European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 28, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 10 columns the stars and stripes . Rosenthal . Must follow up on Baker s Mideast speech considerable Good or great evil can come out of the speech on the mid dle East delivered by Secretary of state James a. Baker this week. To a Large extent the Choice will rest with him and the president he serves. Already the Israel haters Are slavering at the thought that the speech Means the United states is getting ready to dump Israel or Cut it off from economic and military support unless it follows Washington s instructions. There is no evidence that was Baker s intention. But thai is the impression being spread. It is the responsibility of Baker and president Bush to step on that impression hard and fast if it is untrue. Baker chose an audience of american supporters of Israel to spell out what the United states wants from arabs and from israelis a lot from both. From Israel he asked an end to the expectation of absorbing Gaza and the West Bank and a halt to jewish settlement in those territories. Me asked the israelis to reopen West Bank schools. He asked them to reach out to palestinians As neighbors who de serve political rights. To the palestinians he said the United slates would not support a palestini an state and asked them to Stop plotting to take Over All Israel step by step. Lie asked them to rescind inc covenant calling Lor the extinction oils race. He asked them to accept As a real opening the elections proposed by prime minister Yitzhak Shamir. Me told the palestinians not to expect As they do the United states to deliver Israel to them. From the Arab world in general he asked an end to the economic Boycott of Israel and repudiation of the holy War line thai zionism is racism. He asked them for Concrete accommodation with Israel which they have hysterically refused to recognize As a rightful part of the Middle East. None of those positions were entirely new but Baker speaking for inc Bush administration was trying to pet the at Tention of israelis and arabs. He did. The speech was widely reported As Cool even handed and Neutral to Tough about Israel. For Many israelis and american jews that idea was a Shock. And Why not if you live in a Nasty neighbourhood and have to fight for your life every Day for 40 years it certainly would be shocking if your Best Friend and supporter suddenly decided he was taking off so Long buddy. But i read the full speech three limes and do not get the feeling that was the message. Yes Baker was saying the Bush administration is not wildly Happy with the israelis. But he had warm things to say about inc american israeli Alli Ance and Clear Basic criticism of the arabs parts of his speech that have not received much attention. All right inc Man is not a sentimental Shmaltz herring but neither is he an ice cube. Any change in american policy will worry israelis. They have much to worry about. No Arab nation is threatened by the existence of Israel. But a whole world of moslem nations yearns to destroy the single jewish state. At least three Syria Iraq. Libya have missiles trained on her. Many israelis would give most of the West Bank to non statehood palestinian self government for real peace not a rehearsed mumble by Yasser Arafat. But virtually All israelis insist that the Border be redrawn so Israel could keep essential Security Points. Baker was unclear about that. But i am told As we say that his speech did not mean it had to be every mile of the West Bank Lea a that to negotiations. Unhappily he did not Point out that the tragedy in the Middle East has been caused by 40 years of rejection of the existence of Israel by inc whole Arab world. That is not Only a historical reality but the basis of israeli fears struggles and determination. Baker and Bush do not expect Syria to embrace Israel nor Iraq Iran or Libya to Send cakes and Honey. Therefore a fundamental Clement of the Baker approach that Israel should give up inc West Bank As part of an understand ing that the Arab states accept her in the Middle East club is still More of a Wist Ful concept than a specific proposal. But having taken its stand the United states must indeed demand specific actions from the arabs in Exchange for land not just a few phrases of intent. Otherwise Baker s speech will become not the tool for peace he intended but one More weapon with which Israel s enemies will try to destroy her. You Don t have to be sentimental about Israel to Sec that but it docs help. C no Yolk times Tom Wicker Baker s balanced View is what bothers Israel prime minister Yitzhak Shamir May say James Baker s forthright advice to the israelis and the palestinians was  but the Secretary of state probably put his Finger on Shamir s real complaint when he replied i you look at the speech in its entirety you Sec that it was very  just so. And thai May be what most bothers Shamir and some other israelis. Baker was even handed in his approach urging certain Steps for peace on both Israel and the palestini ans not merely on the latter. Nor did his counsel to Israel depend on prerequisite palestinian concessions. To the palestinians Baker said pointedly speak with one voice be constructive Amend the Plo Char Ter that Calls for the elimination of Israel shift from violence to dialogue and understand that no one ingoing to deliver Israel for  to the israelis with equal Force Baker said to Lay aside once and for All. The unrealistic Visk Miof a greater Israel forget annexation of the West Bank and Gaza Stop israeli  allow schools to reopen there. To both he added reach out to the other in peace and As neighbors. Such Cven handed Ness has not been popular with israeli leaders Al least since 1969, when William Scran ton made a preliminary recommendation to the Nixon administration for such a policy and Secretary of state William p. Rogers then tried to pursue it. Israeli governments believing themselves in the right on questions concerning their Arab neighbors and the palestinians do not want merely to be treated equally. They think they deserve inc kind of preference they usually have received from . Administrations notably Ronald Reagan s. Despite Baker s Cven handed Ness. However and what Seymour Reich chairman of the conference of presidents of major american jewish organizations called the coldness of the speech the Secretary of stale put himself strongly behind the election process advocated by Shamir. It was he said an initiative that has Given us some thing to work  therefore palestinians in the territories not the Plo should help define inc shape and the essential elements of this initiative and not shy from a dialogue with Israel that can transform the current environment and move the situation beyond elections. Hats not useless advice to the palestinians if Shamir believes in his own initiative and accepts its implications they necessarily include palestinian self government not necessarily a palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza. Nor can it be useless to advise israelis to give up the unrealistic vision of a greater Israel if the election initiative is honest and not a Sham to strengthen is Rael s grip on the territories. Reports from Israel suggest that Shamir still has not won support for his election initiative from members of his hard line liked party which supports greater Israel an Israel including the West Bank Gaza and the Golan Heights. Baker s advice to forget that unrealistic vision no doubt makes it harder for Shamir to win the necessary support. But if Shamir s own party insists on greater Israel come what May the elections would have Little meaning and palestinians hardly could be expected to support them. Baker suggested How to make the elections More palatable to palestinians if not to the liked when he alluded to the possibility of outside  to ensure Confidence in the integrity of the elections an International observer group could be com posed of prestigious representatives from the ., the soviet Union and a non aligned state perhaps Sweden. Former president Carter who ably monitored the panamanian elections and is Well informed on Middle East issues might head the . Delegation possibly the entire group. Apart from All its other aspects Baker s notable speech performed one Long delayed but Long needed function it Laid Down to Bolh sides what the United states expects and will support from either. Neither palestinians nor israelis May Tike to be told that some of their dreams arc unrealistic but m the Long run both need most to know where washing ton stands. Baker has told them Cven hand edly candidly clearly thai s useless Only to those who will not listen. C new Yak times