THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, May 31, 1996 TAG: 9605310482
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY TONY WHARTON, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: 67 lines
Jewish leaders in South Hampton Roads were optimistic Thursday that Benjamin Netanyahu, if he is indeed Israel's new prime minister, will continue moving toward peace with the Arabs.
They are worried, however, about the strength that Orthodox Jewish political parties showed in this week's elections, and how that would influence the peace process and Israel's relationship with American Jews.
``It's a classic case of fear overcoming hope - in the short term,'' said Rabbi Israel Zoberman, of Beth Chaverim, a Reform temple in Virginia Beach. ``In the long run, I believe hope will triumph.''
In an international video conference connected by satellite, Israeli academics and politicians talked with Jewish leaders across the United States. In Norfolk, they gathered at the Jewish Community Center of Tidewater.
Many in both countries were alarmed by the power of the religious parties in the election. Those parties increased their hold in the Knesset, Israel's parliament, from 16 to 24 seats, the most ever.
While that may seem small in a 120-seat parliament, consider that the two largest parties, Labor and Likud, now hold just 33 and 31 seats, respectively.
Israel's national politics are far more complex than America's, complicated by mixing in religion and the fact that no one party holds a majority of political power. Thus, in the Israeli system, each new prime minister forms a coalition of support among many parties.
The smaller parties, then, gain power by being able to trade their support for influence on the prime minister's policies.
The religious parties in Israel consist mostly of ultra-Orthodox Jews. They oppose the peace process and have little in common with most American Jews, who tend not to be Orthodox and mostly support the peace process.
Asher Arian, a professor at both the University of Haifa in Israel and the City University of New York, said this first direct election of the prime minister could lead to ``the complete disintegration of the Israeli political party structure.''
Given that, he and other Israelis on the panel felt the direct election had failed in its purpose of greater national unity.
J.J. Goldberg, an American author and journalist, said, ``If the Likud forms a coalition with Orthodox elements, it would make orthodoxy the standard. Forget pluralism.''
Not everyone agreed.
``Any feeling that the peace process is over and the sky is falling is misplaced,'' said Keith Weissman of the American-Israeli Public Affairs Committee. ``A majority of the Israeli public supports the peace process.''
Others said that the international financial markets and investors consider peace vital to Israel's economic stability, and that Netanyahu would be playing with fire if he put the brakes on the peace process.
Robert Rubin, ex-chairman of the Community Relations Committee of the United Jewish Federation of Tidewater, said Netanyahu the government critic may not be the same as Netanyahu the prime minister.
``When you gain power, it absolutely demands that you become more responsible and statesmanlike,'' he said.
Zoberman, too, predicted, ``In the long run, the forces of peace and moderation will not give up. True security is bound up with peace and dignity for all concerned.''
Rabbi Arthur Ruberg of Congregation Beth El, a Conservative temple in Norfolk, said, ``I feel a great pride in Israeli democracy.''
In the midst of terrorism and national stress, he said, Israelis mustered an 80 percent turnout and an orderly election, without violence.
``This is a fine hour for Israel,'' he said. ``That is why we are so confident about the future.''
KEYWORDS: ELECTION ISRAEL RESULTS by CNB