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Golan Gamble Challenging
Faith Of Israeli Nationalism

Are there no sacred cows left in the land of Is-
rael? More to the point, is the 450-square-mile
Golan Heights sacred to the people of Israel?
And if so, why? Such are the questions that, with
renewed intensity, have shot to the forefront of
Israeli political discussions in the last two weeks.
Recent statements on Syria by Israel's prime
minister, Yitzhak Rabin, have shocked his elec-
torate almost as much as when he shook hands
with Yassir Arafat at the White House last Sep-
tember. The handshake, while difficult for many
to watch, was generally understood as inevitable.
But now, Mr. Rabin has confirmed that Israel
would agree to a "very limited" three-year pull-
back from the Golan Heights. That, he said, is
only a first step.
For most Israelis, relinquishing civilian con-
trol in the Gaza Strip was acceptable. The West
Bank, where some power also has been ceded to
Palestinians, holds deep religious significance
to Jews. The majority of Israelis seem to support
these moves. But handing over the Golan to Syr-
ia, Israel's most intractable foe, nibs against the
secular religion of virtually every Israeli: the re-
ligion of nationalism. To Israelis, it seems that
their "faith" is being challenged by the very man
— Mr. Rabin — whose forces conquered the
Golan from Syria in 1967. And by the very man
— again, Mr. Rabin — who, while, campaigning
two years ago, said that a Golan withdrawal was
equivalent to surrendering Israel's security.

"Mr. Security," as some have dubbed Israel's
prime minister, faces a dilemma. Were a refer-
endum held today on a Golan pull-out, it prob-
ably would be defeated. That is because Mr.
Rabin has yet to make clear the tangible results
of such a decision. He mentions a complete peace
with Syria, replete with tourism, ambassadors,
trade. But few Israelis relate to that concept. Pe-
tra in Jordan, the pyramids in Egypt, the bazaars
of Morocco were a draw. But what would the av-
erage Israeli visit in Syria? The former homes
of some of their countrymen?
Mr. Rabin has engaged in a public relations
struggle overseas to enlist support for the with-
drawal. He is courting American Jewish lead-
ership and the U.S. government for statements
and packages of support. At home, he tells Is-
raelis that to thwart such a purpose means that
the only certainty is the threat of war.
If Mr. Rabin can achieve peace with Syria, he
will become an even greater figure in modern
Jewish history. If he's wrong, he will be the Jew-
ish Benedict Arnold. What he needs now is a
slow, calculated open dialogue with the 13,000
residents of the Golan, as well as with the resi-
dents of Israel proper. Mr. Rabin should under-
stand that the peace process is not an
unstoppable juggernaut — and that it can be un-
dermined if he does not lay the proper ground-
work with Israelis and their friends.

One Year Later,
We Seek A Middle Ground

A Tuesday reception by several area Jewish and
Arab leaders in the downtown law offices of the
firm of Miller, Canfield, Paddock and Stone com-
memorated the peace handshakes and signings
and emotions of one year ago.
Another meeting held Sunday at Bais Chabad
in Farmington Hills memorialized the Jews
killed since those signings and expressed out-
rage that the peace process has seemingly be-
come a done deal.
Two extremes, but two clear indications of the
differences Detroit Jews still have after a rocky
year under the umbrella we're labeling "the
changing face of the Middle East."
If there is a middle ground to words such as
"euphoria" and "outrage," it is "caution" or
"guarded optimism."
What we've learned this year is that peace can
be both a wonderful and unfamiliar territory, as
well as a word that means struggle, and unfor-
tunately still, the spillage of blood, both Jew-
ish and Arab.
Caution still has to be the centerpiece in Is-

rael's co-existence with the PLO. This isn't the
same as a peace with Jordan or even the
prospects of an accord with Syria. The PLO, even
after a year, remains committed to the division
of Jerusalem. The PLO remains unstable in its
own so-called infrastructure.
After a year, Israel needs to make sure that
the PLO understands that Jerusalem is not to
be divided. The PLO also must understand that
this peace process will take time, if it is to work
at all. The euphoria of pointing guns at the sky
and firing them in celebration is over. Our con-
cern is that those guns are still pointed at Jews.
We cannot be blinded by this year. If anything,
the actions of the PLO should only make Israel
see more clearly.
Next year, if Jews and Arabs meet to toast in
the Detroit area, it should follow significant and
responsible steps taken by both sides. We pray
there will be no need for another memorial ser-
vice then, and that more of those on the extreme
side, be they Jew or Arab, find themselves in the
reality of the middle ground.

Letters

Hardly A Catholic
Conspiracy

mittee visited Theresienstadt
themselves and found nothing of-
fensive or unduly "Christianized"
about it. Rather, Catholic and
Jewish
representatives alike
I would like to thank you for the
very fine coverage given to the were deeply moved by the expe-
recent event at Congregation rience. The former expressed
Shaarey Zedek at which I was themselves in terms of teshuvah
privileged to speak celebrating or repentance for what took place
the exchange of ambassadors be- there and throughout Europe
tween the State of Israel and the during the Shoah.
Sadly, it is beginning to seem
Holy See.
to
me that Rabbi Weiss is cast-
A friend gave me a copy of the
ing
about for conspiracies and
article
in
which
Rabbi
Avi
JTA
conspirators
to attack. Every sin-
Weiss alleges that there exists
some vague sort of conspiracy by gle instance he raises has been
which "the sites of former Nazi thoroughly investigated by re-
death camps are being Chris- sponsible Jewish agencies. There
tianized." Frankly, I'm surprised exists no Catholic plot to "Chris-
that JTA would run such an out- tianize" the death camps. Such
landish conspiracy theory with- plots exist only in the fevered
out first checking with Christian imagination of conspiracy theo-
or with responsible Jewish au- rists. As I said in my talk at
Shaarey Zedek, we Catholics and
thorities.
Jews
owe it to our traditions to
The building near Auschwitz-
Birkenau is not only "outside the sit down together in honest, no-
barbed wire fence," but across the holds-barred dialogue over our
road. It has been used by the lo- respective memories of the past,
cal people as their parish center ancient and recent. We owe it to
for many years and thus could our children to get the story right.
Dr. Eugene J. Fisher
not possibly be construed as be-
Associate Director
ing covered by the 1987 Geneva
Secretariat
For
Ecumenical and
agreement. Its existence has long
Interreligious Affairs National
been known by the Jewish agen-
Conference of Catholic Bishops
cies involved in the Auschwitz
Washington, D.C.
convent situation.
The chapel at Sobibor, like-
wise, has its own history. It pre-
existed the Nazi invasion of
Poland for many years and was
desecrated by the Nazis. It was,
quite rightly and out of deep de-
votion that the local folks rebuilt The professional approach of Jim
it and reconsecrated it to God. It Pfeifer and Glenn Triest made
has now been standing, without my contribution to the Health
objection, for two decades. It is Beat (Aug. 26) much easier.
not visible from the memorial to
We nurses wear many hats.
the victims of Sobibor, and rep- We learn from each other and
resents a precious religious sym- from other professionals. Our pa-
bol not to allow Hitler's tients are good teachers too.
murderers to have the final word
Thank you so much for the
of having destroyed forever the nice, warm article on Jewish
faith of the people of the local nurses.
area.
Shirley Kramer, RN.
At Dachau, there have been,
Oak Park
as Rabbi Weiss admits, three
chapels standing now for some
30 years, of which the Jewish
memorial is the most imposing.
Perhaps he does not know, but
Dachau outside Munich was the
concentration camp favored by
Letters must be typewritten,
the Nazis for the systematic mur-
double-spaced, and include the
der of thousands of Catholic
name, home address, daytime
priests and religious and Protes-
phone number and signature
tant ministers.
of the writer.
In 1990, the International
Catholic-Jewish Liaison Com-

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