• .

In Pursuit Of Peace

Busy Bystanders

America's Jews aren't ready to cope with
the conditions that peace might require.

JAMES D. BESSER

Washington Correspondent

Washin on

how we can prepare for it."
This week, the prime minister
belatedly designated several officials
to fan out across the United States,
explaining the government's posi-
tions and bolstering support.
But that's too little, too late, said
Abraham Foxman, national director
of the Anti-Defamation League.
"His emissaries are nice people,
but they don't know very much
I about what is likely to happen at
Camp David," he said. "Barak hasn't
shared his plans and his ideas with
his own people, so it's obvious he .
can't share them with us. That will
make it much more difficult when
we get to the point of a break-
through, which will involve compro-
mise and risk."

Nether this week's dramatic
Camp David summit
between Israel and the
Palestinians succeeds or
ends in rancorous failure, the results could
be difficult for American Jews to swallow.
Coming referendum
But Jewish leaders here say Prime
American Jews expect concessions
Minister Ehud Barak and his govern-
on hotbutton issues such as
ment have done little to prepare the
Jerusalem,
other Jewish activists said.
community for the emotional jolts if
But
recent
leaks in the Israeli press
Israel makes the expected deep conces-
suggest Barak is prepared to give up
sions on bedrock issues such as
much more than was publicly con-
.
Jerusalem and borders.
templated only a few months ago,
And they fear a destructive impact
including the Jordan Valley, control
on Capitol Hill as Jewish groups wage
over some East Jerusalem neighbor-
bitter warfare over the extra aid pack-
hoods and up to 94 percent of the
ages that any Israeli-Palestinian deal is
West
Bank.
expected to require.
Jews here will "do some hard swal-
Jews here may be better prepared for
lowing" if faced with those kinds of
the failure of the summit than its success,
concessions, said Martin Raffel,
despite predictions that it could lead to a
director of the Israel Task Force of
return to violence and confrontation.
Israeli prime Minister Ehud Barak, President Bill Clinton and Palestinian leader
the Jewish Council for Public Affairs
"There have been so many fits and
Yasser Arafat, walk on the grounds of Camp David, Md., on July 11 at the start
(JCPA). "Some of the ideas that have
starts, so many zigs and zags, that expec- of the Mideast summit.
been
floated in recent weeks will be
tations are low," said David Harris, exec-
emotionally
difficult
for
our community."
utive director of the American Jewish
deal at Camp David — a full-blown agreement or
Raffel,
like
most
pro-Israel
leaders, said the com-
Committee. "Most informed American Jews under-
the much likelier partial agreement that postpones
munity
will
rally
behind
Barak
if he cuts a deal. But
stand that prophecy in the Mideast is best left to the
some issues such as Jerusalem — will produce pain
pivotal
to
that
support,
most
say,
is his plan to sub-
biblical prophets."
and dissent in the American Jewish community.
mit
any
deal
to
Israeli
voters
in
a
high-stakes
referen-
"I'm not sure anybody is really prepared for either
dum
—
a
vote
that
could
be
coupled
to
new
elec-
the success or the failure of the summit," said the
Underprepared
tions
in
the
wake
of
this
week's
coalition
collapse.
AJC's David Harris. "The stakes have never been
Still, community leaders say a renewal of violence
"Even if an agreement goes beyond the kinds of
higher; the moment of truth is at hand. Everyone
and confrontation could accelerate the gradual ero-
things
American Jews have contemplated in the past,
with even the remotest interest in Israel will have an
sion in pro-Israel passion among American Jews.
I
believe
the government will negotiate carefully and
opinion, and know that this is the moment to
"Jews will rally around Israel if the summit fails
sensibly," said Rabbi Eric Yoffe, executive director of
express it."
and we go back to a kind of intifada," said a big-city
the Union of American Hebrew Congregations
But he said the Israeli government "has not done
community relations official. "But the prospect of
(UAHC). Recently the group began a nationwide
enough to prepare the groundwork here with the
going through all that again, when we seemed so
effort
to bolster support for the peace talks; this
American Jewish community. There are those in our
close to peace, is demoralizing, and it could con-
week
a
UAHC delegation was at Camp David to
community who have been sending the message to
tribute to the plague of apathy we've been seeing in
welcome negotiators.
Israel for some time now, arguing that there is insuf-
our communities."
BYSTANDERS on page 26
ficient
understanding
of
the
game
plan
here
and
Across the board, Jewish leaders agree that any

gqi

a

•

13:1!

7/14
2000

22

gs

IN

s

,

•

to IR

ot rit

M

Bill Clinton's effort to hammer out a new framework for Mideast peace
began in earnest at Camp David. But, three major stakeholders Israelis,
- Palestinians and American Jews were radiating pessimism.