Opinion
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www.detroitjewishnews.com
The Search For Answers
"Despite their long history and close proximity, some
Israelis and Palestinians seem not to fitlly appreciate
each other's concerns. Some Israelis appear not to com-
prehend the humiliation and frustration Palestinians
must endure every day as a result of living
with the continuing effects of occupittion,
sustained by the presence of Israeli military
forces and settlements in their midst, or the
determination of the Palestinians to achieve
independence and genuine self-determination. Some
Palestinians appear not to comprehend the extent to
which terrorism creates fear among the Israeli people
and undermines their belief in the possibility of co-exis-
tence, or the determination of the government of Israel
to do whatever is necessary to protect its people."
— Report of the Mitchell Commission
Dry Bones
Israel should lift closures and let Palestinians return
to their jobs.
But how are these things to happen without a
renewal of trust and a resumption of negotiations
that the acts of violence effectively prohib-
it? On this the report is singularly lacking
in what the situation most needs new
ideas.
Americans in general — Jews among
them
may well be losing interest in the Mideast,
seeing it as a hopeless morass with Israel strong
enough to defend itself should a full-scale war erupt
and the Arab states content to let the Palestinians
bear the burden of an intifada. The Bush adminis-
tration seems focused on a new "fortress America"
approach to the rest of the world that leaves it no
incentive to help bring Sharon and Arafat back into
a talking mode.
The Mitchell report suggests no way around the
impasse, and the events of this week suggest that the
downward spiral will continue.
Israeli ships intercepted a Lebanese boat carrying
Katyusha rockets, anti-aircraft missiles and other
weapons bound for the Gaza Strip. If the Palestini-
ans intend to step up the terror, do they really
expect Israel not to use its tanks and missiles? And
if Israel does use them, how is it to avoid the "col-
lateral damage," which last week included a Pales-
tinian infant killed and her mother, grandmother
and three siblings wounded when the IDF respond-
ed to a mortar attack on the Jewish settlement of
Netzarim.
"Children and babies should not be involved in
this terrible war," Sharon said on Tuesday. On
Wednesday, two 14-year-old boys from a West Bank
settlement were found in a cave, stoned to death,
apparently by Palestinian terrorists.
Mitchell was chosen to lead the commission in
part because of his admirable record in brokering a
deal that allowed the warring sides in Northern Ire-
EDITO RIAL
L
ast week a distinguished international
commission, headed by former U.S. Sen.
George Mitchell, de!ivered a disappointing
report on the causes of the violence that
has wracked Israel, the West Bank and Gaza since
the end of September.
Its not that the report was wildly off target; its
descriptions and reasoning on point after point are
accurate enough. Yes, Palestinian Authority leader
Yasser Arafat must abide by his agreement to work
to end the terrorism. Yes, the expansion of Jewish
settlements now is a needless provocation. Yes, Ariel
Sharon did not set off the intifada (latest Palestinian
uprising) by his visit to the Temple Mount. Yes,
Palestinians should stop terrorists from using civilian
neighborhoods to launch attacks. Yes, Israel must
adopt tactics that minimize the risk to the civilians
when the Israel Defense Force responds to those
attacks. Yes, security cooperation must resume. Yes,
Related coverage: page 30
Text of the Mitchell Commission report may be
found at www.detroitjewishnews.com
PFARAfAT
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land to lay down their arms and talk. His charge in
this inquiry was to find out how the violence began
and to suggest ways to keep it from recurring.
But, sadly, his report had little to say about how
Israelis and Palestinians might find ways to under-
stand each other more completely and sympatheti-
cally
and about how the civilized world must step
up and unite in a clarion call for an end to the vio-
lent Palestinian aggression. Until that happens —
most likely when the death and destruction in the
Mideast become intolerable — there can be no
cause for optimism.
❑
Jewish Community Reconnects With Detroit
Dil ayor Dennis Archer's decision to not
seek re-election sent shock waves
around Detroit.
Prior to his announcement, he had
relayed numerous signals of his intention to run for
a third term as mayor. Few political analysts thought
that his position was threatened by any of the
announced candidates, and he had amassed a sizable
"war chest" of funds for his next election campaign.
With Archer's departure from the race, there is
David Gad-Harf is executive director of the Jewish.
Community Council, the public affairs voice of the
Detroit Jewish community and an agency of the Jewish
Federation of Metropolitan Detroit.
added interest in the individuals
who have announced their
intention to seek the mayor's
office.
During the coming months,
there will be a spirited cam-
paign that will not only define
the type of person who will lead
Detroit, but also the very direc-
tion in which Detroit will
DAVID
move.
GAD-HARF
One of Archer's accomplish-
Community
ments during his two-term
Views
tenure has been ro renew and
deepen the relationship between
the city and its suburbs, following a period of real
estrangement. I sense that within the Jewish com-
munity, there has been a much more positive atti-
tude about Detroit.
Many more people have made Detroit a destina-
tion for work, for culture and for entertainment, and
some consider Detroit as their place of residence.
Mayor Archer urged the Jewish community to play
a more active, hands-on role in Detroit's renewal. On
an individual basis, Jewish businesspeople responded
by investing in business development in downtown
Detroit; many others deepened their involvement in
Detroit-based institutions. On a communal basis, the
Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit and the
Jewish Community Council formed the Detroit Jewish
JEWISH COMMUNITY RECONNECTS on page 40
5/11
2001
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