This Week
Washington Watch
Another Election
U.S. meddling in Israel's polls; looking for work;
voucher ruling; national menorah.
JAMES ID. BESSER
Washington Correspondent
WILLIAM YEOWARDAYSTAL
R
Champagne bucke0,200.00.
Flute, 135.00. The Galleries.
Thomas Smerling, Washington direc-
tor for the Israel Policy Forum, a pro-
peace process group. He said it was
"odd for a leading Republican to be
intervening so blatantly in Israeli elec-
toral affairs after having scolded
Clinton again and again for having
appeared too partisan. Let's leave the
Israeli election to the Israelis and
worry about our own mess."
„..igy.t4wingers were vocifer-
ce in criticizing the outgo-
,ing Clinton administration
Tor rili;c1d1 ina
n in the last two
Israeli elections. With a new vote in the
offing, they are already firing warning
shots about new interference.
But that criticism apparently doesn't
apply to conservative congressmen.
Rep. Ben Gilman (R-N.Y.), the out-
going chair of the House International
Even as the Supreme Court wrestled
Relations Committee and a leading
with the disputed election results in
pro-Israel voice in Congress, came
Florida, hordes of job seekers started
descending on Washington.
down squarely on the side of allowing
former Prime Minster
Bin-yamin Netanyahu to run
against his successor, the
incumbent Ehud Barak —
the hottest political debate in
Israel this week.
Polls show Netanyahu
would easily defeat Barak,
who called snap elections
over the weekend in a politi-
cal maneuver intended at
least in part to ensure that he
will face a weaker opponent,
Likud leader Ariel Sharon.
Israel's election law pro-
hibits Netanyahu from run-
ning because he is not a
member of the Knesset; his
Likud colleagues are now try-
ing to change the law.
Gilman thinks that's a
Benjamin Gilman
great idea, although he never
mentions Netanyahu's name.
"I am concerned that
Prime Minister Barak's announcement
One of the most popular targets:
Jewish activists with connections to
of his resignation is resulting in unnec-
essary political and legal turmoil in
Texas Gov. George W Bush and his
campaign team.
Israel," he said in a statement. "The
people of Israel deserve a choice of the
"There's a lot of interest in people
workinc, for this administration, a lot
best candidates for prime minister. It is
of excitement," said Matthew Brooks,
my hope that the Knesset will take the
executive director of the Republican
necessary steps to make such a choice a
reality. "
Jewish Coalition.
He said he has been getting calls
Gilman was often seen as a strong
Netanyahu backer during the former
from prospective office seekers by the
dozen.
prime minister's government.
One Jewish activist related Gilman's
"It goes across the spectrum; there
comments ro the electoral chaos in
are accomplished business leaders in
Florida.
our community who are looking to be
involved in advisory and ambassadori-
'American politicians are hardly in a
position to be lecturing Israel about
al positions, there are young people
who have just graduated college, there
political and legal turmoil," said
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