Post poll shows Rep. Wolpe: Urges suspension. the only serious erosion of Israel's position occurred during the invasion of Lebanon. At the start of the intifada, Israel's standing in this poll was at about 50 percent and it quickly dropped to around 40 percent. Support for the Arabs increased from about 12 percent to 18 percent. But that slippage did not last for very long. Since then, support for Israel has jumped to some 60 percent while the Arab standing has remained consistent at around 15 percent. Still, these results can be misleading, and Israeli offi- cials appreciate this. While this general support for Israel is manifested in the polls, Americans are also in- clined to differ with Israel when more specific ques- tions are asked. Significant majorities in the Jewish and non-Jewish community favor the • U.S. dialogue with the PLO as well as Israel's exchanging land for peace. In addition, majorities would favor the creation of some sort of Palestinian homeland or en- tity on the West Bank and Gaza if Israel's security could be guaranteed in the process. Americans, by and large, believe in talking and negotiating, even with the PLO. Perhaps, the most dra- matic example of sustained pro-Israel activity in the Jewish community — despite the criticisms and concerns — has been in the very sen- sitive and critical area of po- litical fund raising for pro- Israel candidates in the Senate and House. American Jews may be quietly frustrated about many Israeli policies, but this has not stopped them from getting involved in the U.S. political system to win friends for Israel. Six years ago, the Jewish community raised about $3.3 million for pro-Israel candidates. In the most re- cent 1988 election cycle — despite the intifada and everything else — that sum had increased to over $4.6 million. The upward trend was steady during these years. The bottom line is this: Israel is still very much sup- ported by Congress and the American Jewish communi- ty even if serious differences surface from time to time. Yes, Israel's supporters are routinely frustrated by Shamir and other Israeli leaders. Yes, they are em- barrassed by many of the images they see on televi- sion and read about in their Rep. Solarz: One of four. newspapers and magazines. Yes, they would like the Israel government to dem- onstrate more flexibility. All of these concerns were very much evident during Shamir's recent visit to America. But no one should misread what is actually taking place inside the pro- Israeli com- munity. Israel is still blessed in this country with an im- pressive reservoir of political support that can be expected to galvanize in the face of any serious threat to Israel's security and well-being. ❑