Breira Rejects Contention It is Trying to Divide Jewish Community

Robert Loeb, executive director of Breira, today rejected charges made this week by the Jewish Community Council of Greater Washington that his group is seeking to divide American Jewish support of Israel. He affirmed that Breira seeks only “intensive discussion and debate regarding specific policy options on how to accomplish our common goal of gaining Arab recognition of Israel.”

This approach, he noted, reflects “the deepest commitment and concern for Israel and encourages much broader participation in pro-Israel activities among various individuals and groups who constitute Israel’s supporters” in seeking to secure support for Israel’s legitimate right to a sovereign national existence within secure borders and the necessity of American aid.”

He also stated that the JCC’s claim that Breira would be “utilizing its forthcoming conference to spark a major political initiative on behalf of the PLO’s cause” is “patently false and slanderous.”

Referring to the position taken by the National Jewish Community Relations Advisory Council (NJCRAC) opposing direct or indirect contact between American Jews and PLO representatives or others advocating negotiations with the PLO, Loeb said this would mean a boycott by American Jews of Israeli “doves” like Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Matti Peled, and “hawks” like Gens. Arik Sharon, Moshe Dayan and Yehoshafat Harkabi who is now an advisor to Premier Yitzhak Rabin “who have each called for direct contacts between Israel and the PLO. Neither hawks nor doves, including Breira recommend negotiations with the PLO except to press for full recognition of Israel’s legitimate rights and to provide a realistic test of as yet inconclusive indications of Arab moderations.”

(The statements by the JCC and NJCRAC were in the Feb. 2 issue of the Bulletin.)