Date: 23 Jan 1993 14:39:35 -0400 (EDT)
From: "WSU, DAYTON, OH. 45435" <GWELTY@DESIRE.WRIGHT.EDU>
Subject: A brief item for consideration for the archives.
To: pauls@css.itd.umich.edu
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                         by Gordon Welty
                     Wright State University
                        Dayton, OH 46435

     Americans get an impression that Israeli politics is 
monolithic.  This impression is enhanced by the geographical and 
cultural distance between Israel and the United States, as well 
as by American tourists' inability to comprehend the "complexity" 
of the situation in the Middle East.
     The recent so-called  National Unity government, which
brought together the Labor bloc and Likud bloc, furthered this
impression.  Each bloc has approximately forty seats in the
120-seat Knesset (Parliament), always subject to some change due
to political horse-trading and opportunism.
     Of course there are nuances: Likud's Yitzhak Shamir 
obstinately opposes any contact with the PLO, while Labor's 
Yitzhak Rabin orders Israelis to break Palestinian arms and legs. 
Petty squabbles between ego-inflated political personalities, 
yes; but the overall impression is one of a monolithic regime.  
There is quite another aspect to Israel's political life, 
however, which is no less important in this time of virtual 
gridlock in the Knesset.  This is the politics of the smaller 
parties in Israel, who hold the other two-score seats in Knesset.
     Earlier this month, I interviewed Dr. Benny Temkin, 
Secretary General of the RATZ Party.  The Citizens' Rights 
Movement (RATZ) was founded by Shulamit Aloni in 1973.  The 
initial programme was to promote civil rights in Israel, a 
vitally important topic in a country which has neither a 
Constitution nor a Bill of Rights.   By 1981 "Peace" was added to 
RATZ's name, as it became increasingly clear, as Temkin put it, 
that "the issues of human and civil rights in Israel were 
inextricably linked to issues of peace and war, and to the issue 
of Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza."   The Party 
currently has five members in the Knesset, so it plays an 
important role in resolving the balance of power -- some would 
say impasse -- between the Labor and Likud blocs.
     Temkin stated that "our first priority as a party and as 
individuals is to do everything in our power to prevent a war 
with one (or a few) of the Arab states."   This seems 
particularly salient in light of quotations of hard-line remarks 
by Israeli General Bar Kochba now circulating in the Middle East, 
to the effect that Israel will inevitably go to war with Iraq and 
Syria, and may reoccupy the Sinai in the process.   RATZ links 
the priority of peace to Israeli policies regarding the 
Palestinians, since, as Temkin puts it,  "our occupation of the 
West Bank and Gaza, our repression and their resistance -- the 
Intifada -- can bring about such a conflagration, such a war."  
Then he pointed out another sequel of Israeli policies towards 
the Palestinians:  "we do not believe that a nation (Israel) 
which is occupying another people (the Palestinians), preventing 
them from expressing their own right to self-determination, can 
in the long-run have a democratic society, human rights, civil 
rights."
     Currently, Israeli society and especially the ruling Shamir 
coalition are confronting an "internally contradictory" 
situation, according to Temkin.  He asked somewhat rhetorically 
"how can they at once satisfy the Americans and at the same time 
satisfy the Israeli settlers in the Territories?  And at the same 
time satisfy the religious parties in Shamir's coalition?"
     Temkin continued "all this will make for either a tremendous
rate  of inflation in Israel (this has already happened to a
Likud  government before) or else the fall of the ruling
coalition -- if  nothing else."  He does not accept a
deterministic view of  Israel's future: what is to come depends
upon decisions made and  actions taken now.
     Thus Temkin went on "the things that would postpone the 
playing out of these internal contradictions include of course 
another war."  While he hopes the contradictions will not end in 
war, Temkin acknowledged that such an eventuality would "help 
Shamir stall, and would postpone the playing out of these 
contradictions that I'm talking about."
     Regardless of short-term opportunistic political motives, no 
sane person can want war in the Middle East. Temkin acknowledged 
that there is "a large amount of political opportunism on the 
part of some of the members of the current ruling coalition."   
Yet it is clear that "the cost of such a war in human, economic, 
and political terms will be staggering."
     What can the U.S.  government do to help secure lasting
peace and justice in the  Middle East?  Temkin responded "it has
to get us to sit down with  the Palestinians."
     He was even more specific about this critical  point. "It is
necessary for the PLO to be involved." He continued  "we believe
that once both sides are at the table, they will be  able to
reach agreements between them, between the sides."   
     The U.S. must change its approach in the Middle East, 
according to Temkin.  "For a number of years, the U.S. government 
has given uncritical, unrestrained support to the policies of the 
governments of Israel, and I don't think that this support has 
contributed to bringing peace to the Middle East."
     Temkin went on: "if the U.S. is not able to bring about such 
negotiations, then perhaps the U.S. should try -- how does 
President Bush put it -- `try other alternatives.'  The main 
thing for us is  to bring about a meeting between the 
Palestinians and the Israelis, and not to let Shamir stall, which 
is what he's going to try to do."    He concluded that this was 
so important now "because we do not feel that time is working in 
our favor -- in favor of moderation on both sides, both on the 
Israeli side and on the Palestinian side."  And to repeat, for 
the Citizens' Rights and Peace (RATZ) Party, "our first priority 
is to prevent the occurrence of another war." 

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Professor Welty teaches courses on the Middle East at Wright 
State University.  He visited Jerusalem this July.
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