This Week
Worries Overseas
SEE FOR YOURSELF WHY
EVERYONE Is SAYING
Terrorizing Peace; ffnai Irrith Race;
Acting On Hate; Dancing At Auschwitz
B'nai ifrith Race
Delegates to the B'nai B'rith interna-
tional convention in Washington,
which begins on Friday, will encounter
ith efforts faltering to
something they don't usually see: a vig-
revive stalled Israeli-
Palestinian talks, and the orous challenge to a sit-
Sept. 13 target date for a
ting president.
peace deal only weeks away, officials in
But B'nai B'rith odd-
Washington and Jerusalem fear a new
smakers say that incum-
wave of terrorism aimed at wrecking
bent Richard D.
the peace process once and for all.
Heideman, a former
Last week, the two allies were feud-
Detroiter, is likely to
ing over a State Department warning
survive the challenge by
to tourists to be on guard for possible
Dan Frank, a senior vice Richard D.
Heideman
violence; this week, with evidence
president of the group
mounting that the warning was justi-
from Minneapolis, espe-
cially since several former B'nai B'rith
fied, officials in both capitals were
presidents who once seemed to support
reading from the same page.
"The U.S. government believes that
Frank's candidacy have dropped the idea.
"It's a populist issue," said Frank,
there is, at this time, an increased pos-
sibility for terrorist attacks in Israel, the who said he believes he can win the
West Bank and Gaza," said the official
vote, which will take place on
Monday, Aug. 28. "It's the old guard
advisory, issued last Wednesday. It
in Washington against those who work
added that tourists should exercise cau-
in the regions, who have a more pop-
tion when taking public transportation
and around crowds.
ulist view."
Recent restructuring intended to
The advisory provoked an angry
modernize the 157-year-old fraternal
response from Israeli Prime Minister
group have just increased the emphasis
Ehud Barak and some ministers in his
on Washington, Frank argued. "The
fast-shrinking government, although
regional rank and file are being asked
Israeli sources say that the security
services confirmed the growing threat.
for more, but getting less," he said.
The grassroots are withering, and
Early this week, Israeli and
nothing is being done to rejuvenate it.
Palestinian authorities announced the
I wonder if that's even a priority."
arrest of 23 Arabs suspected of plan-
But Heideman forces say the cur-
ning attacks — some of whom, Israeli
rent president has succeeded in getting
newspapers said, have connections to
Saudi-born militant Osama bin Laden. the organization's hemorrhaging budg-
et under control, and that he has
On Monday, the Congressional
made significant improvements at the
Research Service, in its annual survey
of terrorism in the Middle East region, group's headquarters.
"When I came into office, I found
reported that bin Laden may be get-
that B'nai B'rith had been spending
ting set to begin a terror campaign
more money than it had been taking
within Israel.
in," Heideman, a former Detroiter,
The report indicated that the
said this week. "Fiscal integrity and
Afghan-based terrorist might be pick-
responsibility had to be our top pri-
ing up support from backers of Hamas
(the militant Islamic movement),
ority."
But with the financial emergency
angered by Palestinian leader Yasser
Arafat's participation in last month's
easing, he said, his administration will
now turn to changes in the group's
Camp David talks.
structure intended to make the regions
The terror warnings and the new
and the national office work together
arrests came'as U.S. special envoy
Dennis Ross shuttled across the region
more effectively.
This week, Heideman said, dele-
in yet another attempt to restart seri-
ous negotiations. They have been on
gates will consider a proposal that
hold since the collapse of last month's
"will create B'nai B'rith community
regions and community-service cen-
summit in the Maryland mountains.
ters, with the goal of taking the organ-
JAMES D. BESSER
Washington Correspondent
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