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August 2, 2002/Av 24 5762, Vol. 54, No. 46
Groups ponder Israel stance
MATTHEW E. BERGER
Jewish Telegraphic Agency
Last week's developments in the Middle East evinced an unusual reaction from the American Jewish community - silence.
Israel faced international and U.S. criticism for an airstrike on a Gaza apartment building that killed the military leader of Hamas and at least 14 civilians.
That left many American Jewish organizations torn about how to express sympathy for the loss of innocent life, while respecting Israel's right to take military action against terrorists.
A majority of groups chose to say nothing, a couple issued statements condemning the Gaza raid, and at least one expressed support for the Israeli action.
The struggle inside American Jewish organizations over how to respond - or not respond - provides a glimpse into the dilemmas Jewish groups face when developments in the Middle East are not black and white.
Most leaders said they didn't issue news releases but, when questioned by reporters or their members, expressed sympathy for the Palestinian victims.
Martin Raffel, associate executive director of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs, consulted with colleagues before issuing talking points for local Jewish community relations councils. At the top of the list was the need to express regret over the civilian casualties.
The talking points also advised members to explain why the Hamas leader, Salah Shehada, was assassinated, and "remind people of the distinction between acts intended to kill civilians and Israel's response, which are intended to prevent attacks," Raffel said.
At the beginning of the day on July 23, the issues were less complex, since the extent of the civilian death toll was unclear, Raffel said. However, as the number rose and Israeli officials began to backtrack from their congratulatory statements, the mood changed.
"We are always concerned when innocents are killed," said Cathy Wolf, director of the Jewish Community Relations Council of the Jewish Federation of Greater Phoenix.
"But today's attack puts Hamas' goals in perspective," she added, referring to the bomb detonated in the Frank Sinatra International Student Center at Hebrew University in Jerusalem, July 31. Hamas claimed responsibility for the attack that killed at least seven people.
The Anti-Defamation League did not debate issuing a statement about the Gaza attack, determining it was not the group's right to criticize Israel's military actions.
"We do not challenge or question the sovereign, democratically elected government of Israel on how they decide what to do to defend their citizens," said Abraham Foxman, ADL's national director.
The local JCRC will support the duly elected Israeli government, said Wolf. To understand Sharon's decision to authorize the attack against Shehada, people must understand that Hamas leaders - as illustrated by the July 31 bombing - "are sending a clear statement that all Israelis need to leave Israel," said Wolf. "They are clearly bent on the destruction of Israel."
Other groups, such as Americans for Peace Now, said their decision to keep quiet also was in keeping with predetermined policy.
Lewis Roth, the group's assistant executive director, noted that his group does not issue a news release each time a suicide bomber strikes.
"It doesn't mean we are any less against terrorist attacks because we didn't issue a statement," he said.
Some American Jewish grass-roots activists say the July 23 attack was a prime example of Israel's excessive use of military force. They questioned why Jewish groups weren't speaking out.
"It's part of the hypocrisy and double standards," said Rabbi Michael Lerner, editor of Tikkun magazine, who has started a new grass-roots movement called the Tikkun Community. "We yell and scream when our own people are being killed but are deathly silent when civilians are targeted on the other side."
Rabbi Eric Yoffie, president of the Reform movement's Union of American Hebrew Congregations, said the critics have a point.
"People who are going to say there should have been a voice that was publicly critical will have a measure of justification on their side," Yoffie said.
But, he added, he has been hesitant to criticize Israel since last spring. In April, when the media reported accusations that Israel had carried out a "massacre" of Palestinians in the Jenin refugee camp, Yoffie said he was overwhelmed by requests from his congregations to denounce Israel's actions.
He refused and says he now feels justified, since the massacre allegations proved false.
Yoffie also said he was concerned that any condemnation from American Jewish groups about particular incidents could be misused by some media outlets that are perceived to have an anti-Israel bias.
Leaders agree that criticism against Israel has been rare. However, two left-wing political groups, Meretz USA and the Labor Zionist Alliance, criticized last week's attacks.
Ari Chester, the Labor Zionist's executive director, said his group decided to issue a release because the July 23 incident "crossed a line."
"It's reasonable to say that attacking a target in a civilian area with an F-16 and a one-ton bomb could be seen as excessive," Chester said.
One group, the hawkish Zionist Organization of America, sent out a news release specifically expressing Israel's right to take military action, even if it meant civilian casualties.
"The Palestinian Authority bears full moral and legal responsibility for any harm to Arab civilians that occurs during Israeli anti-terrorism actions," ZOA President Morton Klein said in a statement.
Editor Barry Cohen contributed to this article.
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