News Analysis: Formation of Right-wing Government Brings Worry (and Relief) to U.S. Jews

The ascendancy of a narrowly based Israeli government led by Likud’s Yitzhak Shamir seems likely to place American Jewry between a U.S. administration and an Israeli government whose policies are pro-foundly different.

Shamir’s government, composed of right-wing and religious parties, appears headed for conflict with the Bush administration on the issues of settlement in the administered territories and the U.S. proposal for Israeli-Palestinian negotiations to advance the peace process.

The new coalition’s policy guidelines state that the government will “strengthen, expand and develop” settlements in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, in contradiction to U.S. policy, which sees expansion of settlements as an obstacle to peace.

The guidelines also make no mention of Secretary of State James Baker’s proposal for preliminary talks in Cairo between Israel and a Palestinian delegation.

American Jewish leaders have been anticipating the formation of such a government and have braced themselves for what appears to be a period that will test their loyalties.

“I think it’s going to be a very difficult environment and one which will split American Jews as well as Israelis,” said Robert Lifton, president of the American Jewish Congress.

But others contend that Shamir’s new government should be given time to put its policies into action. They say it is wrong to assume the United States and Israel are on a collision course.

A CHANCE TO ‘SETTLE IN’

Malcolm Hoenlein, executive director of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, said that both the U.S. government and American Jewry must give the new coalition an opportunity “to settle in” before they criticize its policies.

The Israeli government “should not be judged by the parties or the platforms, but by what they do,” Hoenlein said. “I think everyone will agree that we’ve got to give this government a chance.”

Lifton disagrees. “If the government has enunciated a policy it intends to follow and that policy is to increase settlement in the West Bank and Gaza, parts of the American Jewish community will feel free — and properly so — to criticize that stated policy as such,” he said.

But some American Jewish critics of Shamir’s right-wing policies appear willing to give the new government a chance, at least initially.

Rabbi Alexander Schindler, president of the Reform movement’s Union of American Hebrew Congregations, congratulated Shamir, saying he is “gratified that a government is now in place in Israel and that a government is now in place in Israel and that the great task of moving toward peace may now be resumed.”

Schindler said that “whatever differences some of us may have with various of Prime Minister Shamir’s specific policies, American Jews stand as one with Israel as a free and democratic nation, homeland of the Jewish people, in its struggle to live in security, peace and prosperity with its neighbors.”

CONCERN OVER IMPACT ON IMMIGRATION

The continuing influx of Soviet Jews into Israel has made American Jewish concern over the political situation even more intense than usual.

Those committed to Soviet Jewry have noted with concern the fact that Ariel Sharon, a strong proponent of settlement in the territories, is set to be named minister of housing, with special responsibility for Soviet Jewish immigration.

The Soviet Union, the United States and various European countries serving as transit points for Soviet Jews bound for Israel have all warned that settlement of the immigrants in the territories could impede the flow of olim.

Shoshana Cardin, chairwoman of the National Conference on Soviet Jewry and a member of the Jewish Agency Board of Governors, said that American Jews would make clear that they do not want political concerns interfering with the immigration and absorption of Soviet Jews.

But alongside the worries over the future of U.S.-Israel relations, there is also a sense of relief in the American Jewish community that after eight years of Labor-Likud coalitions, the Israeli government will be speaking with one voice — even if it is a voice with which many disagree profoundly.

“There is now a clear-cut right-wing government and a clear-cut opposition party,” said Lifton.”The blending of the two gave off confusing signals.”