American Jewish organizational leaders returning from an unprecedented two-day visit to Egypt, at the invitation of President Hosni Mubarak, said they received encouraging signals on such issues as the peace process and the plight of Syrian Jews.
Thirty members of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations spent 90 minutes “in open discussion” with Mubarak, followed by meetings with other Egyptian officials and business leaders.
The visit to Egypt, which received front-page coverage in the Egyptian press, wrapped up the conference’s annual fact-finding mission to the region.
Lester Pollack, chairman of the conference, told reporters back in Jerusalem that the meetings in Egypt on Monday and Tuesday were marked by a “very decided change of language and rhetoric” that reflected a new spirit of cooperation and a desire to work in a regional partnership with Israel.
He said the wide-ranging talk with Mubarak focused on the need to return to the negotiating table in Washington, the likelihood that Syrian President Hafez Assad would honor his pledge to let Jews leave the country, the need to act on the Arab League boycott against Israel and the importance of regional economic development as one antidote to Islamic fundamentalism.
He said the groundwork was laid for possible Egyptian investment in Israel and the promotion in the United States of Egyptian tourism, which has been damaged by recent terrorist attacks on tourists.
Egypt’s invitation to the conference signalled its “desire for us to play a role,” said Pollack. “We began a process of cooperation and collaboration with Egypt on behalf of American Jews to support the peace process.”
TIME FOR A VISIT BY MUBARAK?
Malcolm Hoenlein, executive vice chairman of the conference, was careful to delineate the limits of the visit’s purpose and the group’s mandate.
“We did not go to negotiate for Israel,” he said. “We responded to an invitation to raise issues of concern.” He said the conference “can help foster the kind of climate that helps move the peace process forward.”
He said Mubarak agreed with the conference in principle that the peace process should not be held hostage to a resolution of the fate of the Palestinians whom Israel deported to Lebanon. But Mubarak told the group that some face-saving measures for the Palestinians would be needed for them to return to the talks.
Hoenlein said Mubarak also expressed support for the recent visit to the Middle East by U.S. Secretary of State Warren Christopher and optimism about his own upcoming visit to Washington.
He said Mubarak did not appear to be well-informed about the Arab boycott and its impact on Israel when the group pressed him on the issue.
Pollack said he believes the time is ripe for a Mubarak visit to Jerusalem. But he said the group has no indication that such a trip is in the works, despite recent press speculation to that effect.
Officials in Jerusalem have played down reports from Cairo that such a visit is imminent. But they pointed out that Mubarak did telephone Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin earlier this week to congratulate him on his 71st birthday.
Mubarak’s invitation to the conference was seen by the group as a recognition by Egypt of the importance of American Jews as a constituency in U.S. politics, particularly when it comes to the issue of foreign aid.
A VISIT TO MEGGIDO PRISON
Hoenlein said the American Jewish community would continue to support U.S. aid to Egypt along with aid to Israel, because “Egypt’s stability is vital to the region.”
The trip to Egypt marked the last lap of the conference’s annual mission, which included meetings with U.S. Secretary of State Warren Christopher, Prime Minister Rabin, Foreign Minister Shimon Peres and other Israeli officials.
There was also an unprecedented meeting with Faisal Husseini, chief adviser to the Palestinian peace delegation.
During an unusual visit to the Meggido prison, which houses Palestinians accused of security offenses, the delegation got a firsthand look at prison conditions and had off-the-record discussions in small groups with prisoners, sources said.
The group also heard from Natan Sharansky on the challenges of the Soviet aliyah; Jacob Frenkel, governor of the Bank of Israel, on the Israeli economy; several experts on Islamic fundamentalism; and Israeli and American journalists on how Israel is portrayed in the news media.
They also visited residents of Ma’aleh Adumim, a Jewish settlement in the West Bank considered by Rabin to be part of Greater Jerusalem. The residents said they are faced with countless “question marks” about their status and their future, in light of the new government and the peace process.
The delegation also had what Hoenlein described as a “very moving” meeting with Moslem refugees from Bosnia-Herzegovina who have been given temporary haven by Israel.
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