reporters unsuccess-
fully tried to get a
spokesman to repeat
earlier criticisms of
Har Homa; the White
House was maintain-
ing a lower profile on
the explosive
Jerusalem question.
But some peace
process supporters
worry that the major
groups — which have
been accused of a pro-
Likud, anti-peace
process tilt in recent
years — are taking ad-
vantage of Mr. Arafat's
persistent regression
into the diplomacy of
terrorism to try to
lever the administra-
tion away from its sup- Morton Klein:
port for the Oslo President of the ZOA.
process.
"The difficulty is in distin- cide on their own about renewing
guishing between legitimate crit- a boycott that never formally end-
icisms of the administration's ed, while sending clear warnings
inadequate response to Arafat's to Arab governments through pri-
incitement, and the fact that some vate channels.
"Our view is quite clear — that
Jewish groups see this as a great
opportunity to press their opposi- sustaining a regional environment
tion to the entire Oslo process," supportive of peacemaking is an
said a prominent pro-peace essential part of promoting peace
in the area," a State Department
process activist.
David Harris, executive direc- spokesman said. "We hope the
tor of the American Jewish Com- Arab League recognizes that it
mittee, said that the furious has a responsibility to shape such
an environment."
reaction by Jewish groups was re-
Congress was out of session
lated to the relative smoothness
in U.S.-Israel relations since 1992. when the announcement hit the
"Now, any little bump in the newspapers — but several con-
road becomes a shock to the sys- gressional staffers said that the
tem," he said. "And with each threat of a renewed boycott will
passing day, the stakes get high- almost certainly result in new ef-
er as we move toward final status forts to limit or suspend aid to the
talks and to the real core issues. Palestinian Authority.
Rep. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y.,
So the sensitivity threshold be-
in a letter to the secretary-gener-
comes greater and greater."
al of the Arab League, said that
the decision "is closing the door on
the peace process," and warned
that he will reintroduce legisla-
tion to create a private right of ac-
tion by U.S. companies and
citizens who have been hurt by
With pro-Israel forces in the cap- firms that comply with the boy-
ital already inflamed by events in cott.
the region, Mr. Arafat's effort to
restore Israel's status as a pariah
among nations was a splash of
raw fuel on the fire.
The decision by the Arab
League encouraging member
states to reinstitute the econom- The controversy over Jewish as-
ic boycott against Israel and halt sets looted by the Nazis during
"normalization" with the Jewish World War II continues to lurch
state, which came after Mr. off in new directions.
The American official charged
Arafat's emotional appeal, will do
little to advance the Palestinian with sorting out what this coun-
try knew and didn't know about
cause on Capitol Hill, sources say.
"The reaction in Washington the Nazi looting and complicity by
will be extremely negative," said countries such as Switzerland was
Jess Hordes, Washington direc- being pressed to look into whether
tor for the Anti-Defamation this country, too, held on to mon-
League and a leading anti-boycott ey deposited by European Jews
crusader. "This undercuts one of before the war.
The Washington Post reported
the fundamental dimensions of
the peace process; it's a very un- that Commerce Undersecretary
Stuart E. Eizenstat, who has led
fortunate and destructivestep."
The Clinton administration the American effort to provide a
tried to downplay the decision,
U.S. ROLE page 82
which allows Arab states to de-

Arafat's Boycott
Blunder

U.S. Role
In Looting?

,4)8-° C94,A01
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