Bush Phones Herzog and Praises Receptivity to U.N. Representative

In a phone call to Israeli President Chaim Herzog on Friday, President Bush lauded Israel’s cooperation in offering to receive a United Nations Security Council representative and in working with the United States to keep the world’s focus on Iraqi aggression in the Persian Gulf.

Bush also emphasized his personal support for improving America’s currently strained relations with Israel.

In a 10-minute conversation, characterized as “warm and friendly” by a senior Israeli diplomat, Bush said that he had received a full report from Vice President Dan Quayle on the latter’s conversation with Herzog while both were attending the coronation of the Japanese emperor in Tokyo.

Bush initiated the call to Herzog here from the White House, shortly before departing for Prague. The two presidents had planned to meet last Wednesday, but Herzog was delayed in Tokyo.

The conversation did not touch on operative subjects, such as the possibility that Bush might meet with Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir during his visit to New York, according to the senior diplomat.

Earlier, Herzog met for 35 minutes with Ronald Reagan at the former President’s office in Los Angeles. Herzog explained the events leading up to the Temple Mount riot and Reagan agreed that reports in the media had been distorted.

Herzog flew to Los Angeles after addressing the General Assembly of the Council of Jewish Federations in San Francisco, and speaking to the Commonwealth Club there on Thursday.

In his address to more than 3,000 American and Canadian leaders of Jewish communities, Herzog implicitly questioned their support of tourism to Israel and the absorption of Soviet immigrants through a series of rhetorical questions.

Pointing out that Israel was a safer place than most large American cities, Herzog asked, “Is it right and dignified that many elements of American Jewry should have seen fit at this time to cancel their conventions and so distance themselves physically from the Jewish homeland, and thus to weaken our ranks?”

Stressing that Christian tourism to Israel continued unabated, Herzog scolded the delegates by saying that “the reaction of our people in the U.S.” did not “reflect honor and dignity on our people. If we as a people will be judged by history, it will be by our behavior in these historic times.”

While praising American Jewry’s financial support for the absorption of Soviet Jews in Israel — a constant theme throughout the conference — Herzog added, “I must ask you, my friends, are you making the required sacrifice? Are you rising to the occasion with all your munificence and generosity? Does your contribution reflect the challenge facing you?”