)-A
12J
op
Deepening Divisions
American
Jewry's
discontent
zin the wake
= c-; L i of Oslo
cn
F-
JAMES D. BESSER
, WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT
L
( -j
n an age of sequels, we are pro-
grammed to expect less from Part
IL
Last week — having trumpeted
to the world the now-famous hand-
shake on the White House lawn —
some reporters affected indifference
as they watched Israeli Prime Minis-
ter Yitzhak Rabin and PLO leader Yassir
Arafat sign their agreement to extend
Palestinian self-rule throughout most of
the West Bank and to create the work-
ing nucleus of a Palestinian democracy.
The image had the texture of a rerun.
But serious observers were anything
but blasé; the agreement signed in the
East Room of the White House will im-
plement the broad principles set out with
such ceremony two years ago.
And "Oslo II" will do something else:
It will add new and disturbing dimensions
to a debate that has been raging with in-
creasing ferocity in Israel since the first
Oslo accord.
Last week's signing was just the begin-
ning of a complex, risky and explosively
controversial implementation process that as the release of Palestinian prisoners, are
will likely include new terrorism by Pales- vague enough to produce serious differ-
tinian radicals — and possibly open re- ences of interpretation. And the timing
bellion by Israeli factions that regard and conditions of the Israeli pullout will
Rabin's actions as nothing less than trai- contribute to ongoing friction.
torous.
No Jews come under direct Palestinian
The debate in Israel will be mirrored by jurisdiction as a result of Oslo II. But the
deepening divisions among American Jews details of protecting settlers — some of
that could undercut political support for whom will undoubtedly go out of their way
the peace process in this country and tear to provoke confrontations — will be try-
at the fabric of Jewish communal life.
ing.
What lies ahead for the American Jew-
And Israeli leaders and their supporters
ish community in the wake of Oslo II? It's worry about redoubled efforts by terror- c--/
a question that can only be answered ists.
through a series of other, even more com-
"Since the peace process seems to be
plex queries.
working, the only option left for the radi-
cals who oppose the peace process is ter-
1. What's next?
rorism," said Gail Pressberg, Washington
An abundance of hard work for nego- director for Americans for Peace Now. 'The
tiators, according to Israeli officials.
implementation period will be a very sen-
Israeli leaders resisted pressure for an sitive one, and we need to be prepared to
even grander ceremonial signing last week deal with new violence."
in Washington knowing that implemen-
tation of the complex 400-page agreement 2. What does the agreement mean for the Amer-
is likely to be difficult and traumatic.
ican Jewish community?
Some sections of the agreement, such
Most Jewish leaders expect that divi-