BIG KIDS STILL LOVE THEIR Albright mostly will be assessing the status of Israeli-Palestinian talks, not serving as an intermediary. "I wouldn't read this trip as having a specific goal, or agenda, in the sense that the secretary would involve her- self in the kinds of negotiations that the parties themselves are undertaking right now," said deputy State Department spokesman James Foley on Monday. "She'll be going there to take stock, to try to encourage the peace process to go forward." Albright was expected to give that message to top Palestinian negotiators due in town late this week. They were expected to press for a more direct American role in breaking through the Wye impasse, a role rejected even before their arrival. Administration officials agree that Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat was playing the brinkmanship game to force Albright into more direct intervention. The fact that officials here were resisting that pressure, they say, may have spurred this week's diplomat- ic developments, including a "safe pas- sage' agreement and the agreement that will allow construction of a Palestinian seaport to begin in October. Crunching Israel Aid Jewish groups are closely eyeing the upcoming negotiations over the sup- plemental aid package for Israel and Palestinians promised by President Bill Clinton as part of last year's Wye Agreement. Last month, Congress passed a for- eign aid bill containing Israel's $2.8 billion in regular aid; as expected, lawmakers decided to hold off on the extra Wye package until September. Contrary to statements by right-of- center Jewish groups, that decision was a function of domestic budget politics, not a slap at the government of Israeli Prime 'Minister Ehud Barak. The problem? Republican leaders, who have already slashed the overall foreign aid budget to levels that could produce a presidential veto, are insist- ing that any additional money be offset" by cuts in other programs. "The issue is 99 percent bud- getary," said an administration source. Most members support the purpos- es of the funds, but the budget process is a mess, and it's going to be hard to get past the fact that there are stringent budget caps that make it very hard to come up with the extra money." Still, he added, at least some of the money is likely to be appropriated when the pro-Israel lobby begins crank- " ing up the pressure — and when law- makers begin seeing progress in the implementation of the Wye Agreement. Washington has pledged $1.2 billion to Israel, $400 million to the Palestini- ans, and $300 million to Jordan. Israel Or Bust As Congress's late summer recess went into high gear, at least three delega- tions put Jerusalem on their itineraries. Former Rep. Newt Gingrich (R- Ga.) traveled to Jerusalem with a small group sponsored by the Aish HaTorah group; also aboard was Rep. Peter Deutsch (D-Fla.). The American Israel Education Foundation, an arm of the pro-Israel lobby, took a record 31 House mem- bers to Israel last week — 11 Republicans and 20 Democrats, head- ed by Rep. Tom Davis (R-Va.) and Rep. Martin Frost (D-Tex.), members of their parties' leadership teams. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak's message to the lawmakers was that "he needs them to be partners in the peace process," said Howard Kohr, executive director of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. Barak also met twice with top AIPAC leaders; that represented anoth- er step toward reconciliation with the pro-Israel group that some Labor lead- ers had charged with being insufficient- ly supportive of the peace process. Barak "made it very clear that he is serious about moving forward on both tracks of the peace process — and that AIPAC and the Jewish com- munity here are important to achiev- ing that," Kohr said. Also, the American Jewish Committee's Project Interchange brought a number of first-time congres- sional visitors to Israel. In several meetings, Barak contin- ued to walk a fine line with lawmakers over the congressional push to force the administration to move the U.S. embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. Contrary . to some reports, he did not explicitly ask the visiting legisla- tors to hold off on new Jerusalem leg- islation. But he sent unmistakable sig- nals that he was worried about the impact of an immediate move on the intensifying negotiations with the Palestinians, several sources said. Barak told the AJC delegation that "Jerusalem should be kept undivided and our capital forever," but added his hope that final-status negotiations could produce "some creative ideas (on Jerusalem)... that will not corn- promise our positions in any way." TIRANE® Its Hand 7b Stop A Tune® AIR-MASTER HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING CO. RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL SERVICE • SALES • INSTALLATIONS BERKLEY W. BLOOMFIELD N. OAKLAND GROSSE PTE. 399-1800 788-9073 682-9090 882-4870 MASTERCARD & VISA WELCOME http://www.giolink.com/airmaster Since STEVEN TARNOW, C.R. 1986 (248) 626-5603 PREFERRED BUILDING CO. Fax 248-932-0950 Residential & Commercial Remodeling Building Quality Into Every Project With Unmatched Personal Service. Featuring Andersen Windows s.\ 110,11 1 ,0, 1,1 111111. 11/ 1111 HI 111,1111 1 , .1 , 1/1 , 1111 Licensed & Insured 32581 Northwestern Highway, Farmington Hills, MI 48334 248 - 737 - 7122 TENDER 271 WEST MAPLE DOWNTOWN BIRMINGHAM 248.258.0212 Detroit Jewish News 8/27 199€' 23