JERUSALEM — Put some 60 Jewish politicians from 23 different countries in the Knesset, and there’s generally bound to be some debate.
But when the issue at hand is security, terrorism and its recent effects on Israel and the United States, there tends to be more agreement than discord, even among seasoned politicians.
“We in the U.S. now have a better idea of what terrorism is and what Israel has gone through all these years,” Rep. Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.) said. “I’m not here to tell Israelis what to do but, as part of the U.S. partnership, to offer any kind of assistance or work with them in helping Israel in its time of need.”
The legislators were attending the Sixth International Conference of Jewish Ministers and Members of Parliament. The event was sponsored by the Israeli Forum, a nonprofit organization that works to increase contacts between Israeli and diaspora Jews.
During the five-day event, participants heard from their own numbers as well as Israeli Knesset members, writers, academics and security officials.
They discussed Jewish education, immigration to Israel and the status of women in Israel. They heard about contemporary anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism and the formation of an international commission, created by Israel’s Foreign Ministry, to combat the former.
Most of the time, however, the participants discussed the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, the security situation and — the most popular topic — terrorism.
On Wednesday, a delegation of five members of Congress refused to meet with Palestinian Authority Chairman Yassir Arafat in light of what they called “evidence beyond a reasonable doubt” of direct involvement by the Palestinian Authority in weapons smuggling and terrorism.
The representatives cited the capture by Israel of 50 tons of weapons the Palestinian Authority was attempting to smuggle into Gaza. The group included Representatives Gary Ackerman (D-N.Y.), Peter Deutsch (D-Fla.), Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.), Barney Frank (D-Mass.) and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.)
For many participants, the conference was a solidarity mission to Israel, like dozens of other organized trips that have brought Jews to Israel in the past 15 months.
For others, it was an opportunity to gain insider information about the security situation, and consider how to apply the lessons back home.
The American politicians — particularly the New Yorkers — repeatedly referred to the Sept. 11 terror attacks, which they said have sharpened their attitudes about the importance of national security, the U.S.-Israel relationship and battling terrorism.
“Sept. 11 proved that we all live in the same lousy neighborhood,” Ackerman said. “We must learn a common language in order to learn how to respond.”
On Monday, a range of Israeli Knesset members and Jewish lawmakers presented their perspectives on the war against terrorism
From the Israeli side, there was a range of politicians from the right and left, including Israeli Arab legislator Ahmed Tibi, Minister Without Portfolio Dan Meridor and legislator Yosef “Tommy” Lapid, a member of the secular Shinui Party.
As a group, they discussed the ramifications of the intifada, whether Israel can leave its West Bank settlements and how military action — including targeted assassinations of suspected Palestinian terrorists — affects the overall security situation.
Nevertheless, none of the politicians pretended to know how to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
“Nobody from the outside can tell Israel how to handle this,” said Elizabeth Pittermann, a member of the Vienna City Council and a former member of Austria’s Parliament. “That can only be solved by the Israeli government and its people and considering what’s best for the country.”