|
|
|
August 16, 1999 Vol.1, No. 16 This Week in Washington…
INSIDER, INSIDE THE WHITE HOUSE: Steven Schwarz represented the JCPA when leaders of 15 national Jewish agencies met with President Clinton on August 12th in what has been described as a very positive meeting. The meeting, planned long before the LA -JCC shootings, provided the President with an opportunity to state emphatically his intention to "roll back the influence of hate groups" .The President hailed the success of the Brady Bill in stopping the purchase of 400,000 handguns, and in expressing his concern about moving the Congress on gun control, asked for our help in mobilizing support for pending legislation which would close the gunshow purchase loopholes. In response to a comment noting that the Los Angeles incident illustrates connections between anti-Semitism and racism, Steve Schwarz briefed the President about the JCPA Race, Public Policy and Ethnicity study, and asked that the White House race initiative receive added emphasis and attention. The President indicated his interest in the JCPA study and suggested that the White House might be of assistance. International issues also received considerable attention in the 90-minute meeting. Participants expressed gratitude to the President for his support of Israel and the peace process, and urged continued, clear support for Israel's security needs. Other issues raised in the meeting included relocation of the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem; Iranian acquisition of weapons of mass destruction; the transfer of technology through Russia to Iran; and the need to reassure the American Jewish community that the US will not endorse UN General Assembly Resolution 181 (1947 Partition Plan). Jewish leaders urged the President to continue to raise the issue of anti-Semitism in Russia, and requested support for the release of the 13 imprisoned Iranian Jews. In addition to the JCPA, the meeting included leaders from American Jewish Committee, American Jewish Congress, Americans for Peace Now, AIPAC, the Anti-Defamation League, Hadassah, Israel Policy Forum, Conference of Presidents, UAHC, United Synagogue, UOJCA, and United Jewish Communities. Joining the President were Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, National Security Council Advisor Sandy Berger, Minyon Moore and Christine Stanak, White House Office of Public Liason. UPDATE ON LA: CRC Director Michael Hirschfeld reports that Sunday's Unity Rally featured an impressive dais of influentials, including U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno, Governor Davis, LA Mayor Riordan, ADL Director Abe Foxman, members of Congress, the California Senate and Assembly, as well as more than 50 clergy and community leaders representing every religious, ethnic and racial group. The rally was covered by an international assortment of media. A press conference will be held later today with LA area JCC head Jeff Rous and the Reverend Jesse Jackson. On Thursday and Friday, two separate security conferences will take place for Los Angeles area Jewish institutions with local and federal law enforcement officials and the ADL. This Week in New York…
REMINDER: A 90-minute satellite broadcast on security issues is scheduled for tomorrow, August 17th at 4:00 p.m. EDT co-sponsored by UJC, ADL, the Jewish Community Centers Association and the JCPA. JCPA will be participating with these agencies in a press conference earlier that day at which time various institutional responses will be highlighted. ALSO OF INTEREST: JCPA Vice Chair Len Cole is published on the op-ed pages of today's Washington Post. His article, "A Plague of Publicity," deals with hoaxes and chemical warfare. Cole's article is available in the Opinion section of the Washington Post website at www.washingtonpost.com.
|
