U.S. gathering offers stage for Israel's views on Mideast crisis

CHICAGO - A gathering of Jewish leaders from around the world - once intended to celebrate the Middle East peace process - has become a forum for U.S. Jews to show their allegiance to Israel, organizers said Sunday.

The General Assembly of United Jewish Communities, which runs through Wednesday, is ''ground zero for North American Jews at a time when we stand to show solidarity with Israel,'' said Michael Kotzin, a local Jewish Federation official.

With violence continuing between Israelis and Palestinians in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and Israel, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak was scheduled to address about 5,000 people at a conference-sponsored rally on Monday.

Barak has said he doubts President Clinton will be able to end the violence that has raged for six weeks. Clinton met with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat this week and was scheduled to meet the Israeli leader on Sunday.

Kotzin said he hoped Barak's speech would counter what he called Arafat's efforts to turn public opinion against Israel by initiating violence.

''Arafat is emboldened if he thinks he is winning the battle for public opinion,'' Kotzin said. ''The key message (to Israelis) is they're not alone. North American Jewry stands with them.''

Kotzin said U.S. Jews - especially young ones who might not remember earlier struggles - were becoming increasingly conscious of their ties to the Jewish state.

''Dormant feelings are out again in a powerful way,'' he said. ''This is a moment where we can re-establish the connection an earlier generation had.''

The prime minister will attempt to end confusion about the recent violence and reach out to U.S. Jews - many of whom questioned concessions Barak offered during Camp David peace talks in July, said Nachman Shai, the prime minister's coordinator of information policy.

''Barak is coming to give answers,'' Shai said. ''He will mobilize American Jewry because this is not only a military crisis, it is a conscience crisis.''

Palestinian-American groups have promised to bring thousands of people to protest Barak's speech.

''The only thing that's galvanizing public opinion against Israel is Israel killing Palestinian children who are throwing rocks against helicopter gunships, tanks and missiles,'' said Palestinian-American Congress official Fadi Zanayed.

Israeli opposition leader Ariel Sharon was scheduled to address the Chicago gathering on Tuesday. The hawkish former general has repeatedly denied charges that he sparked the recent violence, which has led to at least 200 deaths, mostly Palestinian.

On Sunday, one Palestinian was killed in a stone-throwing clash near a checkpoint between Israel and the Gaza Strip. Hospital officials said the Israeli army fired live ammunition.

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On the Net:

United Jewish Communities: http://www.ujc.org/

Palestinian-American Congress: http://www.palpac.org/