Netanyahu Rampant

PRIME Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in Washington last week with a carefully thought-out plan for peace and reform. In earlier telephone conversations with President Clinton he had made clear that his priority in negotiations with the Palestinians and Syria is the personal security of Israelis—and that means the end of Palestinian terrorism and of Syrian-sponsored terrorism in Lebanon. He extended his hand to the United States, Israel’s traditional supporter, and asked the Clinton Administration to “adapt” itself to his style and structure of negotiations, in which Israel will demand reciprocity—concessions from Arabs in return for concessions from Israel.

To smooth his way, Netanyahu is ready gradually to lift the blockade on the West Bank city of Hebron. He also will gradually allow the return of thousands of Palestinians to work in Israel. He is committed to redeployment of the Israel Defense Force from the West Bank—on, however, a different schedule from the former government’s in order to limit Palestinian terrorist acts. The pace of IDF redeployment will be linked to the end of terrorism.

AP

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Amos Perlmutter

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PRIME Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in Washington last week with a carefully thought-out plan for peace and reform. In earlier telephone conversations with President Clinton he had made clear that his priority in negotiations with the Palestinians and Syria is the personal security of Israelis—and that means the end of Palestinian terrorism and of Syrian-sponsored terrorism in Lebanon. He extended his hand to the United States, Israel’s traditional supporter, and asked the Clinton Administration to “adapt” itself to his style and structure of negotiations, in which Israel will demand reciprocity—concessions from Arabs in return for concessions from Israel.

To smooth his way, Netanyahu is ready gradually to lift the blockade on the West Bank city of Hebron. He also will gradually allow the return of thousands of Palestinians to work in Israel. He is committed to redeployment of the Israel Defense Force from the West Bank—on, however, a different schedule from the former government’s in order to limit Palestinian terrorist acts. The pace of IDF redeployment will be linked to the end of terrorism.