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2/23
2001
18
Scapegoats?
Defensive Clinton; Powell's plans;
Bibi's back; JCPA agenda.
MONEY MARKET
FDIC
Washington Watch
LENDER
sraeli officials this week brushed
off concerns that former
President Bill Clinton, battered
by criticism of his last-minute
pardons, seemed to blame Israel and
American Jews for the most controver-
sial pardon of all — the one that freed
fugitive financier Marc Rich.
But Israel bashers and anti-Semites
pounced on Clinton's comments,
which surfaced first in a phone call to
television personality Geraldo Rivera,
then in a self-justifying New York
Times op-ed on Sunday.
This week Internet discussion forums
and Web sites were filled with anti-Israel,
anti-Semitic invective centering on the
Jewish role in the sordid Rich affair.
In his op-ed, Clinton laid out seven
legal factors that he said moved him to
pardon Rich, and one purely political
one: appeals by Jews.
"Finally, and importantly, many
present and former high-ranking
Israeli officials of both major political
parties and leaders of Jewish commu-
nities in America and Europe urged
the pardon of Mr. Rich because of his
contributions and services to Israeli
charitable causes, to the Mossad's
efforts to rescue and evacuate Jews
from hostile countries, and to the
peace process," Clinton wrote.
Jewish leaders were divided on the
implications of that message.
According to Israeli newspapers,
leaders of the Conference of Presidents
of Major American Jewish
Organizations — who were in Israel
for meetings — blasted Clinton for
scapegoating Israel as he tried to divert
blame for a scandal that threatened to
leave an indelible stain on his legacy.
But Abraham Foxman, executive
director of the Anti-Defamation
League, rejected that charge.
"It's absurd to say he was pointing a
finger at the American Jewish commu-
nity," said Foxman — who was one of
the Jewish leaders who wrote on Rich's
behalf. "He spelled out his reasons for
the pardon — and one of a myriad of
reasons relates to the fact he was asked
by a lot of Jews and a lot of leaders
from Israel. That's a fact; that's not set-
ting us up, that's not scapegoating."
Foxman said, "You can agree, dis-
agree with his decision, you can think
the process stinks — but let's not
make something out of it that it isn't."
Phil Baum, executive director of the
American Jewish Congress, was slight-
ly more critical.
"I was uncomfortable with what
Clinton said," Baum said this week.
"But it is true that a great number of
American Jews and Israelis intervened
on behalf of Rich; it's understandable
that he will use that in his defense.
But it casts the Jewish community in
a peculiar light. It was unfortunate."
None of the Jewish "defense" organ-
izations — usually quick to condemn
any perceived slur against the Jewish
community -- issued a press release
on the op-ed.
Rep. Eric Cantor, R-Va., was less
reticent.
"Former President Bill Clinton
needs to take responsibility for his
decision to pardon Marc Rich," he
said. "Ultimately, he weighed the posi-
tives and negatives and the benefits to
himself of pardoning Rich. Now that
the pardon has been questioned, to
turn responsibility for that decision to
third parties is yet another attempt by
Clinton to deflect any criticism of
himself to others.
Powell's Mideast Agenda
Secretary of State Colin Powell leaves
on Friday for his inaugural Middle East
visit as this country's chief diplomat.
T a st Friday's Allied air strikes against
Iraqi military positions outside
Baghdad and the continuing
Palestinian-Israeli violence have added a
new urgency to the trip. But Powell —
part of an administration that has sur-
prised most observers with its discipline
and its ability to stay on message —
will not significantly alter his agenda.
"The real focus of the trip is to create a
new sense of consensus over Iraqi sanc-
tions that will demonstrate that the U.S. is
listening to the concerns of our European
and Arab friends," said David Makovsky,
a senior fellow at the Washington Institute
for Near East Policy.
On the Arab-Israeli front, the risks of
spreading violence requires Powell's