SPECIAL COMMENTARY
Shalom, Chaver
Look instead to his relationship
Washington, D.C.
.
with the late Israeli Prime Minister
f Bill Clinton is looking for a
Yitzhak Rabin, who brought the com-
job, he can come over here and
pleted Oslo agreement to Clinton
run for prime minister. He'd
with an appeal for help in
win easily," said a caller
implementing it. Clinton
from Israel the other morn-
promised to minimize the
ing. "He's still the most popu-
risks for Israel and help
lar politician in the country."
smooth out the tough deci-
And he remains popular at
sions. After Rabin's assassi-
home as well, particularly in
nation, Clinton's commit-
the Jewish community,
ment became a mission.
despite the controversies that
plagued his administration.
Overestimating
The peace proposal he
He can be faulted for push-
revealed recently in a farewell
DOUGLAS M.
ing too long and too hard,
speech to peace activists
BLOOMFIELD especially after it should
included notions that left
Special to
have been clear that he
even some dovish followers
the Jewish News wanted peace more than
uncomfortable, but no rea-
the parties themselves, par-
sonable person could chal-
ticularly Palestinian Author-
lenge the sincerity of his
ity leader Yasser Arafat.
desire to help Israel find
He wrongly relied on Israeli Prime
peace.
Minister
Ehud Barak's faulty political
Nor can anything overcome the
instincts
and
novice politician's enthu-
hysterical frenzy of the Clinton haters
siasm. The president ignored the
and those extremists who see any con-
advice of his own advisors, the Pales-
cessions to the Palestinians as selling
tinians and some Israelis when he
out Israel.
bowed to Barak's desire to convene last
No other president has been so
summer's abortive Camp David sum-
closely identified with Israel's search
mit.
for peace. He may have been motivat-
More recently, he has been trying
ed in part by a desire to leave a his-
to salvage a last-minute agreement
toric legacy, but as one of the savviest
before leaving office — failing or
politicians ever to occupy the Oval
refusing to hear the window of oppor-
Office, he long ago figured out there
tunity slam shut.
were far better ways to do that than by
Clinton consistently overestimated
plunging into the Middle East morass.
his ability to affect Arafat's behavior,
Douglas M. Bloonifield is a syndicat-
SHALOM, CHA'VER on page 42
ed columnist.
I
But then again, I fear, I am a Zion-
ist.
Zev Davis
Nazareth Illit, Israel
Organ Donation
A Great Mitzvah
Our heartfelt thanks and sincere
appreciation to your staff on an out-
standing series of articles regarding tis-
sue and organ donation ["Miraculous
Mitzvot," Dec. 22, page 6; "Lifesaving
Legacies," Dec. 29, page 6].
Staff Writers David Sachs and Shel-
li Liebman Dorfman captured the
spirit of organ donation , through the
poignant, heartwarming stories of
people of all ages and circumstances
faced with the extraordinary decision
to donate organs and tissue. Thanks
for setting the record straight in the
Jewish community — saving the life
of another is possibly the greatest
mitzvah of all.
Every day, 55 critically ill people
in the U.S., including some of the
2,600 Michigan citizens currently
on the waiting list, receive lifesaving
organ transplants. Still, sadly each
day about 13 people will die because
there are not enough organs donat-
ed.
The Gift of Life Agency commends
your sensitivity, accuracy and profes-
First lady Hillary Rodham Clinton and President Clinton at the White House Dec. 30.
sionalism. Thanks again for providing
our organization with another incredi-
ble opportunity to help others realize
the incredible gift they possess — the
gift of life.
Tammie A. Havermahl
public education director,
Gift of Life
Ann Arbor
Arabs, Jews And
Interfaith Work
The second annual memorial by the
American Arab and Jewish Friends for
Imam Mohammed Karoub and Tem-
ple Beth El's Izzy Malin was observed
on Dec. 4.
Almost 100 Arabs and Jews were in
attendance to celebrate the great inter-
faith work done by these two leaders.
Since 1981, they helped spread broth-
erhood and understanding between
our two communities.
Imam Mardini, Father George
Shalhoub and Rabbi Ernst Conrad
gave uplifting messages of hope and of
the necessity for each of us, as Ameri-
cans, to get along here in America. We
must walk erect in the light of broth-
erhood and understanding — or con-
tinue to stumble in the darkness of
fear and hate.
Arnold Michlin
Waterford Township
IN
1/19
2001
41