COMMUNITY VIEWS

ing. We are not immune to a uniquely
wo years ago, Israeli Prime
American
mindset that expects clear-cut
Minister Yitzhak Rabin was
solutions
to
even big problems.
assassinated. The perpetrator
However,
we
fail to fully understand the
thought that the Oslo
Middle
East
if
we get too easily discour-
Accords and the peace process that fol-
aged
by
a
"fits-and-starts"
pattern of
lowed were taking Israel down the road
peace
making.
We
surely
are
kidding
to oblivion. He decided to take matters
ourselves
if
we
think
that
at
this
stage in
into his own hands in order to strike a
the
process,
when
the
issues
of
mortal blow against the most
final
Israeli
withdrawal,
edible peace advocate and,
Palestinian sovereignty and
thereby, at the peace process
Jerusalem's
future are on the
itself
table,
it
will
be smooth sailing.
Before then, and since then,
Progress
will
be painstakingly
Palestinian terrorists have
slow,
as
the
two
sides attempt to
attempted to accomplish the
reconcile
their
deeply
felt differ-
same end, namely the complete
ences
on
these
issues.
termination of the peace
Furthermore, groups that are
process. In the minds of terrorist
unalterably
opposed to the
DAVID
leaders, anything less than
peace
process
will attempt to
GAD-HARF
Relestinian sovereignty over the
gain
political
advantage
by
Special to
whole of Israel, under Islamic
doing
all
in
their
power
to
The Jewish
law, was deemed catastrophic
undermine
that
process.
Finally,
News
for the Palestinian people.
the political dynamics in Israel
In recent weeks, there has
and among the Palestinians do
been some limited progress in bringing
not
contribute
to the conditions for
Israel and the Palestinians back together
steady
progress.
after both parties abandoned the negoti-
In the long run, I am confident that
ating table. However, the talks have
further
agreements will be signed by
been clouded by an atmosphere of mis-
Israel
and
the Palestinians. But will they
*1st and finger pointing. To complicate
bring
true
peace? If the peace treaty
matters even more, the world's attention
with
Egypt
is a guide, then we know
has turned once again to the Iraqi
that
agreements
themselves do not cre-
threat. Saddam Hussein's tune hasn't
ate
peace
if
it
is
defined
as something
changed; he thumbs his nose at the
more
than
the
absence
of
war. While a
United States and claims that Israel is
cool
peace
between
Israel
and Egypt is
the real threat to peace in the region.
tolerable,
no
such
similar
outcome is
These developments are discourag-
viable for Israel and the Palestinians.
Their lives, their livelihood and their
David Gad-Harf is executive director
lands are too closely intertwined to
'the Jewish Community Council.

Photo by AP/Heidi Levine

Is It Possible
Peace Is A Mirage?

T

PUBLISHER'S
NOTEBOOK

Gold Needed
To Make Case
With U.S. Jews

ARTHUR M. HORWITZ
Publisher

Israel doesn't need
our charity, our
streams of Judaism or
our American notions
of democracy and
church-state separa-
tion. It needs our
ability to maintain
the "special relation-

•

ship" between the U.S. government
and the Jewish state.
The corridors and lecture halls at
last week's Council of Jewish
Federation's General Assembly in
Indianapolis were buzzing with discus-
sion about religious pluralism in Israel,
the status of negotiations with the
Palestinian Authority and the assimila-
-
tion of American Jewry.
But the core issue facing Prime
Minister Benjamin Netenyahu is how
to keep American Jews loving Israel
enough to reinforce the uniqueness of
the U.S.-Israel relationship with their
'political clout on Capitol Hill and in
the White House.
It took the 1991 Gulf War for
Israel's leaders to fully appreciate the
difference between a "special relation-
ship" and a "strategic relationship."
With Scud missiles falling from the
skies, Israel's leaders reluctantly agreed
not to destroy the Iraq-based launch

tion for peace must be established from
enable an Egypt-like peace to endure.
A well-rooted atmosphere of peaceful the ground up, engaging people who
feel that they and their children have a
relations can only emerge from a
stake in peaceful relations with their
demonstrated commitment to peace by
neighbors.
the people of the region. I underscore
It is my belief that the
the word people because, as
many others have stated, peace Palestinian youths most productive starting
throw stones at
point is with young people,
must be between peoples, not
Israeli
troops
in
those whose attitudes have
only between governments.
Hebron.
not yet been fully shaped.
And in the Middle East, par-
A few months ago, I joined
ticularly between Israel and
a small Detroit group of Arabs and Jews
the Palestinians, it will take generations
that had the privilege of witnessing one
to build the trust and cooperation that
such initiative that will surely bear fruit.
is necessary to overcome generations of
MIRAGE on page 34
hatred, war and terrorism. The founda-

democracy in a region of kings, dicta-
sites for fear of splitting the tenuous
tors and despots. And many look at
U.S.-led coalition assembled against
Saddam Hussein.
Photo by AP/Eyal Warshaysky Israel as the core of
their identity, or at
Israel turned over
least the emotional
its defense to
backbone upon
American air patrols
which to raise funds
in the desert and
for overseas and
largely ineffective
local Jewish causes.
Patriot missile batter-
In exchange for
ies on the ground.
their political and
Strategic relation-
financial support,
ships are built upon
they don't want to
geopolitics and, in
feel like second-class
the Middle East, oil.
Jews.
Special relationships
Today, many do.
aren't.
While a commis-
Quite simply,
sion of inquiry in
Netanyahu knows
Israel tries to find
the bulk of Israel's
political common
American Jewish
Netanyahu needs a policy on
ground and remain
supporters are not
U.S. Jews.
true to Halachah,
Orthodox. Many still
why is it that
grasp an idealistic
notion that Israel is an American-style
POLICY on page 35

11/28
1997

33