Washington Watch
Mixed Signals
A war of words, new thinking at AJCongress, press secretary cited by Lubavitch, anthrax and manholes.
and Congress," said Abraham Foxman,
Israeli delegations that started arriving
so transparent, it's obscene."
national director of the Anti-
in
Washington
over
the
weekend
was
Engel accused the administration of
Washington Correspondent
Defamation League.
just as confusing.
"rank hypocrisy" in criticizing Israel
Foxman said, "When ministers and
Foreign
Minister
Shimon
Peres,
who
for
doing
the
same
thing
U.S.
forces
ith U.S.-Israel relations
representatives of the [Israeli] govern-
also met with Secretary of State Colin
are trying to do in Afghanistan —
facing an explosive new
ment are not speaking from the same
Powell, Defense Secretary Donald
rooting out terrorists.
crisis, a number of Israel
page, it can only undermine the rela-
Rumsfeld and Vice President Dick
Jewish organizations were no happi-
representatives were in
tionship. So I'm worried."
Cheney, offered a toughened version
er with the new U.S. squeeze.
Washington this week, offering mixed
David Harris, executive director of
of
his
"new
Middle
East"
approach.
The State Department comments
messages about the intentions of the gov-
the
American Jewish Committee, said
On
Sunday,
he
told
delegates
to
the
were
"inappropriate,
intemperate
and
ernment of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon.
the
administration will hear what it
American
Jewish
Congress
meeting
defy
logic
in
the
face
of
current
U.S.
Some U.S. Jewish leaders said that
wants
to hear from the varied Israeli
that
Palestinian
leader
Yasser
Arafat
efforts
in
the
war
against
terrorism,"
could increase the likelihood of serious
representatives.
was still salvageable as a peace partner,
said leaders of the Conference of
misunderstandings between the two
"No doubt the administration will
if he makes the right decisions.
Presidents of Major American Jewish
allies as the U.S.-led war against ter-
be more sympathetic to the tonalities
"Deep in my heart, I believe he is
Organizations.
rorism intensifies and the Israeli-
of the Peres message," he said.
capable of changing," he told the
Sharon, citing Israel's defense needs,
Palestinian conflict worsens.
"They've been trying to persuade
group.
"We
don't
want
him
to
fall;
rejected
the
U.S.
demand
for
an
But the messages from the Bush
themselves
and others that Arafat is
that
is
not
our
intention."
immediate
pullout;
the
administration were just as contradic-
acting
more
responsibly on the ground,
Sharon
continued
to
insist
administration
then
cranked
tory, touching off ripples of anger and
that Arafat has refused to rein and that may let us move in a direction
up the pressure still further.
concern across the Jewish world. In
of triggering the first of four interlock-
in terrorists; Peres, speaking
On Tuesday, Bush
private conversations with Jewish lead-
ing steps of the Mitchell plan."
to the Jewish group, argued
"dropped by" a meeting
ers and at several public appearances;
With the region in turmoil and U.S.
that Arafat does not have
between Foreign Minister
administration officials sought to
policy
in transition, the risk is also
control
over
the
Palestinian
counter fears that relentless diplomatic Shimon Peres and National
growing
that the mixed message's will
street.
Security
Adviser
Condoleezza
pressure by Arab and Moslem nations
be
misinterpreted
by Palestinian lead-
"The
problem
begins
with
Rice.
Even
before
the
suppos-
enlisted in the anti-terror fight was
ers,
he
said.
the
real
structure
of
the
edly
spontaneous
meeting,
undercutting U.S.-Israel relations.
Shimon P eres
The fast-moving events in the region
Palestinian Authority," Peres
the White House made it
Deputy Defense Secretary Paul
have apparently postponed the expect-
said. "There is no single con-
clear Bush would repeat his
Wolfowitz, speaking to the American
ed speech by Powell laying out U.S.
trol over all of the rifles." But Peres
demand that Israeli troops be with-
Jewish Congress national convention
goals for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict
also
challenged
Arafat
to
"impose
con-
drawn immediately.
on Sunday, said that despite the coali-
—
a speech that the administration
trol"
over
groups
bent
on
violence,
Bush
reportedly
told
Peres
that
esca-
tion-building effort, America will not
hoped
would convince Arab and
and
said
the
Palestinian
leader
still
lating
Israeli-Palestinian
violence
is
abandon Israel.
Muslim
states that Washington will
does
not
understand
"the
need
for
impeding
U.S.
coalition
efforts
in
the
"We cannot have a victory if we
resume its role as Mideast mediator.
consistency between words and
war against terrorism.
make a coalition that sacrifices the
deeds."
The administration is also sending
interests of some for the interests of
But officials closer to Sharon, including
out conflicting messages about the
others," he said.
Reform Lubavitcher
Minister Without Portfolio Dan Meridor
ultimate scope of the U.S. war against
But administration actions seemed
Like most high-ranking White House
and
former
Ambassador
Zalman
Shoval,
terrorism:
to tell a different story.
officials, his life has been an exhausting
came
with
a
more
pessimistic
message.
Wolfowitz,
in
his
AJCongress
- On Monday, the administration
blur since the Sept. 11 terror attacks.
"Peres
is
saying,
'Yes,
we
can
negotiate.'
speech,
promised
Washington
would
used its harshest language yet when it
But press secretary Ari Fleischer took
Shoval
and
the
others
are
saying
Arafat
expand.
the
anti-terror
effort
once
condemned Israel's incursion into six
a few hours off last week to
has to go," said Robert 0.
Osama bin Laden and his network are
Palestinian towns in response to last
pick up an award from
Freedman, a Mideast expert in
destroyed.
week's assassination of Tourism
American Friends of
Baltimore and a peace process
"We are not going just to pluck off
Minister Rehavam Ze'evi.
Lubavitch, and to help boost
supporter. "So it's a problem; as
State Department spokesman Phillip individual snakes; we intend to drain
the group's extensive Jewish
long
as
Sharon
faces
a
badly
the entire swamp," he said.
Reeker said, "Israel Defense Forces
outreach
efforts on Capitol
divided
government,
you'll
con-
That
could
mean
an
eventual
focus
should be withdrawn immediately
Hill
---
efforts
that Fleischer,
tinue
to
have
mixed
messages."
on
Iraq,
he
told
the
group.
from all Palestinian-controlled areas,
a former congressional staffer,
The hardliners want
But the State Department continues to
and no further such incursions should
has supported from the begin-
be made. We deeply regret and deplore emphasize the bin Laden fight and down- Washington to treat Arafat as
ning.
a terrorist, he said. Peres and
play concern about Saddam Hussein.
Israel Defense Forces actions that have
ischer
Ari
Fle
Fleischer was given the
other Labor members of the
"They want to have it both ways,"
killed numerous Palestinian civilians
group's
Young Leadership
unity
government
continue
to
said an official with a major Jewish
over the weekend."
award
and
Sen. Joe
say
he
can
be
dealt.
with.
group.
"The
result
is
a
message
that
is
That infuriated leading pro-Israel
Lieberman,
D-Conn.,
was the night's
Jewish
leaders
acknowledged
that
very
garbled."
lawmakers.
honoree
at
a
dinner
that
drew hun-
mixed
messages
are
nothing
new
in
"It's obvious they are caving in to
dreds of Washington political bigwigs,
U.S.-Israel relations.
Arab pressure," said Rep. Eliot L.
Capitol Hill staffers and Washington
But in today's volatile environment,
Engel, D-N.Y., a senior member of the More Mixed Messages
money people.
they can "confuse the administration
The message from a small army of
Jewish delegation in the House. "It's
JAMES D. BESSER
IV
10/26
2001
20