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from page 31

to defuse the month-long surge of vio-
lence in Israel, Gaza and the West
Bank, which is showing no signs of
abating.
Israeli newspapers have reported that
Clinton is likely to offer a sweeping
U.S. proposal for getting the peace
process back on track, but officials
here say that's unlikely unless there is a
sharp de-escalation in the violence and
the bitter rhetoric, something few here
expect to happen.
Barak hopes for something else: a
deal over the long-negotiated, long-
delayed upgrade in U.S.-Israeli strate-
gic relations. He, too, is unlikely to get
what he wants.
Barak wants Israel officially reclassi-
fied as a "strategic ally," a status that
could become more important as
Israel depends more on the United
States for its ultimate security. There
are military goodies that go along with
that status, as well — including
increased access to U.S. high-tech mil-
itary equipment and intelligence data.
Barak has raised the issue with U.S.
officials several times in recent weeks
in the midst of emergency diplomacy
aimed at stemming the renewed vio-
lence. The subject was also on the
agenda of acting Foreign Minister
Shlomo Ben-Ami in meetings with
Secretary of State Madeleine Albright
and National Security Advisor Sandy
Berger this week.
But the negotiations over the
upgrade have been deadlocked for
months; the current crisis in the peace
process may only deepen the impasse.
According to sources here, U.S. offi-
cials are reluctant to give Israel a big
strategic bonus while the region is
locked in a cycle of Palestinian vio-
lence and Israeli retaliation, something
they fear would send the wrong mes-
sage to Arab countries and deepen the
anti-American backlash.
"The administration is intent on
being an honest broker; some believe
that upgrading relations in this atmos-
phere of conflict would alienate Arab
public opinion," said one Israeli offi-
cial . "We don't believe that would
happen, but that's obviously the view
of some in Washington."
Recent developments, including
troubling troop movements by Iraq
and new missile test in Iran, make a
security upgrade even more important,
this official said. "It would send an
important message that the Israeli gov-
ernment wants to deal with the peace
process, wants to move forward in a
very risky environment — and that
the United States is willing to stand by
that government."

❑

Tracking The Races

Democrats believe they have a good
chance of winning back the House, a
lesser chance of gaining control of the
Senate. Republicans are convinced
they'll hold on to both, and win the
White House, as well — which would
radically change the political climate
in Washington.
The situation in the House is com-
plicated by the presence of Rep. James
Traficant, a fierce critic of Israel.
Traficant is a Democrat, but he has
threatened to vote for a Republican as
speaker in the next Congress.
And in the Senate, an odd wrinkle is
the fact that Sen. Joe Lieberman, the
Democratic vice presidential candi-
date, is also running for reelection. If
the Gore-Lieberman ticket wins on
Tuesday, Lieberman would have to
resign the Senate — and his successor
would be appointed by Connecticut's
Republican governor.
Next week could see a significant
jump in Jewish representation in the
House.
In California, three Jewish Democrats
have a good shot at winning House
seats including former Rep. Jane
Harmon, State Assembly member Susan
Davis and State Sen. Adam Schiff
Schiff is involved in a particularly bit-
ter battle against Rep. James Rogan, a
Republican who served as one of the
House impeachment managers — a
position that is not going down well in
his largely Democratic district.
In Florida, State Representative
Elaine Bloom is given a good chance of
unseating Republican Rep. Clay Shaw
in a district that is both heavily
Democratic and Jewish.
Lauren Beth Gash, a Jewish
Democrat in a Chicago suburb, is fac-
ing off against Republican Mark Steven
Kirk for an open House seat.
And Susan Bass Levin, the
Democratic mayor of Cherry Hill, NJ
is fighting to unseat Rep. Jim Saxton, a
Republican.
It appears almost certain that the num-
ber of Republican Jews in the House will
double — to two. Eric Cantor, a
Richmond-area Jewish activist, is almost
certain to win the seat vacated by the
retiring Rep. Thomas J. Bliley Jr. in an
overwhelmingly Republican district.
And it could triple, if things break
for former Rep. Dick Zimmer, who is
running against one-term Rep. Rush
Holt, a Democrat.
In Maryland, former cop Paul
Rappaport appears to be the
Republicans latest candidate for martyr-
dom in a race against the popular 24-
year incumbent, Sen. Paul Sarbanes.

❑

