A leading Jewish spokesman today praised Egyptian President Anwar Sadat’s peace initiative but cautioned that the real and final elements for a lasting peace treaty must still be resolved in detail by both Israel and the Arab states.
Indicating that such differences as Palestine Liberation Organization representation and the establishment of a Palestinian state remain as major obstacles, Rabbi Alexander M. Schindler, president of the Union of American Hebrew Congregations (UAHC), said “all who cherish peace must welcome” Sadat’s visit to Israel and Premier Menachem Begin’s immediate acceptance of the offer. “I admire their courage and pray for the success of this historic encounter,” he said.
Schindler, who also serves as the chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, viewed the Egyptian leader’s trip to Jerusalem as “more than an acceptance of Israel’s right to exist; it is an acceptance of the urgency of peace. However, as encouraging as this step is in advancing the climate for peace, a visit does not spell peace itself.”
Schindler spoke here at a press conference prior to the opening tomorrow of the UAHC’s 54th biennial general assembly. The five-day meeting will be attended by 3500 delegates.
He emphasized that “tough, complex issues must still be negotiated. President Sadat’s moderation must be equaled by other Arab leaders. Hard compromises, which will take time and patience, lie ahead.”
DENIES COLLISION COURSE WITH CARTER
Schindler denied the existence of “confrontation” between the Carter Administration and the Jewish community. He said, “There is tension, of course, because there are differences of opinion on basic approaches, but this must not and need not be escalated into confrontation. Constant talk about collision courses and confrontation is a self-fulfilling prophesy.”
While taking sharp issue with Carter Mideast policy on several scores, including the role of the Palestinians and the Soviet Union at Geneva, Schindler fully endorsed President Carter’s plea for “temperateness” in American policy debates on the Mideast. The rabbi urged supporters of Israel to avoid “emotional over-kill, hysteria and impugning of motives,” in the ongoing public controversy. Likewise, Schindler said, the Administration could contribute to reducing tensions by not being so “quick and loose in its pronouncements” on Mideast issues.
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