NEWS ANALYSIS Gingrich visit does little to alter political realities

JERUSALEM, May 26 (JTA) — Before and during U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich’s visit to Israel this week, there were fears that he would set off a series of diplomatic land mines. But as the Georgia Republican concluded meetings with Israeli officials on Tuesday, it appeared that he did little to alter the realities of the peace process that confront Israel — and Washington. To be sure, his comments supporting Israel’s position regarding a further redeployment from the West Bank provided a morale boost for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has been under attack from opposition members accusing him of sabotaging the peace process, and from right-wing coalition members charging him with capitulating to Palestinian and American pressures. But beyond that, his visit appeared to do little to change the fact that the Israeli government must still wrestle with the U.S. demand that it pull back from an additional 13 percent of the West Bank in exchange for concrete Palestinian steps to crack down on terrorism. Gingrich, who visited Israel as head of a congressional delegation honoring the Jewish state on its 50th anniversary, has frequently criticized the Clinton administration for putting pressure on Israel to accept its proposal aimed at breaking the impasse in Israeli-Palestinian negotiations. During his visit, he reiterated the view — one also espoused by Netanyahu — that Israel alone should determine its security needs. But despite Gingrich’s rhetoric of support, it appears that most Israelis understand that whatever Gingrich may say, it is still the Clinton administration that Netanyahu has to contend with. For their part, Clinton administration officials seemed relieved that Gingrich did not detonate any explosive issues. Last week, before he departed for Israel, the lawmaker said he would visit the site of the future U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem, provoking criticism from Palestinian officials who said the visit would undermine their efforts to secure part of the city as the capital of a future Palestinian state. They also said it could prompt Palestinian violence. But prior to his departure last Friday, Gingrich backed off from his vow to visit the embassy site, citing a request from the administration. The White House and State Department had expressed concern that it might spark violent Palestinian protests. When he arrived in Israel over the weekend, Gingrich reaffirmed his support for moving the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv. But touring
Jerusalem with Mayor Ehud Olmert, he drove by, but did not stop at, the proposed location for the embassy. The sigh of relief from the Potomac was evident when, one day later, State Department spokesman James Rubin said in a briefing that Gingrich’s trip had gone “reasonably well.” But Rubin did lash out at Gingrich, condemning as “appalling and outrageous” a comment Gingrich made earlier this month calling U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright an “agent for the Palestinians.” Rubin also criticized published reports of comments Gingrich made in Israel. “There were some rather stunning reports over the weekend about Speaker Gingrich’s reported willingness to provoke the Israeli government to disagree with his own government,” Rubin said. “If true, those would be rather stunning comments that would undermine the efforts we’re trying to make to advance America’s national interest.” Gingrich’s statements regarding Jerusalem extended beyond his call for moving the U.S. Embassy. During a speech to the Knesset on Tuesday, Gingrich drew applause when he declared Jerusalem the “united and eternal capital of Israel.” The United States’ official position is that the future of the city should be determined in final-status talks with the Palestinians. Gingrich, who supported a non-binding congressional resolution to move the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem, recalled the visit several years ago of then-Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin to mark Jerusalem’s third millennium. “We in Congress stood with him them, and stand with you today, in recognizing Jerusalem as the united and eternal capital of Israel,” Gingrich told the Knesset. His remarks drew applause — though from a less-than-full house. Gingrich, who has drawn criticism for taking sides in the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations, was boycotted by some Israeli Arab legislators who walked out of the Knesset before Gingrich began his address. While much of the controversy surrounding his visit had to do with Jerusalem, Gingrich also tackled a different aspect of the peace process, saying the U.S. Congress would consider giving Israel $1 billion in emergency aid to help cover the costs of a further Israeli redeployment in the West Bank. “I think that on the basis of an emergency situation, I would certainly consider it. If we reach a peace agreement, most Americans would want to be supportive and helpful,” Gingrich told the Israeli daily Ha’aretz. Last week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told his Cabinet that he had asked the United States for the money, which would be used to build bypass roads and finance the dismantling of army bases in the event of a further redeployment.