of formulation recognizing Palestinian
aspirations without promising official
recognition is possible as a way of
averting a May 4 explosion.
At the very least, officials here hope
to clarify the contradictory statements
coming from Gaza about Arafat's
statehood plans.
Invitations for the "nondenomina-
tional" event include lines such as this:
"As a natural outgrowth of such gather-
ings, many people throughout the world
are finding through the spirit of Jesus a

Wheaties for Arafat; a
lecture in Moscow;
restraining immigration;
wrestling with the issues.

JAMES D. BESSER
Washington Correspondent

on Soviet Jewry. NCSJ and the Anti-
Defamation League presented her
with a "white paper" documenting the
recent rise of political anti-Semitism
in Russia and laying out recommenda-
tions for ,t.he government in Moscow
including -the enactmentof new
hate crime and hate speech laws and
better implementation of existing laws
against incitement.
"We were impressed with the depth
of her understanding of the issue and
how it plays into the overall U.S.-

ing growing U.S.-Russia tensions over
Kosovo, Iraq and the administration
plan to develop new anti-ballistic mis-
siles — could limit the ability of offi-
cials here to effectively weigh in on the
anti-Semitism issue.

Refugee Holdeflown

According to the Hebrew Immigrant
Aid Society (HIAS), the U.S. refugee
ceiling has declined 41 percent since
President Bill Clinton took office
in 1993.
In part, the decline is a
matter of funding, said HIAS
executive vice-president
Leonard Glickman. But, he
added, "we're also alarmed
over indications that the
administration may be getting
signals from Capitol Hill that
they want to see the numbers
decline — especially in the larg-
),
er programs.
The two biggest programs
serve refugees from Indochina
and the former Soviet Union.
In the Senate, some key law-
makers, led by Sen. Edward
Kennedy (D-Mass.) and Sen.
Spencer Abraham (R-Mich),
have pushed for higher numbers.
But the situation in the House is
less certain; key Republican law-
makers do not favor reversing
Above: Steve Largent is host for a Congressional
the downward trend.
prayer breakfast...and Yassir Arafitt is invited;
Overall, Glickman said, the
refugee quotas may be adequate
Below: Madeleine Albright in Washington last week.
for the former Soviet Union for
now, but a dramatic rise in anti-
Semitism in that country could
change that.

ext week's 47th annual con-
gressional prayer breakfast
in Washington is
expected to attract
upwards of 3,600 participants
— and more than its usual
share of controversy.
One reason: the apparent
inclusion of Palestinian leader
Yasser Arafat on the guest list.
Congressional planners of the
event refuse to disclose foreign digni-
taries who were invited — a list that
reportedly includes Arafat, Syrian
President Hafez Assad and the foreign
minister of Sudan — but administra-
tion officials say Arafat will attend.
Israeli officials won't; none were
V
invited, Israeli officials said on
Tuesday,.
The Arafat invitation sparked
protests from right-of-center pro-
Israel groups and from Stephen M.
Flatow, whose daughter, Alisa, was
killed by terrorists in territory con-
trolled by Arafat's Palestinian
Authority.
fellowship that is helping to
"An invitation to a prestigious event
build true community in
such as the National Prayer Breakfast
the family of nations."
will bestow on Mr. Arafat a degree of
legitimacy and credibility he has not
Lecturing Primakov
earned," Flatow wrote in a letter to
This week's Moscow visit
Rep. Steve Largent (R-Okla), the offi-
by Secretary of State
cial host of the event.
Madeleine Albright result-
But early this week the gathering
ed
in some tough talk on
took on considerable diplomatic signifi-
two issues that preoccupy
cance when it appeared likely President
Jewish leaders here —
Bill Clinton, who will also attend, will
surging anti-Semitism and
use the breakfast for a private meeting
that nation's alleged aid to
with the Palestinian leader.
Iranian weapons builders.
Administration sources confirm
Albright raised both
that a meeting is likely — probably at
issues
in meetings with
the Washington Hilton, where the
Prime
Minister
Yevgeny
prayer breakfast is taking place, not
Primakov and Foreign
the White House.
Minister Igor Ivanov on
A top item on the agenda: continu-
Monday.
ing U.S. pleas to Arafat to defer plans
"I have come to pursue
to declare statehood on May 4, and
cooperation
where I can, and to
Arafat's demand for some kind of U.S.
understand
better
the disagreements
recognition of statehood if he agrees.
we do have," she said at a Monday
Administration officials insist that
gathering of human rights advocates.
recognition before statehood arrange-
Before her departure from
ments are worked out between Israel
Washington, Albright met with a
and the Palestinians would constitute
group of Jewish officials under the
intrusion in the "final status" negotia-
leadership of the National Conference
tions. But officials here say some kind

Inside Tv!ea( § - )

.

' /29
999

212 Detroit Jewish News

Talk About Muscle!

Israel relationship," said NCSJ's Mark
Levin. "She acknowledged that the
U.S.-Russia relationship is going
through hard times for many different
reasons; what's happening with anti-
Semitism doesn't help matters."
But the Jewish activists also conceded

that a host of other disputes — includ-

First Gov. Jesse Ventura put
Minnesota in a political ham-
mer lock, and now Bill
Goldberg — the Jewish com-
munity's representative in the
pro-wrestling world — may
body slam members of Congress
if they don't listen to his pleas.
Goldberg, a World
Championship Wrestling star and
a spokesman for the Humane
Society of the United States, will
square off with assorted legislators
as he lobbies Congress and the
press next week for tough new federal
laws against cock fighting and similar
pastimes.
"When I step into the ring, it's my
choice," the bruiser said in a state-
ment. "If animals are forced to fight,
they have no choice. Animal fighting
is not a sport; its a crime."