MEDIA MONITOR
Battle
of the Ads
FLAME and JCOME are on
opposite sides in the fight for
public opinion.
Jtn\ish Conithittec.On The Middle East
You deserve a factual look al...
Loan Guarantees and Settlements
Should there be "linkage" between them?
During the last few months, the matter of loan guarantees to Israel for the absorption of leas from the Amer Soviet
Union has been a subject of intense discussion - by the Administration. in Congress, in the press, and on the part of
the general public. The Administration had declared its willingness, in principle, to go ahead with the guarantees,
provided however that Israel pledged promptly to discontinue settkments in Judu/Samaria, the so-called 'West Bank'.
What are the facts?
.
What Ir Um parse. of the Was gsanustees/ For
fnend No mon, will be transferred to Israel from the
United States Treasury. There will be some 'scoring'.
But the ultimate cost to the United States will be zero.
In its 40-year history. Israel has never defaulted on
mom years. it has been one of the major purposes of U.S.
policy to persuade the former Soviet Union to allow free
a I.n. Tlx credit guarantees will not increase the U.S.
emigration of its citizens. Now that this lofty goal has
deficit. nor will they affect domestic programs in am
finally been attained. the Jews of the country. its most
endangered minority. have opted in Large numbers to leaw.
way. The United States routinely grants such loan
guarantees. Iraq was granted a S5 billion guarantee just a
A good number have chosen to come to the United States
few months before the outbreak of the Gulf War, about
four count, has only a limited quota for them). The
$600 billion in domestic guarantees and direct loans are
great majority have chosen Israel as their new homeland.
So At. about 400.000 !Ave come, a total of I million to
expected lobe granted by the US. within the nut line years.
What's la It fee the United States/ The loan guar-
IS million arc upected over the next five years.
antees arc essentially a humanitarian undertaking.
Israel has a population of 4 or 5 million. The
without cost to the United States. But there will be
expected immigration is
equivalent to an increase
of 50.75 million in the
United States - more than
the population of our
AMY J. MEHLER
I
Special to The Jewish News
I
L)
wo national advertis-
ers are sending urgent
messages to American
Jews, the Israeli gov-
ernment and the U.S.
Congress.
One promotes Israel as a
democratic country, an open,
pluralistic and egalitarian so-
ciety in which Arabs are full-
fledged citizens enjoying civil
rights.
One calls for Palestinian
nationalism, suspension of
U.S. aid to Israel, an end to
Israeli settlements, mutual
Israeli-Palestinian recogni-
tion.
Both groups are Jewish.
The latter consists of Ivy
League college professors,
writers and activists belong-
ing to the Jewish Committee
On the Middle East
(JCOME), an independent as-
sociation in Washington,
D.C., that opposes Israeli poli-
cies toward the Palestinians
and supports the intifada, the
Palestinian uprising.
The other, called FLAME
— Facts and Logic About the
Middle East — consists of vol-
unteers who research and
publish information on de-
velopments in the Middle
East, exposing false propa-
ganda that could harm the in-
terests of the United States
and its allies.
Both publish full-page ads
in national, secular maga-
zines, newspapers and jour-
nals.
"We are Americans and
Jews and we come together to
three or four most pop-
ulous states. These people
arrive virtually penniless
"Linkage" with the loan guarantees is
bound to unde rmine the peace
process by rein forcing the Arab
perception that the U.S. has retreated
from its role as honest broker.
n Israel. All have to be
. cd. clothed. housed.
educated. jobs have to be found. and infrastructure has
to be created to accommodate this huge influx. It has
been and will continue to be an un-precedented
substantial tangible and
measurable benefits
for the United States.
Economic activity in
Israel. as a result of this
immigration, is projected
to cause a surge of SI70
billion M imports over
the next five years. at
least 5.30 billion of which
is projected to be purchased in the United States. In
addition. the U.S. taxpayer will benefit to the tune of
several billion dollars from the servicing of the debt.
humanitarian endeavor. The United States can take great
most of which will be placed with U.S. banks. About 704,
pride in being an active participant in it.
of the approximately 250.000 housing units required to
shelter the immigrants will be purchased M the United
What will loan guarantees east the Unit. St•tes/
Misinformation about the loan guarantees abounds.
Israel requests guarantees - not loans or grants from the
United States. It is equivalent to co-signing a note for a
States. at a cost of not less than '35 billion. All of this will
create tens of thousands of new u.s. jobs and will most
favorably impact on the U.S. foreign trade balance.
Israel's word as a major non-Nato It is unique in a world of uncertainty and shifting alliances. To t, to - strong-arrri
Israel. to attempt to shape its internal policies or the composition of its gowrnmenl to frustrate the absorption process of
the migrants from the former Soviet Union and to hold them as hostages to US. policy purposes is ummrthy of our count,
and not in its rational interest - Linkage- with the loan guarantees is bound to undermine the peace process by reinforcing
the Arab perception that the U.S has retreated from its role as an honut broker. The Israel :Arab peace process constitutes a
remarkable achievement of U.S. diplomacy. Any attempted - linkage' should not be allowed to endanger or to scuttle it.
Thiz ad Lase ham huNished aN hud toe h
FLAME
Facts and Logic About the Mt.,. East
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Yes, I ...ant
to help the oublasation of these ads and In
claribs, the situation an
deductible conInbution Lan
American Jewish
JCOME is an independent association of thousands of concerned Americans - I
Profepora M over 145 universities - who strongly oppwe Israeli policies toward the alestirtions, who
support the Palestinian Intifada &Palestinian StaWtsoal, & who an working for new US. policies through-
°. the Middle East consistent With professed American values of democracy, personal fisbordOrr.
self-dstermlnation, & human rights.
Our recent magaMne ad that has boon published In progreesive rnagwdnes throughout the country is
reproduced 011 the MUM. Over the paM three years JOOME has placed more than 50 full-page ads In ■
variety of pubilcations and ptA&Wied the uniqu
.salemphM1 by Prof. Charles Black, Sterling Prof. of Law
Relationship' With Israill.• EiNUILMIL11011111Dgrif
Emeritus at Yale, !it'd: • L. as Rethink Our
362-JCOM [36262551.
by sending the coupon on gm back or by calling
THE KOME STATEMENT OF PRINCIPLES:
"Time To Dissociate From Israeli Policies"
We are Americans and Jews at we come totem. et er ome to pubady erpreas our strong desre to see the Unted Slates teice
meaning. slap a dramaab our rarity from tit poicies d Ian..
For some years we have amassed leraet deviating tat c.c.s we NW acceptabte end torn rm. values Mat we
of
ors. party in tweet but renter sam, in ors judgement, from a
hold Pear. These developmentsw rotthe
tragicay msg.. spyroach towanf ew Arab work, M which Israel wk... • ratufgat eleology. and • groveng ei.ney. We can no
longer con...tor be as.cated s. lush Ion. deluneor • nor. 6o we b... Mudd su country.
In recent yews Ise. fun now away born basic corn... nude M many sewnsaborui adrearrdrrcs kmdudnq Grim Oand.
Newt. M annex term.. incheang E. Jerusalem and the Golan Hog....pancIng se... through. Use mcuNd
terracries. and used rts met. to bomb N. Invade neighbor', scuttles, at a met of Ms of thouands Md and wa.r.d, as well as
to sesassinb• Pait.riell Nesters
Fumed's., Ira. colors and aci••s word . Paea n. people haw made it wdent to only maps changes in timers
fordernwstal posture . spew for a peaceful poWcad seltemert rah to Pal•..a.
Coee woes compholy In arming the Carats, Use Millard, and other reactionary regimes. coupled warn Neel. atm.,. of
Amman Jews as apes apes) the U.S., further underscore . gnu., dandera inhere. in Me current U.S..Isra. relacons, The
dose iderckabon in the cub. m. between Iv. MO Jura - an esp.. sq.,. Ammo by Hand and the Amerr-an Jenaah
order rte control - threatens to stigmatise Jews wery...
lobby
The ongoing acts sal Wangs, beating, a.m.& ectisiorts. team attests. COfiertNO cu.... home oernotences, at press
Demo., - ea against Learrned P.stbare Ping M area Noel has occub. through mina, Wm for 23 years - ardor
Nmonstrate that Israel has become a N. fractured moon many unfortunate s.liaribes b the scabon Mat nova. c So.
ACM.
Our ancest. came to . Uri. Slurs because. as • res. of
Jewesses, May snee sksturnated agar. a. Nnned
The ELM,. erpenence codminated in pro horror of to Nan Hdccaut How
t. in our own tr.. the very State established
by Jews In the aftermath of this eh- has become • pr... ...A rag. dembrinall. mt.:tt and nano. preyed and
mid Israel Met he berme • pannt nab ea, the world can.* Events take, crane May are d too remuscent of to
pogroms fun .i. our 6. 45. led two ale Urea gen... ago - le rb tame bore in au... Jews at the means
are Moslem and Christ. Palerstiruns.
We believe that Israel's course could not be rnYnterned but
conerung limps,
mat, ard coven sum. at the
And we fear Mat antes frrn steps of essengeoemere tom Israel are taken soon oar county riugla get dragged a. a
U.S. to
In
for wtich prep..* already appear underway.
For all these relISPIS we believe the brtze has come to nun.. Me US. r.Sonship rah israei A compete re.eveluaton S whet
has become since 1067 Me American
merican oponssurip Israel
of el nowt._ We behave .come. aid sh atord be gr= doted
Iscart
to settektenuneeon lid
Palest.. pmpie Yong .h ..hdrawal turn cm occuped temtonrs
Kir*.
sea. guarantees. AM we beCeve Mal int. and iNalagerste assaWraue Mould be comber.* reduced to deenons=nen.
rearsal to endorse
polbes as wed as Me urgency of ma., a ragout. peace and ends, Me cccuasetcrs
Unfortunately. in recent years much the opposite ooze. Ns teen teamed by . Reagan area Bush Ad.... and imel
NU p.c. become a ward of . Un. States
we urge an urgent And open debate about
strove problems ar. dangers vs,. have res.. hum the corre
strustuT=Israek
ns. Few f forego pricy issue are of soch amp.arce to 6.r scanty. And so we cal =On our Nend
gable °Noels to re
.' to
reeto
socks.ad inhMore about spealong up about Nue, insubmcns Tu. resat Poe, the severe fas• ..
cob. and ideologmal pressures often teoughl against twee env do.
We Lathe believe .t the b. is overdue . negobabOna betzw.. Isneth gmerrenere and the PLO whet,' besot. doubt Use
ace.. recaesentatnre kx . great map* of P.strwres, negosabons trut shurald buddy lead to F. reds:grab. of Me P.a..
SUM prodamed last Nmem. by . Palestman National C.. ale ream.. se., guarantees far rte gotten In use steamy
guarantees we tusk our sou, ob.. uncut, bid no longer tn the firancrg and Sab..f2 of Mr iced. of P.c. Ise. ha
been pursuing
The conbnW oppencn .rs, derad of selfaeterreemben for the Paes.ans If m Ell,SOCO
.
intoaracle net orgy
Ns becc
an in East Jef.6.1, the W. Bank, end the Gan Stud
chose thee own county, NH, But at the very H. the eatens of the Unant
ouragiro polors bat are cordary to me prozobes and vakse5 we 1,4
My conthbution is In a
cm your booklet containk
have published in national
Ms name Las
I ',sal
In
Maa, to Ft-CIE.!' 0 86 5.
publicly express our strong
desire to see the United
States take meaningful steps
to disassociate our country
from the policies of Israel,"
said Mark Bruzonsky,
JCOME chairman.
"There is no organized
countering of the endless at-
tacks by Arab propagandists,"
says Gerardo Joffe, president
of FLAME. "We bring the
facts about Israel and the
Middle East before the Amer-
ican public and are the only
ones doing that on an ongoing
and systematic basis."
FLAME, founded in 1986,
publishes monthly ads in U.S.
News and World Report, the
Christian Science Monitor,
Harper's, the Atlantic, the
American Spectator and the
New Republic. The organiza-
tion also targets selected met-
ropolitan newspapers; their
ads have yet to appear in De-
troit papers.
Based in San Francisco,
FLAME addresses specific
topics in the news. Most re-
FLAME's Gerardo Joffe:
Exposing propaganda aimed at
Israel and the U.S.
cently, FLAME has written
ads under the headings,
"Land For Peace — Can it
solve the problems of the Mid-
dle East?," "The U.N. and the
Middle East — Is it a proper
forum to sit in judgment?"
and "Loan Guarantees for So-
viet Jews — Should the Unit-
ed States play a role in this
enterprise?"
Mr. Joffe is concerned
about the mood of the Amer-
ican people, once solidly in fa-
vor of Israel, now swinging
toward Arab causes.
"As public opinion goes, so
goes Congress," Mr. Joffe
said. "If they perceive a
change in public mood, if they
sense that public opinion is
turning negative, they will
soon withdraw their support
of Israel."
JCOME, founded in 1988
by Mr. Bruzonsky, 42, a for-
mer Washington representa-
tive of the World Jewish
Congress, advertises in pub-
lications like the Nation, New
York Review of Books and
L.A. Weekly. He also writes
syndicated columns, one of
which is published locally by