Hillary Backs Saudi Peace Plan At Press Roundtable

As violence raged unabated in the Middle East last week, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton threw her support behind a controversial Saudi peace initiative for the embattled region. She expressed her enthusiasm for Crown Prince Abdullahs peace plan at a roundtable discussion with Queens weekly press at Antuns Restaurant in Queens Village.
Her comments came as the initiative floated by the Saudis gained momentum in the Middle East and drew widespread skepticism from the Queens Jewish community and many of the boroughs political leaders.
"The Saudi plan holds great promise," Clinton said. "Its the first time that a high-ranking Saudi has proposed a solution to the violence in the Middle East."
She was filled with praise for the Saudis, calling their plan "good for the region and a way to build security and peace" in the troubled Middle East.
"On the other hand," she said, "Im disappointed in Chairman Arafat."
Contrary to the opinion voiced by New Yorks junior senator, Congressman Anthony Weiner, Democrat of Forest Hills, expressed firm opposition to the Saudi plan, adding that he had spoken to many Jewish leaders who shared his view.
"I approach this issue with understandable skepticism," he said. "Im concerned about Israeli security under this plan from Saudi Arabia."
Congressman Joseph Crowley, a Democrat of Jackson Heights, concurred with Weiner, saying that he favored a plan to settle the unrest in the Middle East, but was suspect of the Saudis.
"I cant think of another country that has worse PR than Saudi Arabia," he said. "In the final analysis, the Israelis have to decide whether to accept the plan."
Congressman Gary Ackerman, a Bayside Democrat, called the Saudi peace plan lacking in credibility. He cited the Saudis for permitting groups inside the country to foment hatred and for financing terrorism.
"Its a good thing that the plan was broached," he said. "But Im concerned about a return to the 1967 borders. The Israelis won that war and to the victor belongs the spoils."
Ackerman is the ranking Democrat on the House Middle East Subcommittee and recently returned from Saudi Arabia.
None of Clintons colleagues from Queens reached by The Queens Courier would comment on her support for the Saudi peace plan.
Ido Aharoni, a spokesman for the Israeli Consulate in New York said that the "so-called Saudi peace plan is just an idea, not a plan. He acknowledged, however, that the Israeli government is willing to look at a real plan.
"Diplomacy has to be worked out in private and not in the pages of The New York Times," he said, a reference to Times columnist Thomas Friedman who broke the story after a meeting with Crown Prince Abdullah.
Aharoni would not comment on Clintons support of the Saudi peace plan, saying it was not his place to do so.
Queens Jewish leaders contacted were all sharply critical of the Saudi plan.
Rabbi William Orentlicher of the Bayside Jewish Center called the Saudi plan "suspicious and unbelievable." He said the Saudis were an unlikely nation to call for peace in the Middle East.
"It would be different if it came from Egypt," he said.
Rabbi Steven M. Graber of the Whitestone Hebrew Center called the peace plan the idea of one man, Crown Prince Abdullah. He agreed that it was a positive sign an "overture" but questioned demands that Israel give up land.
Rabbi Mayer Perelmuter of the Reform Temple of Forest Hills said he was "puzzled" by the peace plan and wondered whether it was a "PR gambit."
"The terrorists who blew up the World Trade Center," he said, "were Saudis and Osama bin Laden is a Saudi national and so Im suspicious."
The Anti-Defamation League also expressed doubt about the Saudi initiative. Joel Levy, the agencys New York Regional Director, said he didnt know if Abdullahs plan would be raised at the Arab League meeting coming up.
"We monitor the Saudi press and it has been virulently anti-Zionist," he said.