...... . • • , - • • Covenant Of Confusion Irks Jesse Helms Prime iVilnister cails tit JAMES D. BESSER WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT T n a recent meeting with a high-level delegation of JNF leaders from around the country held in Washington, DC, Israeli Prime Minister Shimon Peres said, "The desert covers over 50 percent of our land mass. The development of the Negev Desert is crucial to Israel's future. I the newspaper every day, but your efforts to cultivate the desert and to share these technologies with developing nations can have a profound impact in helping their citizens." he question of whether the Palestinian National Coun- cil fully revoked parts of its covenant calling for the de- struction of Israel continues to ricochet around Capitol Hill, de- spite the efforts of mainstream pro-Israel groups. Late last week, Sen. Jesse Helms, R-N.C., whose hard-line pro-Israel positions often irritate the current Israeli government, sent a letter to Secretary of State Warren Christopher demanding an official response to charges that the PNC had really just de- ferred changing the charter. Mr. Helms referred to "consid- erable confusion over the recent vote," and said that the two ver- sions of the official PNC state- ment that have been circulated widely on Capitol Hill, while dif- Jesse Helms: fering significantly, fail "to take Demanded a response. any clearly immediate action on Most pro-Israel groups, led by the charter." Mr. Helms' action is significant the American Israel Public Af- because of his role as chair of the fairs Committee, signaled their Senate Foreign Relations Corn- lack of interest in a congression- mittee, and his longstanding op- al brouhaha over the covenant is- position to American aid to the sue. But Mr. Helms and other hard- Palestinians. Under the terms of the Middle East Peace Facilita- liners are unlikely to be dissuad- tion Act, the PNC was supposed ed by the Israeli government or to change its charter within two their supporters here. "Every time the PNC speaks, months of the Palestinian elec- tions or face an aid cutoff; the re- it produces confusion," said an of- cent PNC action, Mr. Helms ficial with a major group that sup- contended, does not meet that ports the peace process. "And every time that happens, those standard. But this week, the State De- who believe [the peace process] is partinent was holding fast to its just a very elaborate trick by support for the official Israeli po- [Yassir] Arafat to get new am- sition — that the PNC decision munition" voice their disapproval. tc revoke the old charter and be- "We take this controversy very gin writing a new one satisfies the seriously, because people like terms of both the Oslo accords Helms do have the power to dis- rupt the peace process." and ME PFA. Jewish National Fund 17100 West Ten Mile Road Southfield, MI 48075 or call: 610-557-6644. "Ours is a country that is rich in intellect but poor in geog- raphy. In developing the land, it was JNF that combined sci- ence and agriculture in a way that has made us a world leader in desert technologies. "I hope that before too long, with the help of the Jewish National Fund, we will change the face of the desert" At the meeting, Congressman Bill Emerson (R-MO), vice chair of the House Agriculture Committee, praised JNF: "What JNF is doing is not something that makes the front pages of ',tin • .111a4 (Jai Cugtoin Cotbitr Gingrich Urged To End Religious Amendment Custom Made Suits From $525 Custom Made Shirts • Benchmade Suits • Custom Made Suits • • Custom Alterations • Accessories • Detroit's Premiere Custom Clothier Since 1949 Appointments in Your Office or Our Showroom Gary Wettenstein and Sheila Blum Over 30 Years Combined Experience • Sate Sate --Ca& (810) 646 - 0535 271 MERRILL • BIRMINGHAM ee Sate Sc'ee HU DOR NE/ ANACHE SUPER SALE* 300 /0m50% Savings*:`BUUMICASES c) kJ) 144 20000 W. Ten Mile at Evergreen, Southfield *Selected Items & Groupings Sede (8 1 0) 3564600 -Cede''Scree''Scree '-Sage -Sate -' to '.S e With Republican infighting on the rise, some GOP legislators are urging House Speaker Newt Gingrich, R-Ga., to pull the plug on the Religious Equality Amendment, legislation that Jewish activists say is a barely veiled attempt to introduce sec- tarian prayer into public school classrooms. That was the underlying mes- sage in a letter to Mr. Gingrich by three Republican legislators — Rep. Sherwood Boehlert, R- N.Y., Rep. Christopher Shays, R- Conn., and Rep. Steven Schiff, R-N.M. — one of a small handful of Jewish Republicans on the Hill. The legislators were respond- ing to Mr. Gingrich's call for a compromise that would merge two existing versions of the con- stitutional amendment, spon- sored by Rep. Henry Hyde, R-11.1., and Rep. Ernest Jim Istook, R- Okla. Conflict between supporters of the two amendments has held up the religious equality drive for months; conservative leaders, backed by Christian right groups, want to get it moving before the November elections.