Back To The Table

There are no signs that the
Palestinians will respond to the shift
on the Israeli side. Instead, Palestinian
officials appear more concerned with
voicing outrage over the seizure of
Orient House and this week's incur-
sion into Jenin by Israeli tanks.
Behind the scenes, though, Israeli
officials who have maintained infor-
mal ties with the Palestinian leadership
are redoubling their efforts to bring
Palestinian Authority leader Yasser
Arafat's top men back to the table.
The Israeli daily Ha'aretz reported
that Peres met recently with former
Justice Minister Yossi Beilin and Ron
Pundak, architects of the original Oslo
peace accords. The pair are said to be
operating an "alternative Foreign
Ministry" from the Tel Aviv office of the
Economic Cooperation Foundation.
Beilin is trying to organize a "Second
Madrid Conference" for the end of
October, the 10th anniversary of the
international conference that followed
the Gulf War and marked the begin-
ning of open peace talks between the
Arab states and Israel, the paper said.
Beilin reportedly visited Cairo this
week in an attempt to advance the
idea. He already has a number of
backers in the international communi-
ty, including U.N. Secretary-General
Kofi Annan and European Union for-
eign policy chief Javier Solana.
Other Israelis who favor renewing
negotiations argue that if the
Palestinian Authority demonstrates a
"100 percent effort" against terrorism
— a phrase reiterated this week by U.S.
President George W Bush — then
international pressure would force Israel
to ease its restrictions on Palestinians in
the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
This, they say, would move the two
sides back from the abyss and toward a
full diplomatic engagement.
Informed Israeli sources say that Sharon
knows this would be the inevitable
price if the Palestinians finally "bite."
Sharon likely would face resistance
from parts of his own constituency,
who believe that Arafat has discredited
himself as a negotiating partner and
that Israel should seek to deter
Palestinian violence through harsh
military responses rather than the
promise of political gains.
However, the best reading of Sharon
appears to be the he wants to end the
spiral of violence and is prepared to
take political risks to do so.
So far, however, the Palestinians are
not "biting." That was the unfortunate
political reality as another week of
blood and suffering drew to a close.

❑

Unwavering Support

Hadassah conventioneers uninjured and
unbowed after Jerusalem bombing.

JAMIE ROSEN

College Intern

I

t was lunchtime Aug. 9 in Jerusalem. A man walked
into a crowded Sbarro restaurant and exploded a
bomb, killing 15 innocent civilians. Fortunately,
none of the 550 delegates to the annual Hadassah
convention, held this year in Jerusalem Aug.
5-9, were among the dead or injured.
West Bloomfield's Arline Gould was in
her hotel lobby in Jerusalem, checking her
luggage for a late-night flight home, when
she learned of the terrorist attack.
Immediately, delegates began to congre-
gate, looking for roommates and friends.
Many were still on tours or spending their
Arline Gould
only free time shopping on Ben Yehuda
Street, near the site of the attack.
"There was an immediate sense of urgency to know that
participants were safe and well, but there was no panic," says
Gould, 1989-91 president of the Greater Detroit Chapter of
Hadassah. "I found that to be quite remarkable."
Hadassah was the only major Jewish organization to hold
a regularly scheduled annual convention in Jerusalem this
year. Every five years, the organization holds its convention
in Israel. The coordinators began planning this year's con-

Sign Of Solidarity

Jews from around the nation will gather
in New York to show support for Israel.

JAMIE ROSEN

College Intern

A

s an act of solidarity, North American Jews and
supporters of Israel are expected to gather in
New York City in September for a major rally
sponsored by United Jewish Communities
(UJC), the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit and
other Jewish federations in North America.
The rally is a key component of the Israel Now and Forever
solidarity initiative, comprised of educational, advocacy and
fund-raising programs designed by UJC and the federations.
The goal is to build commitment and action within the
North American population as well as spread the solidarity
message across the continent, to Israel and around the world.
"Standing Together" is the theme of the rally, which will
take place at 1 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 23 in Manhattan, begin-
ning at 47th Street, along Second Avenue. National leaders
and Israeli officials are expected to attend.
Because time is short, local leaders have had little time to
plan an organized community trip. Still, they expect several
dozen representatives from Detroit to attend. Participants
may make their own travel arrangements or travel with the

vention two years ago, before the violence erupted. Despite
the current situation, they decided not to cancel the con-
vention as a sign of solidarity.
"I felt a tremendous sense of pride that we were there —
it showed that we are women of conviction," says Gould. "I
also felt a tremendous sense of respect for Israelis because
they get up every day and don't know what's around the
corner — it's heroic."
On another Hadassah trip in 1991, Gould was in Israel
during two Scud missile attacks during the Persian Gulf
War. One night at dinner, the group was escorted to a safe
room after the sirens went off.
Hadassah associate member Jeff Subar of Farmington Hills
also was touched by violence in Israel. On Aug. 9, right before
last week's bombing, he entered either Sbarro or the pizza
restaurant next door, then left for one nearby that didn't have
a line. He was in that restaurant when he heard the explosion.
"I was relieved that I didn't stay there and eat," says
Subar, who immediately called home to say he was safe.
"It's a very eerie feeling."
"This [the suicide bombing] was a deliberate choice of
location. Scuds are indiscriminate — that is the horror of
terrorism," says Gould. "Scuds are machines. The terrorist
who walks into a restaurant is a human being who makes a
choice to do this and is considered a martyr by his mother
and his country."
Despite the violence, Gould encourages everyone to visit
Israel as a show of.support and to help boost the flounder-
ing economy. If that is not possible, she recommends,
"Make a commitment to Israel, even through contributions.
The social services are in desperate need of help because of
money being deployed to the military. People in
Washington listen to numbers. We have to be activists." ❑

Jewish Community Council of Metropolitan Detroit,
which has reserved 18 airline seats for travel to and from
New York the day of the rally.
The JCCouncil also is trying to recruit Israel activists
from the University of Michigan, Michigan State University
and Wayne State University.
A main goal, however, is to show increased support for Israel
by participating in the Israel Now and Forever-Solidarity
Mission, which will take place Sept. 9-14. Going to the rally is
encouraged for those unable to participate in the mission.
"Israel is in crisis and American Jewry needs to be with her
at this time," says Allan Gale, assistant director of the
JCCouncil. "The gathering of tens of thousands of Jews is a
strong message that will be heard around the world, especially
in New York, where there is a strong international presence."
The rally, which is planned to be a focused expression of
the unity of the North American Jewish community, has the
support of nearly every major Jewish group on the continent.
"Israelis never have, and never will, stand alone" says
Marvin Lender of New Haven, Ct., rally chairman and
UJC Board of Trustees member.

❑

For more information about the Solidarity Mission to
Israel or to get an application, contact Kellee
Robinson in Federation's Israel and Oversees
Department, (248) 205-2545. For information about
the rally, contact Allan Gale at the Jewish Community
Council of Metropolitan Detroit, (248) 642-5393.

8/17
2001

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