Jewish Post, Indianapolis, Marion County, 2 January 1981 — Page 12

muary 2,1981 The Jewish Post end Opinion

Israel As I See It

Labor Alignment Taking Victory For Granted

By SAMSON KRUPNICK As predicted, Shimon Peres was elected Chairman of the

Labor Party by a 70% to 29% majority at the recently held Labor Convention. His arch

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Krupnick months to rally a grass roots following. The Kibbutz Hameuchad, loyal to the late Yigal Alien of the Achdut Avoda faction of the Labor Alignment, had transferred their loyalties to Rabin and had provided his main source of support, both in manpower, and in financing. RABIN HAD BEEN influ-

enced to a very large extent by the public opinion polls, based on selected samplings, that indicated his popularity to the voters as almost double that of Peres. The same polls predicted a substantial victory for the Labor Alignment over the Likud, although they also showed a very close contest for the public choice for Prime Minister between Itzhak Rabin and Menachem Begin. The fly in the ointment for the over enthusiastic Labor Alignment was the apparent 40% floating vote, “the uncertain”, who refuse to make any declaration. However, each chose from the polls that which suited his purpose, Rabin his indicated popular-

ity, the Labor Alignment its certainty of the coming

victory.

Such is the power of wishful thinking that the Labor Alignment two years ago last year and this year were predicting the collapse of the Likud Government, and were actually preparing for a quick takeover. Subsequently, Shimon Peres admitted his “wrong guess” twice during this period. Nevertheless, the tone of this convention was along the same wishful thinking line. As far as the delegates were concerned they were electing not merely a party chairman, they were electing the next Prime Minister. INNER PARTY STRIFE began immediately for the allocation of the “spoils” — positions on the Knesset list, cabinet posts, directorships, committee chairmen, etc. For them the coming elections scheduled for November 1981 (they were still predicting earlier elections) was but a necessary formality, no more. Rabin’s battle for leadership had failed to rock the “establishment” in the Labor Party. His campaign, conducted along American lines, with a pattern of party “primaries” fell short of introducing the same “democratic” concepts. His 29% does not assure him of that representation in party institutions and posts. The smoke-filled back rooms will continue to be the scene of political and personnel

decisions. Regional groups and factional representation will be the deciding factors. Rabin’s following will be dissipated in the ensuing struggle for representation. Wholesale desertions from his camp are anticipated, assisted by attractive offers from the Peres leadership. Rabin personally will probably be omitted from the top decisionmaking group, the “Golda Meir kitchen cabinet” in the

Peres administration.

NOW THAT the PeresRabin battle is concluded, the Labor Alignment is preparing an election platform to present to the voters. It is truly strange that for three years and seven months the Labor Party has been busy attacking the Likud as failures in every department without once offering viable alternatives either in the foreign affairs area or in the domestic sphere. It is high time that some positive program be made available for judgement by the electorate. On the foreign affairs issue, Peres again touted the “Jordan option”. Coincidentally, the distinguished guest of the Labor Party, framer Egyptian Prime Minister Mustapha Khalil (who refused to attend the opening in Jerusalem, but who joined the convention in Tel Aviv) debunked, in no uncertain terms, the Jordan option, as premature, unrealis-

tic and impractical.

On domestic issues, inflation

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is the chief concern. Budgetcutting without damaging the defense capability of Israel is the next most urgent problem. For neither issue does Labor have a concrete proposal. Being against is much easier than presenting a positive

practical program.

THE LABOR Alignment itself is internally tom with doves and hawks, with leftists and centrists, etc., etc. The preparation of a party platform that will satisfy all the

elements in this conglomerate of factions will be an Herculean achievement. Clearly the Labor Alignment has its task cut out for it. It would be healthier for the Party and for the country if the Labor Alignment girded itself for a real election campaign instead of assuming an automatic victory in November,

1981.

(Samson Krupnick may be reached at 22 Pinsker St., Jerusalem, Israel.)

Rabbis Are Assailed; Turn Backs To God

HOUSTON, Tx. - Dr. Ariel Bar-Sela, columnists for the Texas Herald Voice here, did not mince words when he took after the rabbinate in a recent

column.

“IN PRESENT DAY America the attitude of the Jewish priesthood is clear,” he wrote. “Their backs are turned toward God and their faces toward their congregations, for, it is to their congregations that our clerics look for their reward.” He did not stop at this point. The prominent physician

who came to America from his native Israel to study medicine and then decided to stay, continued: “AS A RULE, and there are few exceptions, our congregations do not gather in worship as individuals who come together to face God as a group; they come together for many a reason to witness the ceremonies performed in their behalf.” His final blow followed. “They come to be entertained and worshipped,” he wrote. “And their clerics oblige.”

Everyone Was There!

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something you get something in return. “Americans are too generous and they don’t know

how to bargain,” he said.

He also said that he would like to see how some of our fuzzy-headed Americans react to how the Chinese bargain with these people. “Russians aren’t the same breed of cats that we are. They look you in the eye and lie to you.” He brought out the valid point that it is foolish that we give the Russians all the technology and get nothing in return. Jackson told his audience, “If they move into Poland the Western world should stand united. It is time to be quietly tough. The Russians understand that toughness and now we as Americans need to learn how

to be quietly tough. ”

ON RELATIONSHIP to Israel, Jackson said “The Arab world is hopelessly split, religiously and otherwise. To illustrate, only look at what’s happening at the moment. Arabs fighting Arabs, Arabs fighting Muslims. Thank G-d

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for Israel. America needs a ’■ strong military presence in the Middle East.” He was delighted that Israel could field several hundred thousand excellent fighting men to help protect America’s interest in the Middle East. He said that other than Israel the other two friends that were important to maintain were Egypt and Turkey. They both have armies that they can put into the field to protect American interests. SENATOR JACKSON is right. These are important allies and for these reasons it is necessary to keep them strong. However, there were times during his speech that I almost felt that Sen. Jackson was too quick to state that it was a good thing that we had the Israelis to go into battle to save the Americans from becoming involved in a confrontation in the Middle East. That was nice but I kept thinking that it would be good not to overlook our good friends from Egypt and Turkey also. Bronfman Certain To Head Congress JERUSALEM — As preparations are being completed for the convention of the World Jewish Congress later this month, it is a foregone conclusion that the new president will be Edgar Bronfman, who is president pro-tern at the moment. The Seagrams tycoon will have no opposition.