Arabs, Jews here hail truce but question if it will last

June 26, 2003

BY DAVE NEWBART, Chicago Sun-Times Staff Reporter

Depending on your perspective, the three-month cease-fire announced by Palestinian militant groups is either a huge breakthrough, a small step toward peace or no real advance at all.

That was the reaction of local Palestinians and Jews to the latest developments in the Middle East.

Hatem Abunimeh, a Chicago resident who is a member of Palestine Media Watch, said the agreement is a "very big step forward'' that "means they are thinking very diligently about stopping the fighting.'' Doni Remba, president of Chicago Peace Now, a group of Israeli military reservists promoting nonviolence, said the cease-fire "will create an opportunity for the violence to stop or be significantly reduced.''

But Rafeeq Jaber, president of the Islamic Association for Palestine in Palos Hills, said while he is happy the cease-fire was reached, he believes the Israeli government led by Ariel Sharon will attempt to quash it by provoking militants into restarting attacks. Ali Alarabi, national director of the United Arab American League, also believes Sharon will make a move to derail the truce possibly through continuing assassinations of militant leaders.

"I don't think it's going to last, due to the government's policies,'' he said.

Lester Rosenberg, chairman of the board of the Jewish United Fund of Metropolitan Chicago, agreed that the announcement was a "move toward peace''--but said he was highly skeptical it would last.

Michael Kotzin, executive vice president of the fund, sees virtually no value in the truce because the groups are not pledging to disarm--as a road map proposed by the Bush administration requires.

"If this so-called cease-fire is not a stage leading to that, then it's hard to see any way that it can be helpful,'' Kotzin said.

Some do believe the cease-fire shows that new Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas has gained world recognition and is having an impact on the groups, while others think the militants are simply calling the truce to buy time so they can regroup and rearm.

But Remba said he believes Abbas needs the time to build up both the political base and the security forces necessary to challenge the groups. Abunimeh said he hopes the Israelis will reciprocate by halting assassinations and opening up checkpoints to allow Palestinians to go back to work in Israeli areas.

June 26, 2003
The Editor
CHICAGO SUN-TIMES
401 N. Wabash
Chicago, Illinois 60611

To the Editor:

The Chicago Sun-Times is to be commended for its balanced article on the diversity of local Arab and Jewish reactions to the cease-fire announced between Israel and the Palestinians. ("Arabs, Jews here hail truce but question if it will last," 6/26/03) However, the article misidentified our organization, Chicago Peace Now, as "a group of Israeli military reservists promoting nonviolence." Peace Now, founded in 1978 by 348 Israeli military reserve officers, has since grown into the largest grassroots political movement in Israel's history. It continues to work closely with Israeli security and government officials. Public opinion surveys consistently show that most Israelis support Peace Now's approach, which favors President Bush's Roadmap, and calls for a return to political negotiations, a two-state solution, and evacuation of settlements in the context of a peace accord with the Palestinians.

Chicago Peace Now, like its national parent Americans for Peace Now, supports our Israeli counterparts by educating the American public and our elected officials in Washington about the benefits of US policies which strengthen Israel's security through peace.

Nor does Peace Now, and its national and local affiliates in the US, promote "nonviolence"-we are not pacifists. We stand strongly behind Israel's right to self-defense against terrorist attacks. At the same time, we believe, along with most Israelis and American Jews, that a negotiated political agreement with the Palestinians, if wisely conceived and implemented, will best insure Israel's long-term security and prosperity.

Sincerely,