BACKGROUND

Artwork by Kevin Kreneck. Copyright. 1992, Kevin Kr eneck. Distributed by Los Angeles Times Syndicate.

A New Day

JAMES D. BESSER

Washington Correspondent

T

he meeting this week
between President
George Bush and
Israeli Prime Minister Yit-
zhak Rabin appears to have
resolved the issue of the $10
billion in loan guarantees
requested by Israel, but
previously held up by the
Bush administration's objec-
tions to former Prime Min-
ister Yitzhak Shamir's set-
tlements policies.
But the loan guarantees,
which are needed by Israel
to resettle hundreds of
thousands of refugees from
the former Soviet Union and
other parts of the world, are
only one element in a pat-
tern of warming relations
that could have a far-
reaching impact on
U.S.-Israeli diplomacy, on
the Middle East peace pro-
cess and on Israel's security
needs.
"The loan guarantees were
just one in a series of many
issues," said Shoshana Car-
din, chair of the Conference
of Presidents of Major
American Jewish Organiza-
tions.
"What was just as impor-
tant was the tone of their

In Kennebunkport, Yitzhak Rabin appears
to have gained far more for Israel than the
$10 billion in loan guarantees.

meeting — and the presi-
dent's reaffirmation on
Tuesday that the relation-
ship between the two coun-
tries is one that is based on
democracy and on common
values, and his reaffirma-
tion that the United States
is committed to the security
of Israel and to Israel's
qualitative military edge."
The two leaders worked
hard to project a tone of
warmth and amicability
during their meeting.
"The president went to
great lengths to personalize
this," said David Harris, ex-
ecutive vice president of the
American Jewish Com-
mittee. "He worked hard to
bring Rabin into that select
group of world leaders whom
the president considers per-
sonal friends, which is so
important to the president's
approach to diplomacy. Ob-
viously that is a message
that will be seen and heard
in this country, in Israel and
in the Arab world."

Rep. Ben Cardin, D-Md.,
who has been a leading con-
gressional voice pressing for
the guarantees, was also
pleased.
"This was the interna-
tional signal that was need-
ed to keep the flow of im-
migration to Israel going,"
he said. "The only sour note
is that it should have
happened a long time ago."
Following the Ken-
nebunkport meeting, Presi-
dent Bush was to call in the
congressional leadership to
officially tell them of his ap-
proval to legislation
implementing the guar-
antees, which will be
granted in five $2 billion in-
stallments.
Pro-Israel leaders are hop-
ing for quick passage of the
measure. Because because of
the abbreviated congres-
sional session in this elec-
tion year, the guarantees
must be approved in
September if Israel is to get
the first installment of loans

at the start of 1993.
Pro-Israel activists on
Capitol Hill do not expect
significant resistance to the
implementing legislation.
Recently, 226 members of
Congress signed a letter
strongly urging approval of
the guarantees.
"Congress will approve the
guarantees by a large
majority," said Rep. Charles
Schumer, D-N.Y., one of the
authors of the loan guar-
antee letter. "I think it will
move very quickly now."
Mr. Schumer indicated
that opponents could seek to
add amendments to the
legislation imposing new
conditions on Israel — but
said that pro-Israel forces
appear to have the votes
needed to overcome any
crippling amendments.
Rep. Cardin was also con-
fident that the implemen-
ting legislation will move
quickly in Congress.
"It's a real advantage that
it will be taken up in the

Senate first, because it
should be easier to get in
nailed down fast there," he
said. "But we're going to
have to watch it very closely.
We still do not know exactly
how these guarantees will be
conditioned, or what kinds of
amendments might be
offered."
Mr. Rabin, in a further
effort to guarantee swift
legislative approval,
scheduled a series of Capitol
Hill meetings on Wednes-
day, including sessions with
the House and Senate
leadership, and with the
Foreign Affairs and Foreign
Relations committees.
More intriguingly, he
scheduled one-on-one ses-
sions with such key leaders
as Sen. Robert Kasten, R-
Wis., Sen. Daniel K. Inouye,
D-Hawaii, Sen. Patrick J.
Leahy, D-Vt., Rep. Lee
Hamilton, D-Ind., and Rep.
David Obey, D-Wis. — in
other words, with those who
will play a major role in
pushing loan guarantee
legislation through Con-
gress, and in setting future
foreign aid policy.
The Capitol Hill meetings
were designed, in part, to
refute the widespread
assumption that the new
Israeli leader is more corn-

THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS

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