Washington Watch
Argentine Apology
President of Argentina formally apologizes
for his country's acceptance of Nazis.
JAMES D. BESSER
Washington Correspondent
tY
6/16
2000
18
Washington
resident Fernando de la Rua
of Argentina was in New York
and Washington this week for
some fence-mending with a
Jewish community concerned about the
still-unsolved 1990s bombings of a
Jewish community center and the Israeli
embassy in Buenos Aries.
At a Tuesday news conference in
Washington, de la Rua formally apolo-
gized for some of his country's actions
during World War II, and promised an
intensified investigation into the terror
bombings.
While lauding Argentina's willingness
to accept wartime refugees, he said,
"Some criminal collaborators and perpe-
trators of Nazi genocide took advantage
of this generous welcome. Argentina
should have denied them sanctuary; we
did not. Argentina justice should have
tracked them town and turned them
over for trial; we did not do this often
enough."
Then he offered an outright apology
"Before the world, on behalf of my
country, I want to express my heartfelt
grief and deep regret at our failures in
these areas and to apologize to all of the
survivors of the Holocaust."
In his statement — read in Spanish
— he said that his government "must
do more" to solve the deadly bombing
of the community center (ANITA) in
1994, but offered no specifics.
Later, in a day that also included a
visit to the U.S. Holocaust Memorial
Museum, de la Rua met with families of
some of the AMIA victims.
De la Rua also met with leaders of
the World Jewish Congress in New
York, and Jewish leaders offered cautious
praise for his public mea culpa.
"It is an important statement that
Argentina is confronting its past," said
Jess Hordes, Washington director for the
Anti-Defamation League. Hordes cited
de la Rua's participation in the ground-
breaking Stockholm conference on
Holocaust education as another example
of progress.
"But it's also important that he
express these feelings openly and
directly to Argentina's people," Hordes
said. "And it's important that he really
reinvigorate the investigation in the
bombings."
De la Rua "has done well in terms
of the gestures, and nobody is ques-
tioning the sincerity," Hordes said.
"But short of actual results in tracking
down the people responsible for the
bombings, there will continue to be a
lot of uncertainty."
Unlocking Hate Crimes
After remaining buried for months in
the congressional hopper, the Hate .
Crimes Prevention Act (HCPA), sup-
ported by a broad range of Jewish orga-
nizations, may be ready to see the light
of day.
Jewish officials say Sen. Edward
Kennedy (D-Mass.) may attach the
measure to a big Defense Department
authorization bill in the next few days.
The new measure adds to the groups
covered under previous hate crimes laws
and makes it easier for the federal gov-
ernment to help with the investigation
and prosecution of local" hate crimes.
The HCPA has some 42 Senate co-
sponsors; Jewish leaders believe that if it
gets to the floor as part of the defense
bill, it will pass.
Its chances are less certain in the
House, but that may not matter; Jewish
activists are hoping that if the HCPA is
part of the final Senate bill, it will pass
muster with House-Senate conferees
without ever being raised in the House.
This week a number of groups, led
by the Anti-Defamation League, were
on Capitol Hill, pushing for quick pas-
sage. President Bill Clinton has made
passage of the hate crimes bill a top pri-
ority.
Slowing Executions
The movement in Congress for a capital
punishment moratorium picked up
steam this week with the release of a
seven-year study documenting shocking
errors in the prosecution of death-penal-
ty cases.
And a major Orthodox Jewish group
joined the moratorium clamor, backing
legislative efforts to halt executions until
recent evidence of improper application
is studied.
On Monday, leaders of the Orthodox
Union voted to support the moratorium
effort by Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wisc.).
Similar proposals are percolating in a
number of state capitals.
'As much as traditional Judaism sees
the death penalty as a legitimate part of
the criminal justice system, it also insists
it be administered in a just and accurate
way," said Nathan Diament, director of
the group's Institute for Public Affairs.
"Enough questions have been raised
about whether those conditions have
been met in this country that a morato-
rium is appropriate."
According to the Columbia
University study released this week,
more than two-thirds of all death penal-
ty cases since 1973 have been marked by
serious errors by police, prosecutors or
defense lawyers.
A number of other Jewish groups
have already endorsed a moratorium,
including the Religious Action Center of
Reform Judaism. The RAC opposes cap-
ital punishment in general, but argues
that a moratorium is a critical first step
in a country that may not be ready yet
to abandon the death penalty entirely.
Aiding Cuba And Iran
A move to relax some sanctions on com-
munist Cuba could have unintended
consequences in the Middle East, a fact
that has sent Jewish groups to Capitol
Hill for some quiet but urgent lobbying.
The issue involves a proposal by Rep.
George Nethercutt (R-Wash.) that
would ease restrictions on the sale of
food and medicine to Cuba. But the
broadly worded amendment, attached to
an agriculture appropriations bill, would
also have the effect of lifting sanctions
on Iran — at the worst possible time,
Jewish groups say.
"Our group supports the lifting of
sanctions on Cuba," said Matthew Dorf,
Washington representative for the
American Jewish Congress. "It puts us
in the awkward position of opposing a
bill that does something we favor."
The AJCongress has sent letters to all
435 House members saying that the
changes toward Iran "are unjustified and
would be misinterpreted as a weakening
of U.S. resolve against the show trial of
13 Jews in Shiraz, Iran."
The American Israel Public Affairs
Committee (AIPAC), the pro-Israel
lobby, argues that the Nethercutt pro-
posal — which this week remained
ensnared in a web of legislative techni-
calities — would undercut the overall
system of trade sanctions on renegade
countries.
On the other side of the debate, pow-
erful Midwestern farming interests see
expanded trade with Cuba as an impor-
tant benefit for hard-pressed farmers. ❑
The School Vote
Here are the results of selected June
12 school board elections, pending
certification by the Oakland County
Board of Canvassers. Other results are
available through local school board
offices.
Berkley
One seat, four-year term
Pay $30 per meeting attended
Mark Benner (I) 773
Martin Klemet 63
Birmingham
Two seats, four-year terms
No pay
Daniel Share (I) 786
Geraldine Rinschler (I) 724
Dr. Peter Muller 409
Bloomfield Hills
Two seats, four-year terms
No pay
Linda Finkel (I) 514
Martha Raphelson 509
Farmington
Two seats, four-year terms
Pay $30 per meeting attended
Priscilla Brouillette (I) 1,066
Gary Sharp (I) 994
Oak Park
Two seats, four-year terms
Pay $50 per meeting attended
Shirley Slaughter (I) 126
Rochelle Ward (I) 94
LaJune Travis 48
Southfield
Two seats, four-year terms
No pay
Ann Dillon (I) 864
William Seikaly (I) 800
Doris Edwards 410
Alvin Harris 237
Matthew Kamins 147
Walled Lake
Two seats, four-year terms
Pay $15 per meeting attended
Mary Ellen Trott 613
Alp Onder (I) 542
West Bloomfield
Two seats, four-year terms
Pay $30 per meeting attended
Bruce Tobin (I) 311
Dr. Avery Murav (I) 301
Vote source: The Oakland Press