LARGE
SELECTION tI
AVAILABLE •
where the bulk of
their constituents
are," he said. "Most
Jerusalem
will line up squarely
Ehu*rak may have judged the popular mood
behind. Barak if a deal
betnAan his tormentors and detractors. One
is made. Congress has
opirati poll, in Yediot Aharonot on Monday, found
become much more
52 per cent supporting his decision to go to the
sophisticated in rec-
summit, with 45 per cent thinking he should have
ognizing that a small
stayed home. On whether he still had a mandate to
minority, no matter
make concessions to the Palestinians, 53 percent
how loud, doesn't
said yes, 44 percent no.
represent the Jewish
Another survey, Tel-Aviv University's "Peace
community."
Index,"
found 61 percent of Jewish voters still sup-
But even if oppo-
porting
the
Israeli-Palestinian negotiations,
nents don't succeed in
although
with
varying degrees of enthusiasm.
blocking aid, the ran-
And
in
the
United
States, a Gallup poll found
corous debate could
77 percent of Americans believe the pursuit of
undermine confidence
Middle East peace is an important goal of U.S. pol-
in the peace process in
icy. In the survey of 1,000 people, 41 percent said
Israel before voters go
they sympathize with Israel, 14 percent said their
to the polls in a refer-
sympathies are with the Palestinian Authority, 5
endum.
percent said they sympathized with both and 22
That's exactly the
percent had no opinion.
strategy of groups
such as Americans for
a Safe Israel, which
has been working
Zweibon. "Don't be assured by
with congressional Republican-S to
major commitments of money made
build opposition to new aid even
by a lame-duck administration."
before a deal is cut.
He said that American Jews "don't
"Our strategy is to get Congress
understand the implications if
to make a statement to the Israeli
Israel's redlines are crossed. They
people saying, 'it's okay for you to
seem to put their trust in the leader-
make your deal, but don't be assured
ship of Israel. They've done this his-
that the money will be forthcom- - - torically, and it's proven to be very
ing,' said AFSI chairman Herbert
dangerous." 111
Ily The Numbers
whom Arafat has taken with him to
Camp David. They include not only
his ruling Fatah faction, but also mem-
bers of the People's (nee Communist)
Party, and the "rejectionist"
Democratic Front for the Liberation of
Palestine. l=lamas, Islamic Jihad and
the Popular Front for the Liberation of
Palestine sent their regrets.
"Arafat wants to spread the respon-
sibility around, so that the Palestinian
people won't blame him alone for the
outcome," said Eid.
The support of the Fatah leader-
ship, which is split between hardliners
and moderates like Arafat himself, is
crucial to the chairman, said Shikaki.
"If the Fatah (leadership) supports an
agreement, it will undoubtedly win
support among the people in the West
Bank and Gaza," he said.
The Palestinian diaspora is another
story, though; they're certain to oppose
any agreement short of the full right
and opportunity to return to Israel —
which is a non-starter.
The outbreak of violence, in the
event of a failure to reach agreement,
is the big fear among Israelis — and
for Arafat and the Palestinian
Authority, observers say.
'Arafat likes calculated risks — con-
tainable crises that he knows he can
control," says Dr. Ghassan Khatib,
director of the Jerusalem Media and
Communication Center. If mass vio-
lence breaks out among Palestinians,
the political scientist says, Arafat
"knows he will lose control and so he
will not allow this,"
While Barak is presenting the sum-
mit as the finish line of the Israeli-
Palestinian conflict, Palestinians see it
as an important hurdle, but by no
means the last. Eid thinks it will take
"at least another year" to settle all the
outstanding issues.
Shafi says, "This iss -a difficult, pro-
tracted process — it's not going to end
tomorrow, or the day after tomorrow."
Yet while the Palestinians may not be
in such haste, they don't have all the
time in the world, either.
"They cannot allow this peace
process, to become a way of life, which
is what's happening," said Khatib. ❑
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