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Mideast
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Jews And Arabs
Break The Ice
Israeli, Palestinian and Jordanian representatives
also attended a Washington meeting designed to
support the peace process.
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he Mideast peace talks
may have hit the
doldrums, but there is
a growing constituen-
cy in this country supporting
the American-led process.
That was the underlying
message at a ground break-
ing session in Washington
this week that brought
together representatives of a
number of mainstream Jew-
ish groups and Arab-
American activists.
Attending the meeting
were representatives of the
American Israel Public Af-
fairs Committee (AIPAC),
Binai B'rith, the Anti-
Defamation League, the
American Jewish Congress,
the American Jewish Com-
mittee, the National Council
of Jewish Women and
United Jewish Appeal, as
well as 15 Arab-American
organizations. •
Also on hand were Michael
Shiloh, deputy chief of mis-
sion at the Israeli embassy
in Washington; Hanan
Ashrawi, spokesperson for
the Palestinian delegation to
the Mideast peace talks, and
Marwan Muasher,
spokesperson for the Jorda-
nian negotiating team.
The session was arranged
by Project Nishma, a group
that combines support for
the peace process with con-
cern about Israel's security
needs, and Jonathan
Kessler, a longtime Jewish
activist who has focused on
building support for the
- peace process.
The sessions were offi-
cially co-sponsored by the
American Jewish Congress
and the National Associ-
ation of Arab-Americans —
the first such joint venture
between an Arab-American
group and a major Jewish
organization.
"There is a dawning rec-
ognition that there is some
common ground based on
support for the peace talks,
and wanting to make sure
that they succeed," said Tom
Smerling, Project Nishma
executive director. "People
on both sides are beginning
to make distinctions. Jews
here and Israelis are star-
ting to make distinctions
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between Palestinians who
support the negotiations and
Hamas. On the other side,
the Arabs are beginning to .
understand that there is a
difference between Shamir
and Rabin."
The session — which was
closed to the press — includ-
ed what one participant
termed a "lively and very .
direct exchange that made it
clear that we can begin to
talk to each other about
these issues."
The liveliest debate re-
portedly involved Ms.
Ashrawi and Mr. Shiloh. Ms.
Ashrawi expressed the deep
frustration of the Palestin-
ian delegation over the slow
pace of the talks and what
they view as an inflexible
Israeli position. Mr. Shiloh-
insisted that there has been
The liveliest
exchange involved
the Palestinian and
Israeli officials.
significant progress and that
the Palestinian frustration
may stem from unrealistic
expectations.
The tone of the questio
from the audience was gen-
erally constructive, accor-
ding to reports.
"Only one out of 10 ques-
tions contained any of the
language of conflict," said
•
one participant.
The willingness of Jews
and Arabs in this country to
speak openly about the
peace process, without ran-
cor, Mr. Kessler said,
reflects the growing consen-
sus supporting the talks.
"Clearly, the American
Jewish Congress and the
National Association for
Arab Americans have gone
out on a limb to push a new
vision of dialog between the
two communities," he said.
"And Project Nishma has
moved into the forefront in
helping to reposition the
American Jewish commun-
ity."
❑