Immigration
/—Israel Correspondent
srael is preparing a no-expens-
es-spared campaign to per-
suade hundreds of thousands
of Russian Jews, dismayed by
the collapse of Boris Yeltsin's regime,
to immigrate to Israel.
In a pre-Rosh Hashanah meeting
with reporters from the American
and British Jewish media, the Prime
Minister, Binyamin Netanyahu,
pledged to make all necessary funds
available for this task.
While wishing the new Russian
Prime Minister, Yevgeni Primakov,
success in rescuing his economy,
Netanyahu hailed the turmoil there
as a "unique" opportunity to revive
large-scale aliyah from the former
Soviet Union. Rather than tactfully
waiting for the Jews to get out, Israel
was taking the initiative.
A ministerial committee is busy
drafting programs. On Sunday, the
Cabinet approved emergency fund-
ing in principle. "We decided," the
prime minister said, "that any pro-
grams, recommended by that corn-
mittee and approved by the cabinet,
to induce, promote, encourage mas-
sive aliyah will receive all the fund-
ing they require, budgetary con-
straints notwithstanding.
"The reason is simple. It's what
we are here for: the ingathering of
the exiles. Having renewed Jewish
sovereignty in the land of the Jews,
we want to bring Jews to Eretz
Yisrael."
Netanyahu dismissed fears that
Primakov, a Middle East expert with
an "Arabist" reputation, would turn
Russian foreign policy against Israel.
"Primakov was the Foreign Minister
shaping foreign policy under previ-
ous prime ministers," he said, an
it doesn't seem to me that is about
to change. It is our hope that we can
continue to cement bilateral ties
between Russia and Israel."
The two countries, he added, had
an excellent relationship, except for
one problem. "We expect Russia to
take action against the leakage of
disarm terrorists, to annul clauses in
the 1964 Palestinian Covenant call-
ing for the destruction of Israel, to
jail and extradite murderers, to curb
hostile propaganda — and Israel
would cede some of the territory. If
the Palestinians complied, Israel
would yield more.
"We want to see concrete fulfill-
ment of promises," Netanyahu
insisted. "If they carry out their
commitments, we will withdraw
U S. Mideast
from additional territory. If they
envoy Dennis Ross,
don't, we won't."
let, met with
The prime minister did not, how-
Prime Minister
ever, conceal his continued con-
Benyarnin
tempt for his Labor predecessors
Netanyahu last
who negotiated the Oslo accords five
week as part of his
years ago this month. He recognized
ort restart the
that surrendering territory was an
stalled talks on
irreversible process, whereas the
carrying out the
Palestinians could go back to their
Oslo accords. They
old ways as soon as Israel pulled out.
met at Netanyahu''
"This is part of the flawed deal of
home where he
Oslo,"
he shrugged. "That's the deal
was recovering
we've
got.
We made a commitment
from a bout with ,
to continue the process and seek its
conclusions, while minimizing the
damage."
Predictably, Netanyahu blamed
kept their side of the deal. Israel, he
Russian technology, ballistic, nuclear
the Palestinians for the continued
said, was ready to withdraw from
stalemate. "We were closer to an
and other technology, to Iran and
another 13 percent in three phases
agreement a month ago," he argued,
other such regimes.
"Israel and Russia have a common spread over three months.
"but the Palestinians backtracked on
The 13 percent
the understanding that was close to
interest to see the
was proposed by
being finalized. And so we have,
development of
Washington at
regrettably, to rework the ground."
peace in our
the beginning of
The chances of success before he
region. We also
1998 and was
flies
to the United States later this
have an objective
reluctantly
month? "One hundred percent," he
interest to prevent
accepted by the
said, "if the Palestinians have the
threats to our two
Palestinians.
political will to live up to their
countries from
Only in the past
obligations. Zero if they're not." ❑
irresponsible
two weeks has
regimes that can
Netanyahu pub-
hurl ballistic mis-
licly committed
with equal
himself to that
proficiency to
figure, which he
Moscow as to
once claimed
New York (JTA) — Film director
Jerusalem."
posed a mortal
On the Israeli-
Steven Spielberg will receive
danger to the
Germany's Cross of the Order of
Palestinian peace
Jewish state.
negotiations,
Merit for Schindler's List. The honor
Netanyahu reiter-
recognizes the 1993 film's powerful
phase, the prime minister explained,
ated that he was determined to
effect in generating a broader under-
the Palestinians would carry out
implement the next West Bank rede-
standing of the Holocaust.
some of their commitments — to
ployment, so long as the Palestinians
Netanyahu says Israel
will try to persuade Russian Jews
to emigrate rather than
face Russian economic collapse.
ted Press Photo
C LERIC SILVER
With Russia's
economic
collapse, Israel
wants hundreds
of thousands of
more Jews to
emigrate.
Germany Will
Honor Spielberg
9/18
1998
Detroit Jewish News
69