H
HURRY, DON'T MISS OUT ON YOUR
best summer
ever!
1997 JCC
Summer Camps
toW•0004§1
A season of change
Yassir
Arafat
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/—
leader's pitiful performance in re-
cent months has incensed U.S. of-
ficials and generated dark fears
about the future of the peace
process.
But they have been reluctant
to openly squeeze Mr. Arafat be-
cause of their unwillingness to ap-
ply even modest pressure on Mr.
Netanyahu — and because of
their fear that the Israeli leader
will interpret criticisms of Mr.
Arafat as U.S. approval of his own
policies.
That dynamic was never clear-
er than in the administration's
pokey response to the recent de-
cision by Mr. Arafat's government
to impose the death penalty on
Palestinian land dealers who sell
to Jews, a proclamation accom-
panied — according to Israeli au-
thorities — by the creation of
Palestinian Authority-sanctioned
death squads.
Administration spokesmen
commented on the killings only
when pressed by reporters, and
then only in the most moderate of
terms. They have likewise been
quiet about a recent internal
Palestinian audit suggesting that
almost half of the money supplied
by donor countries to the PA has
been squandered through ineffi-
ciency and outright corruption,
and on reports depicting a perva-
sive pattern of human rights abus-
es by Mr. Arafat's minions.
Part of the reason for that si-
lence is simply the perception that
Mr. Arafat is the only game in
town when it comes to negotia-
tions with Israel; squeeze Mr.
Arafat, they believe, and his po-
sition will be weakened, opening
new doors for those Palestinians
who reject negotiations altogeth-
er.
But another factor involves the
strange three-way interaction be-
tween Washington, Jerusalem
and Gaza.
U.S. officials believe that
ratcheting up the pressure on
Mr. Arafat will be seen in
Jerusalem as a nod to the Israeli
government's policies, and result
in demands by Mr. Netanyahu
for still more pressure on the
Palestinians — just as they be-
lieve official criticisms of Mr. Ne-
tanyahu will produce new
demands by Mr. Arafat, not a re-
turn to the negotiating table.
Raw politics is a factor, as
well.
"The bottom line right now in
a variety of areas is fund-rais-
ing," said a prominent Jewish
political activist. 'The DNC [De-
mocratic National Committee]
is facing a huge deficit; there are
worries about fund-raising for
the 1998 congressional cam-
paigns, and for [Vice President
Al] Gore in 2000. Right now,
there's a tremendous reluctance
to do anything that might anger
Jewish contributors."
That means no pressure on
Mr. Netanyahu, or at least the
minimum pressure the admin-
istration can get away with. And
if they refuse to squeeze Mr. Ne-
tanyahu, they can't possibly
squeeze Mr. Arafat too hard
without putting the last nail in
the coffin of the U.S. role as "hon-
est broker" in the talks.
All of this suggests deep trou-
ble for American efforts to re-
suscitate the stalled talks.
Washington is losing credibility
with each side by refusing to re-
spond to legitimate complaints
about the other. The adminis-
tration's growing timidity leaves
a vacuum at the top of the peace
process that the Europeans and
the Egyptians are eager to fill —
a shift that could promise new
problems for Israel and new in-
stability for a peace process that
already stands on the brink of
failure. LI
JCC Summer Camps provide
personal, social and educational
development, while encouraging
athletic involvement
and increasing
environmental
awareness.
Check out these exciting fun-filled Summer Camps
at the JCC's West Bloomfield Maple/Drake (MO)
and Oak Park Jimmy Prentle Morris (JPM) locations:
• Pro-school Camp (MW and JPM)
• Kindergarten - 1st Grade Camp
(M/D and JPM)
• Sports Fantasy Travel Camp for 7th - 10th
Grads (M/0)
• Pro Sports Camp for Ages 6 - 14 (M/D)
• 2nd - 5th Grade Camp (M/D and JPM)
• Tennis Camp for Ages 6 -14 (M/D)
• One Week Specialty Camps for
1st - 5th Grades and 4th - 9th Grades (JPM)
• Star Trax Dance Camp for 4th - 9th
Grades (M/D)
• Camper's Choice for 4th - 9th Grades (M/D)
• Teen Travel Camp for 7th - 9th Grades (M/D)
• Camp of the Arts for Ages 7 - 17 (M/D)
• Pre-teen Travel Camp for 5th - 6th Grades
(MO)
Session Dates: Session I: June 25 July 17
Session II: July 21 August 14
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Camp Hours are from 9:30 a.m. 3:30 p.m.
(Child care is available before and after these hours)
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Busing
included in
camp cost!*
For a detailed brochure, please call one of
our two convenient locations in West Bloomfield
(810) 661-1010 or Oak Park (810) 967-4030.
Some restrictions may apply.
The Jewish Community Center of Metropolitan Detroit
6600W. Maple goad • We Bloomfield, MI • 45522 / 15110 W. 10 Mile load • Oak Park, MI • 4E323
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