Texas Jewish Post (Fort Worth, Tex.), Vol. 47, No. 12, Ed. 1 Thursday, March 25, 1993 Page: 8 of 43
forty three pages : ill. ; page 16 x 12 in. Scanned from physical pages.View a full description of this newspaper.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
TEXAS JEWISH POST, DALLAS, THURSDAY, MARCH 25,
Mainstream
continued from p. 2
As a promoter of policies
then seen to be hostile to
Israel, Pressberg was per-
ceived by some in the Jewish
establishment as “a real prob-
lem,” according to one Jew-
ish communal leader who had
contacts with her at the time.
In an extensive telephone
interview from her Washing-
ton office, Pressberg la-
mented the charges against
her and defended her record.
“I’ve been a Zionist all my
life, but I was not working
for a Zionist organization
before,” she said of her years
at AFSC and the Foundation
for Middle East Peace.
“I am now,” she stressed.
Pressberg’s supporters
think she is getting a bum
rap.
Rosenblum, her APN col-
league, credits Pressberg
with working on Israeli-Pal-
estinian dialogue “long be-
fore it was fashionable.”
“The ones sitting at the
negotiating table today are
the ones she got together,”
he said. “She will be cred-
ited as one who helped get us
to this unprecedented oppor-
tunity” where Israelis and
Palestinians are talking
peace.
Asked whether her views
have changed since her days
at organizations perceived as
less-than-friendly to Israel,
Pressberg responded:
“Am I a completely differ-
ent person? No, I’m not a
completely difference pei-
son. But have my views
evolved? Yes, my views
have evolved, like almost
everyone else I know in the
American Jewish commu-
nity.
“I ask people to look at my
affiliation with Shalom
Achshav and judge my
record over the past three
years,” she said, using the
Hebrew name for Peace
Now, APN’s sister group in
Israel,
How much of a role
AIPAC
continued from p. 6
Sunday speech.
One other measure of the
completeness of this trans-
formation: at some sessions
this week, there were hints of
dissatisfaction from pro-Is-
rael activists who believed
AIPAC had gone too far in
tilting towards LABOR and
towards a peace process
based on territorial conces-
sions.
* # * *
But AIPAC’s adjustment
| is not just an institutional
! success story.
AIPAC has always been
the leading the edge in pro-
’ Israel activity; its pragmatic
| adaptation to a whole new
set of political and interna-
tional realities reflects a Jew-
1 ish community that is trying
hard to make the change, as
well.
The transformation is not
always smooth, and it is not
without discomfort It is no
easy feat to moue from more
than a decade of support for
a government that pro-
claimed “not one inch” as its
bottom line in peace negotia-
tions, to support for Israeli
leaders who use words like
“concessions” and “compro-
mise” with ease.
AIPAC, a loyal supporter
of Israel, has made the change
with an admirable level of
professionalism; the Ameri-
can Jewish community ap-
pears to be following, how-
ever unevenly.
There was one more in-
triguing aspect to this week’s
policy conference that may
bode well for the future of
pro-Israel activism.
Last year, the mood at the
policy conference was tense.
There was a grim determina-
tion to battle a president who
had challenged the legiti-
macy of the pro-Israel move-
ment, but there was no joy.
This year, a different kind
of enthusiasm was evident.
There was pleasure in sup-
porting a government in Is-
rael that is striving for peace;
there was great satisfaction
in working with an adminis-
tration that seemed to regard
Israel as a genuine friend,
not just a convenient strate-
gic partner.
This new mood of amity,
of course, may be fleeting; in
the Middle East and in
American political life, ba-
sic realities can change over-
night.
But for now, it was a wel-
come chance for the pro-Is-
rael community to recharge
its batteries and expand its
base for the difficult job
ahpjwt___
Pressberg’s record will play
in the decision about whether
to admit APN to the Confer-
ence of Presidents remains
to be seen.
According to an official
of a national Jewish organi-
zation, who requested ano-
nymity, “There is a clear dis-
tinction between the way
people are responding to
Peace Now and the way they
are responding to Pressberg.
“Except for those on the
fringe, most people in the
Jewish community see the
right of Peace Now to step up
to the table and participate in
discussions,” the official
said.
But with many organiza-
tions still undecided about
APN’s application to the con-
ference, it is not clear bow
the vote will turn out.
The Zionist Organization
of America and the Union of
Orthodox Jewish Congrega-
tions of America are among
those who have registered
their opposition.
On the other side. Ameri-
Warsaw
continued from p. 7
age of God in which man
was created.
Now, the remnants of our
people who were left in the
ghettos and camps of annihi-
lation rose up against the
wicked ones from the sancti-
fication of the Name, and
slew many of them before
they died.
On the first day of Pass-
over the remnants in the
Ghetto of Warsaw rose up
against the adversary, even
as in the days of Judah the
Maccabee. They were lovely
and pleasant in their lives,
and in their death they were
not divided, and they broughl
redemption to the name of
Israel through all the world.
And from the depths of
their affliction the martyrs
lifted their voices in a song
of faith in the coming of the
Messiah, when justice and
brotherhood will reign
among men.
All sing “Ani Ma’amin'
(I Believe), the song of the
martyrs in the ghettos and
liquidation camps:
/ believe in perfect faith
in the coming of the Mes-
siah: And though he tarry,
nonetheless do I believe!
Zvi Rosenwein writes for
the Algemeiner Journal, a
Yiddish weekly in New York.
can Jewish Congress and the
Union of American Hebrew
Congregations are among
those on record supporting
APN’s bid.
“It’s hard to imagine that
their application would ulti-
mately be denied, since they
meet all the criteria for mem-
bership,” said the president
of one influential group, who
asked not to be named.
Dr. Lawrence Rubin, ex-
ecutive vice chairman of the
National Jewish Community
Relations Advisory Council,
said his group is still unde-
cided.
Personally, however,
Rubin said he “is inclined to
support the application” since
an “umbrella organization
should represent the full
spectrum of views.”
In addition, said Rubin,
APN “has a relationship and
an entree both in Jerusalem
and Washington that would
be very useful to the orga-
nized Jewish community.”
Why ZOA Opposes Peace
Now’s Membership in
Conference of Presidents
By Dr. Kenneth C.W. Leiter
I On March 29th, when the Conference of Presidents votes on Americans For Peace
Now’s application for membership in the Conference, ZOA will vote no! ZOA’s
opposition to Americans for Peace Now is not based on personalities; rather it is based
Son APN’s track record and the threat it represents to Israel’s security. Americans for
[Peace Now fails to meet the essential test “What have you done for Israel’s security?”
[APN’s record is one of continually attempting to undermine Israel’s security by
| undermining Israel’s relationship with the United States. It has actively worked against
[ Israel’s security to advance the cause of the PLO rather than the cause of the Jewish State. I
I Admitting APN to the Conference of Presidents would constitute giving the PLO a!
[direct pipeline into Jewish strategic thinking and actions for safeguarding Israel’s
[security from Arab terror. Peace Now continues to have direct links to the PLO, which
[according to the Jerusalem Post, is responsible for 80% of the terrorist acts committed
[against Israel. Its Co-Chair Letty Cottin Pogrebin counts herself as a close personal I
[friend of Hannan Ashwari who is the PLO’s conduit to the Palestinian Arab delegation I
[to the peace talks. Letty Cottin Pogrebin and Gail Pressberg are members of New Jewish I
[Agenda, an organization which American Jewish Congress has described as “a pro PLO
[lobbying operation.” J
APN’s admission would be an intelligence coup second only to the Mossad’s access tol
[the Arab-UN meetings in 1947. Through Peace Now, the PLO would sit in on the Jewish I
[Community’s strategy sessions aimed atcountering Arab propaganda and terror. Thel
[PLO would have access to our strategy before it could even be implemented plus they I
| would have an inside voice in weakening that strategy. This could harm the confidential 1
[relationship that the Conference of Presidents enjoys with the Israeli government by I
[ turning the Conference of Presidents into a potential security leak thereby causing Israel I
[to cease to confide in the Conference. Thus, a long cherished goal of the Arabs would be I
[fulfilled: a wedge between the government of Israel and the American Jewish Commu-|
[nity. L
I Americans for Peace Now constitutes that wedge in two ways. First, APN pits thel
I American Jewish Community against the Israeli Jewish Community and its government I
| APN opposes the general political consensus in Israel on the peace negotiations. Whereas I
[the majority of Israelis and the Labor government oppose the creation of a Palestinian!
I Arab state under Arafat, APN is in favor of such a state. Whereas Israelis and the Labor 1
[government oppose negotiation with the PLO, APN calls for direct negotiation with
[Arafat himselfl Whereas Israelis and the Labor government support the right of Jews
j to live everywhere in Jerusalem, APN has urged the Israeli government to expel all Jews
[from the “Christian Quarter” of Jerusalem. 1
[ Second, Peace Now has actively lobbied the U.S. government against the Israelii
[government and Israel’s security. APN lobbied Congress to deny arms to Israel during I
[the Gulf War. During the Yom Kippur War APN board members opposed U.S. arms to [
[Israel, arms which saved Israel from annihilation. APN testified in Congress in support
[of the Bush Administration’s restrictions on the loan guarantees to Israel. Recently, it I
[has lobbied the Clinton Administration to resume dialogue with the PLO. In opposition I
[to the principle that Israel should enjoy a qualitative edge over its Arab foes, APN has I
[defended the sale of advanced American jets to Saudi Arabia. I
[ For these reasons, ZOA is opposed to the admission of APN to the Conference of I
I Presidents. ZOA urges all of the Dallas Jewish organizations whose national offices will I
| vote on APN’s admission to vote “NO!” A “No” vote is a vote to deny the PLO and Arabs
I a wedge between Israel and the U.S. Jewish Community. A “No” vote will deny the PLO I
Jthe intelligence coup of the decade: access to the Jewish Community’s strategies fori
[dealing with Arab propaganda and Arab threats to Israel’s security. Most importantly!
[a ‘No vote to APN is a “Yes” vote to Israel’s security and will prevent divisivenessl
I between the Israeli and American Jewish Communities.
Dr. Kenneth C. W. Leiter is a Sociologist who has taught at Rue University and SMU. He is I
I , PubUc Affairs Chair for the Dallas District ZOA and is a frequent speaker on US/Israel\
^relations and Israeli history. (Raid A(Jy by Dj,trict> ZOA)l
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Newspaper.
Wisch, J. A. & Wisch, Rene. Texas Jewish Post (Fort Worth, Tex.), Vol. 47, No. 12, Ed. 1 Thursday, March 25, 1993, newspaper, March 25, 1993; Fort Worth, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth754866/m1/8/: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; .