Building A New Era A conversation with Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres about the peace process. S hortly before his address to 3,500 people at Ahavath Achim Synagogue in At- lanta last week, Shimon Peres spoke with Atlanta Jewish Times Assistant Editor David Holzel and Managing Editor Neil Rubin. The following are excerpts from their conversation. Atlanta Jewish Times: There's concern over a re- newed energy in building set- tlements in the West Bank. Can you make sense of that for us? Peres: We're not going to build more settlements, not because we have an agreement with the Palestinians about it, but because we think that mixing the lives of one nation with another will eventually create an insolvable situation. We need to let them have their lives and let us have our lives. At The Trowbridge, the residents are always going, always running, always doing. They're active, involved and love to have a good time. They're people a lot like you. We have dances, card clubs, social events, lectures, movies and dozens of other weekly activities. No one offers you more activities or a greater quality of services than we do. To find out more please mail the coupon today or call (810)352-0208. THE Name IKQW1)-KWG Address City State Zip one Mail to: 24111 Civic Center Dr., Southfield, MI48034 (810) 352-0208 CELERRITIM; 5 1FARS AS A PREMIER RENTAL RETIREMENT COMME NIT1 We are pledged to the letter and spirit of U.S. policy for the achievement of equal housing opportunity through- out the nation. We encourage and support an affirmative advertising and marketing program in which there are no barriers to obtaining housing because of race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin. UR EXERCISE CONNECTION • TREADMILLS Electric/Manual • STAIR CLIMBERS • HEALTH BIKES Manual/Dual Action/Electric • ROWING MACHINES • MISC. GYM EQUIPMENT (ALL ITEMS DISCOUNTED) 56 LARRY ARONOFF ACTON RENTAL & SALES 540-5550 0 891-6500 In the Orchard Mall West Bloomfield • (810) 737-4888 So do you consider the ex- pansion of Efrat and Ma'aleh Adumim [on the West Bank]... There was no expansion. They built some more flats privately on private land, which is a different story. But we can't confiscate more land, even for expansion of the existing settlements. What do you expect from American Jews in assisting your efforts? To support the peace process in the United States. To partici- pate in building a new era in the Middle East. To participate in bringing in and absorbing the new immigrants. To teach your children Hebrew and to keep them Jewish. Have you met with Georgia Rep. Newt Gingrich during this trip? Yes. He expressed his readi- ness to support the peace process and I think he liked the idea when I said that this support should be done jointly by governmnts and private enterprises. I told him we need to privitize the peace process. I think he liked that. You have called for a re- gional identity in the Middle East. What does that do to Jewish identity in Israel? You can be a Jew and you can be for peace. It's not a contradic- tion. But for the first time in the Middle East, we have a coalition for peace which is not limited to the Jewish people. We have Arabs and Palestinians that are participating. And I really do be- Shimon Peres: Seeks U.S. Jewish support. lieve the most important issue will be how to maintain our her- itage, culture and language hi a world of cable television. Occa- sionally I'm more afraid of the introduction television in Israel than crossing of the borders by a hostile army. To get back to the original question, what role will Jew- ish identity play in a regional identity for the Middle East? We're not talking about re- gional identity. We're talking about regional economy and re- gional strategy. Identity would remain national. Those are two completely different things. Some people in Israel and the United States say you have lost the mandate to gov- ern. How do you respond to that? They said the same thing to Mr. [Menachem] Begin [prime minister in 1977-831 when he withdrew from the Sinai. They forgot it. The same people called Begin a traitor, too. So what? Who will remember their calls? What are your thoughts on the situation of Jonathan. Pol- lard? [Mr. Pollard is an American Jew serving a life sentence for passing U.S. military secrets to Israel.] No, no, no. Go on, go on. Look, I'm not here [to discuss] all things. I shall answer some ques- tions, not all of them. Do you think that Islamic fundamentalism is beyond control?