Leader Assails Perception of Harassment as False : Jewish Group Vows Fairness for Jackson

A top official of a key national Jewish organization charged Tuesday that the perception of the Rev. Jesse Jackson’s advisers that Jewish groups only were interested in harassing Jackson and not according him a fair hearing was “false, unfortunate and offensive.”

Malcolm Hoenlein, executive director of the Conference of Major American Jewish Organizations, singled out Gerald F. Austin, Jackson’s presidential campaign manager, as adhering to that view. But in an interview with The Times, Austin said that at no time did he say Jewish groups wanted to harass the candidate.

“I didn’t say Jews were harassing us,” Austin said. “I don’t think I owe anybody an apology since I didn’t say that. What I said was I’m tired of being harassed by the press asking about whether we are going to meet with any Jewish groups.”

Terse Reply to Invitation

Hoenlein said Jackson was invited last October to address one of the conference’s presidential forums. The reply, which arrived last month, was a terse note that Jackson’s schedule left him with no time to speak, Hoenlein said.

“We invited Jesse Jackson in good faith,” Hoenlein said. “Other candidates accepted the same invitation and were accorded respectful hearings in which they expressed their views on issues of vital concern to the Jewish community and on other matters of general concern.”

Hoenlein said that the same treatment would be given to Jackson should he accept and that the invitation remained open.

The exchange underlines a problem Jackson has faced since he began campaigning for the New York primary--his reluctance to address a Jewish group despite concerns raised about his stand in favor of a Palestinian state and his reference during the 1984 campaign to New York as “Hymietown.” He later apologized at the national convention that year for the remark.

Two Rivals Spoke to Group

Rivals Massachusetts Gov. Michael S. Dukakis and Tennessee Sen. Albert Gore Jr. have addressed the conference, composed of 44 national Jewish secular and religious organizations. Jewish voters traditionally play an important part in Democratic presidential primaries in the Empire State, contributing roughly a quarter of the vote.

Jackson is prepared during all campaign appearances to respond to all questions put to him but “there is no reason for putting him on trial for statements four years ago,” said Austin, who is Jewish. “He (Jackson) is not anti-Semitic.”

Mayor Edward I. Koch on Tuesday continued his criticism of Jackson, likening his decision not to meet with Jewish leaders to Dukakis or Gore rejecting an invitation from the NAACP to explain views pertinent to the black community.

“They wouldn’t dare do that,” Koch said. “ . . . What is an election all about? No one is asking him (Jackson) to change his positions.”

Response to Koch’s Criticism

Jackson finally responded Monday to repeated criticism by the mayor, who had charged that Jews would be “crazy” to vote for Jackson because of his positions on Israel. Koch also had attacked Jackson’s domestic programs, alleging that they would bankrupt the country within three weeks and leave it without defenses.

“We all know it was unfortunate in a city where we were working on healing for a leader to scream fire in a theater and therefore threaten to rupture delicate relationships,” Jackson said. “We deserve better leadership than that.”

In a debate between the three presidential contenders Tuesday, Jackson advocated, as he has in the past, a Palestinian homeland, but with “strong and secure borders for Israel.”

“While we can guarantee secure borders,” he told several thousand people, including many of his supporters, in Madison Square Garden’s Felt Forum, “we cannot ensure tranquility so long as there is occupation.”