this Week

Locals Frustrated
By Violence In Israel

I

n the wake of the bombings in Israel, the
Detroit Jewish community voiced its frustra-
tion about the never-ending violence. Here
are three differing views:
"Israel has reached a point where
it might have to go in and take out
Arafat. Either Arafat cannot control
the terrorists, or he can and he isn't
interested in doing it. Either way,
the present situation is intolerable.
"It looks like the United States is Savin
being very helpful this time, and let's
hope they keep it that way.
"We've known for eight years, but it hasn't sunk
in that Arafat is not a person you can do business
with. The statement has always been made: 'We
don't have any choice, and the only person we can
make peace with is Arafat.' It turned out that we
have neither peace nor Arafat."

— Joseph Savin, West Bloomfield president, Zionist
Organization of America/Michigan Region.

"It's a turning point for both Israelis and
Palestinians. It will require both
sides to think through the real
options that could benefit their
people. Israelis and Israeli leader-
ship understand the gravity and
enormity of any decision they may
take now, and the long-term
impact it may have on the oppor-
Lis
tunity for a peaceful resolution.
"I'm not sure the Palestinian side is able to weigh
those options with the same conviction and
responsibility. Ultimately, Israel will not do any-
thing that will kill innocent civilians, but having
said that, Israel will also do what is prudent to pro-
tect its people."

— Hannan Lis, Farmington Hills

"This is the result of the tragic cycle of violence
going on there in the absence of
both sides' ability to sit down and
resolve their differences and reduce
their hatred and animosity. I don't
see anything achieved by violence
on both sides. It will only perpetu-
ate the cycle.
"The only way out is to stop
Shani
talking all the time about stopping
the violence and starting to hit the core issues
between the two sides, and see if it can be resolved
once and for all.
"We have an impossible situation. We are being
killed and we don't have any choice but to retaliate.
But this is not a long-term solution because we will
be killed again and we will have to retaliate again.
We will do an eye for an eye and both of us will be
blind eventually."

— Asa Shani, Rochester Hills

War On Terrorism

Tough Talk

Former Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu
sets the record straight in Southfield.

HARRY KIRSBAUM

Staff Writer

I

detectors at the door. SWAT teams, U.S. marshals,
Oakland County sheriff's deputies, Southfield police
and Israeli and private security officers guarded the
area. A sheriff's helicopter flew overhead.

n the wake of terrorist bombings in Israel that
left 26 dead and nearly 200 injured last week-
Shared Principles
end, former Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin
Since Sept. 11, Netanyahu said, Americans have
Netanyahu gave a rousing speech Tuesday
begun to understand the three principles needed to
night to a crowd of about 2,500 at Congregation
defeat terrorism: moral clarity, strategic clarity and
Shaarey Zedek in Southfield.
understanding the imperative for victory.
First, he acknowledged a few old friends in atten-
dance. "He mumbles,
but he has a sharp
brain," he quipped of
Franklin philanthropist
Max Fisher. Then
Netanhayu delivered a
speech that was part his-
tory lesson and part
"how-to." He defended
the actions that Israel is
taking in the war against
terrorism, and had strong
words against Palestinian
Authority leader Yasser
Arafat.
"We must say to Arafat
what the United States
has said to the Taliban:
`Surrender terrorism or
Binyamin Netanyahu addresses a capacity audience at Congregation Shaarey Zedek
surrender power,'" he
Tuesday night.
said amid much
applause. "If Arafat does
Moral clarity means there is no justification for
not surrender terrorism. immediately, right now — if
terrorism, period. The Americans should go after the
he doesn't crush it immediately, right now — he
Taliban the same way they went after the Nazis, he
goes."
said. "In World War II, the Allies said, 'Nothing jus-
Netanyahu, prime minister from 1996 to 1999,
tifies Nazism — we will crush them all.'"
spoke to a crowd of Jewish Federation of
Strategic clarity means the only way to defeat ter-
Metropolitan Detroit donors who gave at least $250
rorists is to go after the states that support them, he
to the Annual Campaign.
said. Understanding the imperative for victory is to •
Security was tight, with everyone subject to metal

Despite Attacks, Missions Scheduled

RACHEL POMERANCE
Jewish Telegraphic Agency

1 oel Alperson, national
chairman of the current
United Jewish
Communities solidarity mission,
said he was "really energized" by
the couple hundred people wait-
ing with him to fly to Israel on
Sunday, a day after the horrific
events in Jerusalem.

13

"I was heartened to see so
many other people going to see
Israel together," he said of the
500-strong group.
The UJC is not alone in its
determination to move ahead
with trips to Israel.
Birthright Israel, which pro-
vides free 10-day trips for young
adults, decided on Tuesday to go
ahead with its winter programs,
scheduled for December though

February.
But determination aside, the
flurry of conference calls and
emergency meetings this week
show that groups with missions
and programs in Israel are worried
the latest attacks in Israel will fur-
ther hurt their already-hurting
programs.
"We don't cancel missions,"
said Caila Bitran, director of
missions at the UJC. She said

