I BACKGROUND I
Affording the
best is not the
question .. .
Finding the best is.
Camelot
Continued from preceding page
of the two Arab parties. But
when one of those parties,
the Democratic Front, an-
nounced its intention to abs-
tain, the situation got rather
dicey.
In the end, though, both
Shas and the Democratic
Front voted for the new
government, collectively
saving the day.
Call 363-4121 for our
limousine to pick you
up for a personal tour
of our facility.
And so Yitzhak Rabin is
the prime minister of Israel.
In a refreshingly upbeat
policy speech, he extended a
hand in peace to the Palesti-
nians and Israel's other
Arab neighbors and prom-
ised Israel's citizens that he
would make their welfare —
in terms not only of security
but of housing, education,
Bortz
Health Care
Bush-Rabin Romance
Is Blooming
owned and operated for over 33 years. Medicare approved.
6470 Alden Drive, Orchard Lake
Less than 20 minutes from Maple & Orchard Lake Roads)
We Care!
The president may express his pleasure by
renewing talks on the loan guarantees —
and pick up some Jewish votes along the
way.
JAMES D. BESSER
Washington Correspondent
T
IT'S A CHAISE.
IT'S A SLEEPER!
IT HAS STORAGE!
IT'S ON SALE! $699
Reg $1275
Special order in choice of fabrics
Brefir
FURNITURE
1914 Telegraph, Bloomfield Hills
north of Square Lake Rd., just past Carl's Golfland
338-7716
36
FRIDAY, JULY 17, 1992
jobs, and medical care — his
first priority.
Following him at the
rostrum, Yitzhak Shamir
mocked and upbraided him
for not once mentioning the
Land of Israel, for c=1
nihilistically wanting j
"peace now," and for lacking
"vision and ideology."
(7,
But it was precisely the
people-oriented quality of
Mr. Rabin's speech that
made it appealing to the
many Israelis who are more
concerned about domestic
issues than ideological
commitments.
So it won't be Camelot
around here, but things
may, in Mr. Rabin's cautious
pledge and prediction, be
"better."0
he Bush administra-
tion's romance with
Yitzhak Rabin and his
Labor Party is still in bloom.
With this week's indica-
tions of major new efforts to
break the Middle East
deadlock, speculation is
growing that the White
House is getting set to dem-
onstrate that satisfaction by
moving swiftly on at least
some of the $10 billion in
loan guarantees requested
by the outgoing Shamir
government.
As Prime Minister Yit-
zhak Rabin put the finishing
touches on his cabinet, ad-
ministration officials used
both public statements and
private communications to
express their optimism that
the new Israeli government
would be able to advance the
slow-moving peace process.
On Monday, President
Bush phoned Mr. Rabin to
congratulate him on the
formation of his new
government. In that call,
Mr. Bush also indicated that
he would send Secretary of
State James Baker to the
Middle East this weekend to
try to jump start the peace
talks — a clear indication of
administration pleasure
over the developments in
Jerusalem.
"This was a strong
signal," said Malcolm
Hoenlein, executive director
of the Conference of Presi-
dents of Major American
Jewish Organizations, on
Tuesday. "What I'm hearing
from the administration is
all positive — and that is
reflected in Baker's decision
to go to the Middle East
himself. They had talked
about sending someone else;
the decision to send Baker
was made in the last 48
hours."
Jewish
Republicans have
been pressing the
administration to
move quickly on
the loan
guarantees.
In particular, administra-
tion officials seem pleased
with the division of au-
thority at the foreign min-
istry. Early indications sug-
gest that Shimon Peres, who
is making a return engage-
ment as foreign minister, '=
will not have responsibility
for the Middle East peace
process; that important
function will remain with
Prime Minister Rabin.
"The people I talk to in the
administration are happy
with Rabin," said William
Quandt, a Middle East ex-
pert with the Brookings In-
stitution. "Rabin's formula-
tions may not sound as good
to the administration as
Peres' — but they tend to
think that he has a better
chance of actually deliver-
ing."