he World: In Shifting Sands

The Vacuum
At The Top

Local experts see
uncertainty
as governments splinter.

HARRY KIRSBAUM

Staff Writer

I

n the end, they said, it is a
question of leadership.
Local Jewish leaders and
academics are attempting to
put the recent events of impeach-
ment, the fall of the Netanyahu gov-
ernment, and the peace process into
some perspective.
"I think it's extraordinary that we
live in a time where so many things
are in a state of dynamic change, "
aid Conrad Giles, Council of Jewish
Federations president. "It makes pre-
dictions of future actions very diffi-
cult. I am only convinced that this is
a time in which one of the things that
we need the most, we seem to have
the least of — great leadership."
"I think that it's difficult to be
optimistic that the peace process
can proceed smoothly," said David
Gad-Harf, executive director of the
Jewish Community Council.
"There's just too much uncertainty
and too much instability in the

Harry Kirsbaum may be reached by
phone at (248) 354-6060, ext. 244, or
by e-mail at hkirsbaum@thejewish-
news.com

aftermath of the U.S. strike in
Baghdad, the impeachment of
President Clinton, and the call for
new elections in Israel."
Commenting on why Arafat
appears to be the most politically sta-
ble of the three leaders involved in
the Wye agreement, Raymond Tanter,
University of Michigan political sci-
ence professor, said, "Leaders of
democratic countries are vulnerable
to challenge, while the rulers of non-
democratic entities are comparatively
immune to challenge. Arafat is more
indispensable to the peace process
than is either Clinton or Netanyahu."
He called the Netanyahu govern-
ment "not indispensable, " and said
any government in Israel will contin-
ue to make progress.
"It's not surprising that when you
have a strong leader who's basically
been anointed through power rather
than through the normal political
process that there would be the least
amount of turmoil," said Giles.
"Arafat, while in a nominally democ-
ratic state, is more of a dictator than
a true democratically elected leader."
Gad-Harf said he didn't think
there's less internal strife and conflict
in the Palestinian Authority's rule
under Arafat, "I just think it's con-
cealed."
The Iraq bombings will have little
effect on the Senate's impeachment
proceedings, and impeachment will
have little effect on Wye, said these
observers.

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Detroit Jewish News 15