Washington. Watch

become a top attraction on Capitol
Hill, where lawmakers are eager to hear
his advice on how to fight terrorism.
In the process, former Prime
Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is get-
ting in his licks against his old adver-
sary, Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat —
who also wants a place in the U.S.-led
coalition.
al rights of Americans and respect for all
ver and build the coalition," he said.
JAMES D. BESSER
Late last week, Netanyahu testified
human
beings,"
but
civil
rights
groups
"So as a broad principle, one can under-
Washington Correspondent
before
the House Government Reform
aren't convinced.
stand what they're attempting to
Committee,
warning that it would be
A strange-bedfellows coalition of lib-
accomplish — particularly with
n its rush to build a broad-based
a
mistake
to
pursue terrorists like
eral civil rights groups, far-right and lib-
Pakistan."
coalition to battle the terrorists
Osama
bin
Laden
and ignore the states
ertarian organizations and pro-gun
But ADL and other Jewish groups, he
who pulverized the World Trade
that support them or the Middle East
groups
have
banded
together
to
fight
said, are likely to oppose anything that
Center and destroyed a portion
groups that have waged a year-long
provisions they say could shred basic
would give the administration blanket
of the Pentagon, the Bush administra-
terror campaign against Israel. (For a
rights
and
freedoms.
authority to suspend trade restrictions
tion may open the door to arms sales to
text of his remarks, visit
American Civil Liberties Union leg-
and cut Congress out of the decision
countries that may be thinking about a
)
wwvv.Jewish.com
islative counsel Rachel King said provi-
making process.
different enemy — Israel.
On
Monday,
he
appeared at a news
sions allowing secret searches and the
That could be the ultimate result of
conference
with
Senate
leaders.
seizure of assets in non-terrorism-related
Civil Rights
an expected White House request for
Senate
minority
leader
Trent Lott,
cases are troubling to her organization.
As Congress began chewing on admin-
broad new authority to lift restrictions
R-Miss., said officials in Washington
But
no
Jewish
group
has
joined
the
istration proposals to heighten anti-ter-
on arms sales.
had made a mistake by not listening to
coalition fighting the proposed laws.
ror law enforcement in this country, a
When reports about the plan surfaced
Netanyahu's past warnings about the
While some Jewish activists privately
coalition of civil liberties groups began
on Monday, some Middle East analysts
terror network. "We took him serious-
express concern that Congress could go
mounting opposition to the legislation.
pointed to Syria and Iran as likely bene-
ly — but perhaps not as seriously as
too far, most say the imperative to fight
Opponents are bringing together a
ficiaries, but Washington sources indi-
we
should have," he said.
terrorism and preempt possible new
broad coalition — a bizarre one, accord-
cate that it is likelier the move is aimed,
Sen.
Jon Kyl, R-Ariz., introduced
attacks demands strong action.
ing to some accounts — but it will not
at least initially, at Pakistan and Egypt.
Netanyahu
as "a real expert on terror-
Michael Lieberman, Washington
include many Jewish groups, traditional
Both countries are regarded as vital to
ism," and underlined one of the points
counsel
for
the
Anti-Defamation
partners in the civil liberties fight.
the U.S. coalition effort.
the former prime minister made to
League, said the administration pac kage
The battle over the administration
Egypt has taken advantage of foreign
reporters: "Terrorism ,begets terrorism,
represents
mostly
"fiddling"
with
laws
anti-terror package unveiled in
policy crises in the past to wrest new
and in my own personal view one
already on the books, especially the
Congress this week also promises to test
military and economic concessions
shouldn't differentiate between terror-
1996 anti-terrorism law — which many
the new mood of political comity in the
from Washington, - said Shoshana Bryen,
ism visited on Israel versus that visited
Jewish groups supported and many civil
capital as lawmakers in both parties
special projects director for the Jewish
upon the United States."
rights groups opposed.
work closely with the White House.
Institute for National Security Affairs.
Netanyahu, whose expertise in corn-
Other Jewish officials say that they
Even some top Republican leaders
On the Egyptian shopping list today:
bating terror predates his plunge into
expect
to
support
the
compromise
expressed concern this week that the
advanced tactical rocket systems that
politics, argued for a broad anti-terror
measure that is likely to emerge from
administration is trying to bulldoze
can target enemy artillery, tanks and air
effort, not just one aimed at Saudi
Congress.
through Congress a hastily crafted pack-
defenses — not something Egypt needs
exile Osama bin Laden. "You cannot
This week, Sen. Pat Leahy, D-Vt.,
age that could dramatically expand gov-
to fight terrorism.
make a distinction — and President
chair of the Senate Judiciary
ernment police powers at the expense of
Those weapons will be in the
Bush articulated this exceptionally well
Committee, warned against "shredding"
individual liberties.
Egyptian arsenal long after the war with
—
between the terrorist organizations
the Constitution in the interests of the
The administration proposal would
bin Laden is over, she said.
and
the terrorist regimes that support
anti-terror fight, and promised to listen
allow the indefinite detention without
"The administration is looking for
them, that make their operation possi-
to
the
concerns
of
critics.
trial of immigrants with suspected
ways to encourage them to support our
ble," he said.
But Jewish groups won't be in the
connections to terror groups and
coalition," she said. "They want to
"If there is one point that I would
opposition
ranks.
expand the definition of terrorists to
trade weapons for political support. The
elaborate
in my discussions with the
"I do not expect any significant part
include those who "lend support" to
problem is, the Egyptians only want
senators
it
is that there is no interna-
of the Jewish community to oppose the
terror groups.
things they can use against Israel."
tional
terrorism
without the support of
president's requests," said Phil Baum,
The measure would also widen gov-
But the reaction among Jewish
terrorist
states,
because
the terrorists
executive director of the American
ernment wiretap authority and
groups to the administration trial bal-
are not floating in midair."
Jewish
Congress,
a
group
that
has
enhance its ability to monitor new
loon was muted.
He pointed to nations such as Syria
worked closely with many of the civil
technologies such as electronic mail
"There is a great desire to be support-
and
Iran as examples — and "the
rights groups that are now opposing the
and cell phones. And it would allow
ive of the administration as it copes
Palestinian
enclave controlled by Yasser
administration effort. "There is a recog-
federal authorities to seize, not just
with the tremendous challenges it now
Arafat's
dictatorship."
Referring indi-
nition we have to recalibrate the balance
freeze, terrorist-related assets.
faces," said an official with a Jewish
rectly
to
administration
overtures to
between our traditional concerns and
Attorney General John Ashcroft, in
group that has opposed arms sales to
the
Syrian
government
to
join the anti-
the extraordinary needs of the
congressional testimony this week,
Israel's enemies in the past. "Now is not
terror
coalition,
he
pointed
to the
moment."
warned that "technology has dramati-
the time to fight this fight."
"dozen terrorist groups with offices in
He
said
that
there
is
"nothing
revolu-
cally outpaced our statutes. Law
Jess Hordes, Washington director for
Damascus."
tionary" in the new package.
enforcement tools created decades ago
the Anti-Defamation League, said the
He added that any effort to wring
were crafted for rotary telephones —
administration plan is still in its forma-
new
concessions out of Israel would
Terrorism Expert
not e-mail, the Internet, mobile corn-
tive stage.
"deeply,
deeply hurt the war effort and
The man who promised to bring peace
munications and voice mail." He prom-
"It's clear that they want as many car-
American
interests."
with security to Israel has suddenly
ised "careful regard for the constitution-
rots as they can get in order to maneu-

Carrot And Stick

U.S. arms sales to Arabs in coalition; civil rights
battle looms in Congress; Binyamin Netanyahu on terror.

I

❑

9/28
2001

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