K1A LONG HAUL WARRANTY

This Week

from page 17
election campaign, which none of us
needs," Peretz told Israel Radio.
In addition to Shinui, Sharon is
expected in the coming days to hold
meetings with officials from the
Moledet and One Nation parties, as
well as with National Unity-Israel, Our
Home bloc, a past member of the
Sharon government. In closed conver-
sations, Sharon was quoted as saying
that if he succeeds in bringing six or
seven more Knesset members into the
coalition, his government could contin-
ue to function through the beginning of
next year. According to reports, he is not
interested in going to early elections.
There was speculation over whether
Shas would join the opposition or
return to the fold. After learning of
the dismissals Monday night, Shas
minister Eli Yishai said he could not
accept the social welfare cuts called for
in the bill. Yishai said in defense of his
actions that if he had to choose
between a seat in the government or
defending the weak, "We prefer to
stand with the underprivileged."
But by Tuesday, there were different
signals coming from the Shas fold.
Although the Shas Party's spiritual
leader, Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, accused
Sharon of "ingratitude," he instructed
ministers to keep the door open for fur-
ther negotiations.
Observers noted that the real loser in
the Knesset battle was Israel's economy.
Government failure to pass the austerity
package — in light of continuing high
unemployment, a yawning deficit and
the ongoing security situation — could

Israel Insight

COALITION POLITICS

AMNESTY from page 18

Blunt represents a southwest
Missouri district with a small Jewish
population. A recent measure express-
ing solidarity with Israel was passed
over administration objections, in large
measure because Rep. Tom DeLay, R-
Texas, the majority whip, signed on as
a primary cosponsor along with Rep.
Tom Lantos, D-Calif., who regularly
introduces pro-Israel legislation.
And a measure imposing sanctions
on Syria, originally authored by Rep.
Eliot Engel, D-N.Y., has the Bush
administration in a panic because the
other lead sponsor is Rep. Dick
Armey, R-Texas, the majority leader.

Midnight Moscow

President George W. Bush is in
Moscow for a critical summit with
Russian President Vladimir Putin, and

THE ALL NEW
2002 RIO
AUTO, AIR

THE ISSUE
The Bush administration continues
to seek out and secure partners in the
Middle East for its war against terror,
and at the same time pushes Israel to
begin negotiations again with the
Palestinian Authority and Yasser
Arafat. A recent U.S. government
report and several media stories put a
critical light to this strategy.

•

BEHIND THE ISSUE
While U.S. initiatives toward the gov-
ernment of Iran continue, that coun-
try was named this week in a State
Department report as the most active
sponsor of terror in the world. Libya,
which was described in the report as
reducing its support of terror, is
reportedly seeking nuclear weapons.
And the Palestinian Authority has
failed to prevent three suicide bomb-
ings in the past week, giving no con-
fidence that Yasser Arafat is worthy in
U.S. eyes, or to be trusted as an
Israeli negotiating partner

— Allan Gale, Jewish Community
Council of Metropolitan Detroit

lead to a downgrading of Israel's interna-
tional credit rating.
This could lead to higher interest pay-
ments on loans secured abroad and
greater difficulty for Israeli businesses to
get such loans as foreign investors
become increasingly worried. That
would deal a devastating blow to the
already weakened economy. 0

Jewish groups have been lobbying
hard to have their priorities included
in the official proceedings.
At thelop of the list: getting Russia
to stop technology transfers that are
helping Iran build new missiles and
weapons of mass destruction, and con-
vincing Putin to continue improving
the human rights climate in his country.
"We have been in touch with a num
ber of administration officials, and we
are confident the issue of arms and
technology transfers to Iran will be a
real priority this week," said Malcolm
Hoenlein, executive vice-chairof the
Conference of Presidents of Major
American Jewish Organizations. "We
believe the president himself is very
committed to this issue."
Israeli officials have been lobbying
hard on the issue, as well. But the ques-
tion of technology transfers will have to
compete with a number issues. ❑

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