U.S. Jewish Leaders Impressed with Israel’s Long-range Policy Planning and with Rabin

American Jewish leaders who held a three-hour briefing session yesterday with Premier Yitzhak Rabin came away impressed with the long-range policy planning of the Israeli leader and impressed also with his personal qualities. “Some of us had been under the impression that Israel’s government was ‘muddling through’ without a clear-cut plan. But now we see the overall plan,” said Rabbi Israel Miller, chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations who headed a 25-member delegation on a four-day special study mission to Israel.

The delegation, which met with Rabin, and with other Israeli and Jewish Agency officials during the tour which began Monday, came to Israel to discuss common issues confronting the people of Israel and the Jews of America and to exchange views on the effort to build understanding of Israel’s cause among the makers of public opinion and public policy in the U.S.

All delegation members had high praise for the Premier’s analytical ability to set recent and current Mideast events into their broader global context. Many delegation members remarked in talks with JTA correspondents that their mission–the third at the Premier’s behest–had been the first at which a true “dialogue,” rather than two competing monologues, took place during their meetings with Israel’s top leaders.

EVIDENCE OF U.S. SUPPORT CITED

In his meeting with the staff of the Jerusalem Post, Rabbi Miller rejected current fears expressed in Israeli newspapers of “erosion” of American support for Israel. He challenged those present to present concrete evidence for these fears. He cited continued staunch Congressional support demonstrated by the $600 million aid package voted for Israel, by the passage of the Jackson Amendment, and the Administration’s firm support in its ready response to Israel’s arms requests. Rabbi Miller said these actions speak louder than words.

At the same time, the American Jewish leaders remained aware of the danger that the step-by-step approach to a Middle East settlement could be for Israel “the salami tactics” that would deprive her of vital security needs. The delegates said they would not hesitate to fight Secretary of State Henry A. Kissinger if vital interests were at stake. Rabbi Miller said the delegation came to Israel “expecting to find a frightened people” but they had found “a people not frightened, but concerned.”

PROBLEMS IN THE YEAR AHEAD

Speaking of the “hard” year ahead, Rabbi Miller said the real concern was not “erosion” of support but the possible effects of the economic recession and the energy crisis in the U.S. on American attitudes towards foreign policy and foreign aid.

One disturbing factor, he said, was the subtle and sophisticated onslaught of Arab propaganda. With unlimited funds, the Arabs are commissioning the top public relations firms and are maintaining a solid stream of cleverly persuasive ads in the newspapers, Rabbi Miller said. Arab money was now threatening to buy up important sections of the mass media and the danger then would be of tendentious and selective coverage of the news itself, he added.

SOVIET JEWRY SITUATION

On Soviet Jewry, Rabbi Miller said the Presidents Conference would closely watch the situation inside the Soviet Union and was pressing the Administration and Congress to initiate their own check of the situation long in advance of the 18 month deadline stipulated in the Jackson Amendment. Rabbi Miller and other delegation members seemed satisfied with President Ford’s assurances on this matter received at their closed meeting with him two weeks ago.

Rabbi Miller, who with other Jewish leaders, has been invited to attend the White House signing of the Trade Bill tomorrow, said he saw the invitation as signalling the President’s determination to ensure that the emigration understanding is enforced.