HE JEWISH NEWS

SECOND CLASS POSTAGE

THIS ISSUE 75cP

SERVING DETROIT'S JEWISH COMMUNITY

APRIL 27, 1990 / 2 IYAR 5750

U.S. Jews Criticize Israel
Over Christian Quarter

STAFF REPORT

merican Jewish
organizations, in a
rare display of public
criticism of Jerusalem, join-
ed the chorus of complaints
this week over Israel's
covert sponsorship of a Jew-
ish settlement in the Chris-
tian Quarter of Jerusalem.
The American Israel

A

Public Affairs Committee
(AIPAC), the pro-Israel
lobby in Washington,
characterized the way in
which the settlers moved
into the Christian Quarter
as insensitive and pro-
vocative in a message to
Israeli Prime Minister Yit-
zhak Shamir. AIPAC's
words echoed those of the
State Department, which
also described Israel's finan-

Black Separatist
Disavows Bias

ALAN HITSKY

Associate Editor

Detroit black
separatist leader told
a television audience
Saturday night that Jews
should pressure Israel to
break ties with South Africa,
but denies a WWJ Radio
report claiming, he said,
Jews are practicing genocide
against blacks and are
responsible for drug use in
the black community.
Kwame Kenyatta, director

A

of the Malcolm X Commun-
ity Center on Dexter in
Detroit, appeared on "Strict-
ly Speaking" on Detroit's
black-owned TV station,
WGPR (Channel 62). After
the show was taped April 18,
WWJ carried its report, bas-
ed on allegations of another
program participant, Rick
Robertson, founder of
Parents Against Youth In-
timidation and Harassment.
Kenyatta told The Jewish
News, "What I said, in re-
Continued on Page 12

cing of the move as "deeply
disturbing."
The AIPAC statement
noted that while Jews have a
right to live anywhere in the
land of Israel, this incident
could seriously damage rela-
tions between Washington
and Jerusalem.
Abraham Foxman, na-
tional director of the Anti-
Defamation League of B'nai
B'rith, called on Israel to
"repudiate" the incident and
fire those responsible for it.
"I think nothing short of
that will restore credibility
to the Israeli government
when it is essential for its
dealings with friends and
allies."
The American Jewish
Congress said it was
"appalled" by the Israeli ac-
tion, without a political
mandate, and said that the
settlement activity
"underscores once again
Israel's desperate need for
electoral reform."
The incident that provoked
this storm of criticism took
place on Good Friday Eve
when 150 Orthodox Jews —
with the government's
clandestine help — moved in-
to a building owned by the

An Israeli soldier watches a settler carry his baby near the Church of the
Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.

Greek Orthodox Church in
the Christian Quarter of
Jerusalem's Old City.
Initially, the Israeli
government officially denied
any knowledge of the move,
which sparked riots in the
Old City and international

condemnation. Minister of
Housing David Levy later
acknowledged that the
government had provided
nearly half of the $4 million
spent to sublet the property
from an Armenian family
Continued on Page 13