January 27, 2003

Lapid skips Western Wall on Jerusalem tour

By Nina Gilbert

The Western Wall was not on the Jerusalem tour of Shinui leader Yosef Lapid, who opted instead Sunday for a stroll through the heart of a city he is promising to make more livable for the secular, and a meeting at the center for Progressive Judaism.

Lapid issued an attack on Labor leader Amram Mitzna, warning that if he does not join the government it would be leaving it in the hands of the "extreme Right." He said such a government would bring on "endless bloodshed" and a "national tragedy."

Lapid he said he is certain that the Labor Party would not miss the opportunity to join a secular national-unity government, although Mitzna himself might not join.

At the same time, Lapid did not rule out joining a coalition with the National Religious Party, although he said he does not like the extreme ideas of its leader, Effi Eitam.

He also emphasized that United Torah Judaism is not a possible coalition partner for Shinui, saying the "Ashkenazi haredim are worse than the Sephardim, since they are more sophisticated at taking money [from the state]."

Lapid also said he is sure Prime Minister Ariel Sharon prefers a government with Shinui instead of the haredim, but other Likud figures might fight against Shinui.

Accompanied by security personnel and foreign journalists, Lapid made one of his last campaign efforts in the capital, considered one of the toughest sells for the party because of its religious population. He promised that despite Shinui's promising position in the polls the party would not take the predicted success for granted and would work "until the last minute."

While walking down Rehov Ben-Yehuda, Lapid was greeted by a mostly hostile crowd of haredi Herut activists who heckled him and called him a racist. But other secular residents took an interest in him and he promised them that he would make an effort to make the city a freer place for them.

Lapid concluded his day in the capital at Beit Shmuel, the center for Progressive Judaism, where he conceded that many people say they "don't know why they are planning to vote for Shinui." He said his explanation to them is that Shinui would serve as a "bridge" between the Right and Left for the peace process.

He said the Right on its own would never be able to reach a peace agreement with the Palestinians because they "don't want to concede anything," and their solution is to "rule by force." On the other hand, he said, the Left's willingness to withdraw unilaterally only "encourages Palestinian terror." Asked if he supports holding talks with the Palestinians while terror continues, Lapid said that Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat is not a peace partner, but talks should be held with more moderate Palestinians such as Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen).

Lapid said that if no talks would be held as long as there are terror attacks it would be in effect handing over control to the Hamas. He said Israel would have to demand that the Palestinian leadership work against terror and halt it before an agreement is reached. Lapid also says he believes that Israel should retain control of the Jordan Valley and cannot "build a wall through the heart of Jerusalem."

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