stream pro-Israel groups charged
that the witness list was top
heavy with peace process critics;
a number of groups that support
the Rabin policies, including
Americans for Peace Now and the
Religious Action Center of Re-
form Judaism, had their requests
to appear turned down.
Last week's session produced
a lot of noise, but no new insights
into the complex issue, with crit-
ics supporting tough new condi-
tions on American aid like
those proposed by Sen. Alfonse
D'Amato (R-N.Y.) and demand-
ing the release of a classified
government report that, they
claim, shows that the PLO
has been misusing funds.
Supporters of the peace process
repeated their argument that al-
though Mr. Arafat is an unat-
tractive negotiating partner, the
peace process continues to make
progress — and that American
aid plays both a symbolic and an
economic role in that progress.
Israeli ambassador Itamar Ra-
binovich had expressed strong
concern that the session would
turn into a highly public display
of Jewish divisions over Middle
East policy; that seemed to be the
case as tempers flared and groups
with well-established positions
simply repeated them for the
record.
11 ,.1,01 " st -Atr;
ONLY 12 LEFT! ‘s°6
ust Go... Will Saaifi
Mikva's Retirement
To Leave Void
One year ago, Abner Mikva was
brought into the administration
as White House counsel to help
a disorganized staff cope with the
mushrooming Whitewater scan-
dal, and the furor over the sui-
cide of presidential aide Vincent
Foster.
Those controversies still are
percolating in the political
background. But Mr. Mikva,
a former Chicago congressman
and federal judge, helped pro-
vide political and ethical moor-
ings for a White House staff
that lacked experience and
— sometimes — good sense.
Last week, Mr. Mikva, who
has served in all three branches
of government, announced his re-
tirement effective Nov. 1. He will
be replaced by Jack Quinn, coun-
sel and chief of staff to Vice Pres-
ident Al Gore.
Earlier this year, the Wash-
ington Institute for Jewish Lead-
ership and Values honored Mr.
Mikva for a career that combined
political and social activism with
a strong commitment to Jewish
values. ❑
9
WEST BLOOMFIELD
Gumbitrtzue,&
* Offer expires 10-495.
Anti-Terror Bill
Stalled In Congress
Congress was supposed to get se-
rious this month about passing
its omnibus anti-terrorism pack-
age, introduced with great fan-
fare in the wake of last April's
bombing in Oklahoma City.
But despite ongoing behind-
the-scenes negotiations center-
ing on Rep. Henry Hyde (R-Ill.),
the chair of the House Judicia-
ry Committee, an unusual coali-
tion of liberal and conservative
groups apparently will contin-
ue to delay the measure in the
House.
Earlier this year, the Senate
passed its version of the sweep-
ing bill, which would make it
harder for groups such as Hamas
to raise money in this country
and would provide new investi-
gatory and surveillance author-
ity for federal officials worried
about the rise of a right-wing ter-
ror network in the United States.
Liberal groups like the Amer-
ican Civil liberties Union argued
that provisions making it easier
to deport aliens suspected of ter-
rorist connections were uncon-
7100 ORCHARD LAKE RD.
stitutional. They were joined by
far-right Republicans, who ar-
gued that the bill would dra-
matically expand the authority
of the federal government.
That argument apparently
eroded support from more mod-
erate Republicans, despite an in-
tense lobbying effort over the
An unusual
coalition is
delaying.
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,deo,
lifts ee4
summer recess by a coalition in-
cluding many mainstream Jew-
ish groups.
"Basically, the center has
caved in," said a prominent Jew-
ish activist here. "The point of
view of the far right has pre-
vailed, and there is less and less
support among rank-and-file Re-
publicans, even as we try to ed-
ucate people about the
importance of this legislation."
❑
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851-7200
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