U.S. Jews
Continued from Page 7
Indeed, Egypt, which was a
member of the Arab coalition
but which did nothing in the
war, received an outright
grant of $7 billion when Mr.
Bush decided that Egypt need
not repay its debt.
Jews should not forget Mr.
Bush's intemperate state-
ments last September in
response to lobbying by Jews
on the Hill, statements which
unleashed such venomous
anti-Semitism in this country
that even the White House
was shocked. But no apology
came.
The New York Times, repor-
ting on Secretary of State
James Baker unveiling the
linkage, made a strong point
in its news story that the deci-
sion was made because the
administration felt secure
that the U.S. Jewish com-
munity really did not object.
The Wall Street Journal
similarly published a long
analysis of Jewish sentiment
on the issue, finding it split
on the issue but also that
those who supported the loan
hardly did so with gusto.
Thus, all the gnashing of
teeth by the Jewish communi-
ty after the decision was
made is somewhat hypo-
critical and comes a little late.
Why was the Jewish com-
munity so ambivalent? Pro-
bably because of these major
reasons:
• It believed Israel would
not get the loan guarantees
unless it stopped building
settlements.
• It believed the building of
settlements would impair the
peace process.
• It felt uncomfortable, par-
ticularly in an election year,
opposing the President on
this issue; perhaps it felt it
was time to "give a little."
None of these, unfortunate-
ly, stand up to scrutiny.
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It is not for U.S.
Jews to decide
strategy for Israel.
decision was even uglier
given its less-than-firm
posture.
What was lost in this con-
troversy was not only the
potential of $10 billion in loan
guarantees but a degree of
trust between the U.S.
Diaspora and Israel.
In addition, a very troubl-
ing precedent has been set —
linking aid to Israeli policy.
That will come to haunt
Israel — and U.S. Jews — for
many years to come. It will be
much easier for Mr. Bush or
any other president who
shares his "unfriendliness"
toward the Jewish state.
It is time for U.S. Jews to
make an assessment of their
role vis-a-vis Israel. If they
cannot make strong com-
mitments of support, then
Israel has more to worry
about than the Bush ad-
ministration.
❑
NEWS
t
NIBBLES
&
NUTS
We Create Impressions
It is not for U.S. Jews to
decide strategy for Israel. If
Israel wants to risk losing the
$10 billion, that is its
decision.
And presumably, it has
much more information on
which to base its strategy
than the U.S. Jewish com-
munity. The $10 billion loan
issue is "linked" to much
more than settlements and
Israel may have lost more
than just $10 billion in the
controversy.
Overall, the actions — or
lack of action — of the Jewish
community on this issue was
not a very pretty political
sight. And its outrage ex-
pressed after the Bush-Baker
Soldier Dies
In Terrorist Hunt
Tel Aviv (JTA) — A search
for terrorists in the Gaza
Strip cost the life of an
Israeli soldier Thursday.
One terrorist was killed, an-
other wounded and seven
were captured in the skir-
mish, the Israel Defense
Force announced.
The dead soldier was iden-
tified as Cpl. Baruch Ben-
Shimon, 20, of Safed.
The IDF said a patrol sear-
ching for wanted terrorists
came under fire when it
entered a building in Bani
Suheila, east of Khan Yunis.
The first burst was fatal to
Ben-Shimon, but his killer
died by return fire, which
wounded a second terrorist.
Seven more suspects found
in the house were taken into
custody, along with a cache
of weapons that included an
Uzi submachine gun, a
Kalachnikov assault rifle,
four pistols, knives and axes.
The IDF said the gang was
suspected of the recent
murders of several local
Arabs who allegedly coop-
erated with the Israeli au-
thorities.