Behind the Headlines Israel Faces the Future

Israel boils, perspires and worries under the simmering summer sun. Worries about everyday economic difficulties and problems which have reached new heights: of inflation, credit shortages, price hikes and frozen wages. The real anguish is, however, about the future–not only the economic future but the basic political struggle into which Israel will shortly be plunged.

Members of the Knesset from both governmental and opposition parties openly admit “we live the last quiet days–soon the country will be torn asunder by conflicting views. The Arabs, the Palestinians will all become immediate problems with which we will have to cope.” All Israeli officials admit that the political confrontation will probably begin in earnest next month.

After the visit to Washington by Israeli Foreign Minister Yigal Allon, due late this month. Premier Yitzhak Rabin is due to arrive in the American capital next month to put the last touches to the preparatory negotiations which will pave the way to the various bilateral talks most likely to take place in Washington either at the end of Aug. or possibly in Sept.

CONDITIONS FOR NEGOTIATIONS WITH ARABS

The Israeli policy, as laid down by the Rabin government, and apparently approved by a vast majority of Israelis, accepts and even wants the resumption of negotiations with the Arabs–negotiations which should, however, take place in Washington and in which only two countries should be represented at one time: Israel and an Arab state. Israel thus sees the “Washington round” as a continuation of the separate disengagement talks it has agreed to with the Arab states.

In Israel’s view, only after all the practical details have been solved during this preliminary round, can the Geneva conference resume to give a final and formal touch to the results obtained by secret diplomacy. Israeli officials stress that the Israeli-Syrian, or even the Israeli-Egyptian disengagement agreements could not have been obtained and signed in Geneva unless the two sides had not previously engaged in secret negotiations with American go-between help, the Kissinger shuttle service.

Israel believes that this precedent could serve for the actual peace talks and should be repeated in Washington itself where Secretary of State Henry A. Kissinger would be available with his good offices. On the Arab side, first indications show the Arabs reluctant to adopt this technique in spite of its past successes. The Arabs say they could obtain more and far-reaching concessions during a general negotiation with all the Arabs present.

The Arab demand to attend the talks in the form of a single Arab delegation embracing all the Arab states and the Palestinians could well be an extreme position put forward in order to end by making “the concession” of attending in the form of separate delegations but which would negotiate with Israel.

WAR TRAUMA CONTINUES IN ALL AREAS

Israel continues to experience the trauma created by the Yom Kippur War, and in all areas including the diplomatic one. This possible Arab “compromise” of several delegations but negotiating together is seen as a major danger to be avoided at all costs. It is one more Israeli suspicion of possible American duplicity. Israel nowadays follows closely, day by day, some say hour by hour, all American acts and even intentions.

Foreign Ministry officials in Jerusalem weigh the possible implications of the Watergate affair, calculate the possible changes which would take place should President Nixon go, and observe, report and dissect every one of Kissinger’s statements, acts and trips. Some say jokingly that Washington has become Israel’s “main capital.”

The defeatist humor goes much further. Examples of the macabre humor displayed by those opposing any Israeli withdrawal can be illustrated by two “jokes”: the latest is the report that Tel Aviv’s main thoroughfare, Dizengoff, now oneway, will be opened to two-way traffic again, Why? Because the adjoining Raines Street, one-way the other way, will soon be returned to the Arabs. The other story is that Israel has asked America for a large aircraft carrier. Why? asks a surprised Nixon. The answer is because “we shall soon have to hand over Ben Gurion Airport to the Arabs.”

CRISES-REAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL

To make matters worse, the country lives through one political and economic crisis after another. Some of these crises are more psychological than real, but indicate a trend: thus, the widest read political memoir just now is the autobiography of the late Premier Moshe Sharett, serialized by the mass circulation evening paper “Maariv.” Israelis of all political factions and tendencies read with surprise and shock Sharett’s revelations: the plotting, intrigues and petty combinations which marked Israel’s political life in the fifties (to which Sharett’s memoirs refer) but which Israelis suspect to be the law still today.

Economically, Israelis are hit with daily price increases for even staple commodities: food prices, electricity and transportation, while salaries remain practically frozen. But evidences of huge fortunes can be seen–elegant villas in the Savyon or Herzeliah Pituah, air conditioned American cars and other forms of luxury and other examples of prosperous consumer societies.

Countless stories circulate about fortunes built overnight, of financial speculations at the cost of public finances and of highly enterprising Israeli entrepreneurs who know how to turn financial regulations to their advantage. Even if grossly exaggerated, these stories indicate a frame of mind, a psychological trend which comes at a time when Israel needs more than ever before a national unity of purpose and aspiration.

The pessimists claim that this unity of purpose will be forthcoming once again when Israel will have to face once more difficult international and diplomatic problems as the Arab negotiations resume. The optimists believe that it is a passing phase which will soon sort itself out.