THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, March 28, 1996 TAG: 9603280385
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A15 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ALISON BOLOGNA, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NEWPORT NEWS LENGTH: Medium: 72 lines
Although they're on opposite sides of most Middle Eastern issues, an Israeli journalist and a Lebanese journalist agreed Wednesday that the possibility of peace in the Middle East depends primarily on terrorism and Israel's May 29 election.
``It all starts from terrorism, since now terrorism coincides with elections,'' said Akiva Eldar, Washington bureau chief for the Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz. ``The major question is, who is able to bring peace and security to Israel?''
Hisham Melhem, Washington correspondent for the Lebanese newspaper As-Safir, agreed. He said combating terrorism has become the shifting focus of the peace process.
``The Israelis approach the issue of peace through terrorism,'' he said. ``They have elevated this word and they have given it a metaphysical dimension that creates a fog and prevents them from seeing what they're doing.''
About 150 people, including professors, journalists and community members, attended the panel discussion at Christopher Newport University to debate ``Arab and Israeli Relations: Is Lasting Peace Possible in the Middle East?''
Eldar and Melhem said it is.
``May 29 is going to be the most crucial test for the Israelis,'' Eldar said. ``And being an optimist, I believe they will pass the test successfully.''
Melhem was more reluctant.
``Genuine worldwide peace takes time,'' Melhem said. ``Cultural exchange, dialogue at the genuine human level, that kind of peace is going to take a long time. It's unrealistic to expect, after all these decades of bloodshed, for people to embrace one another. Even people who sign agreements don't necessarily trust each other.''
One of the problems concerning terrorism, Eldar said, is the rise of the unemployment rate in the occupied territories from about 60 percent to 80 percent.
``This creates a climate for more terrorism,'' he said. ``The Labor Party is now concerned about the graves of their children.''
``Mainstream Israel is divided in its own heart and mind out of despair,'' he said. ``They're looking for new leadership and getting terrorism instead of hope.''
But peace, Eldar and Melhem argued, is more likely if Shimon Peres, Israel's prime minister, is re-elected in the upcoming election.
``If Peres is elected, talks would resume,'' Melhem said. ``If the Likud is elected, the process will collapse.''
Eldar said the polls presently indicate that Peres is ahead. He guesses that Peres will win - if no more terrorist attacks occur.
Concerning what the United States can do to help the Middle East peace process, Eldar said the country must change Israel's climate, not only the symptoms of terrorism.
``It's a cancer,'' he said. ``You can't just solve it with Advil. It takes more than that. The president of the United States, the minimum he must do, is give the Israelis personal security.''
Melhem said there is no misunderstanding that everyone wants peace. The problems, he said, arise when people insist on making peace on their own terms.
``We are not in a metaphysical world,'' he said. ``We live in a world of nation-states with governments as their instruments. We can't talk about negotiations in a vacuum.''
Accordingly, both panelists said Middle East issues will be crucial in the race between President Clinton and his likely Republican opponent, Sen. Bob Dole.
``The Middle East is a national interest,'' Eldar said. ``The president won't want to take responsibility for the reversal of the peace process.'' by CNB