Quayle Backs Israel, Is Wary of PLO Stance

Vice President Dan Quayle, in his first major policy speech outside Washington, on Friday delivered a strong statement of continued American support for Israel during a troubled time, questioning the Palestine Liberation Organization’s commitment to peace and telling reporters that “we’re going to rely on Israel for the guidance of how we should proceed” in the Middle East.

However, referring to the handling of the 14-month Palestinian uprising, Quayle also chastised Israel, as did a State Department human rights report this week, and singled out for criticism the Israeli military.

“The status quo on the West Bank and the Gaza Strip is clearly unacceptable,” he said.

Even as the Bush Administration conducts a global review of foreign policy before moving ahead with any initiatives, Quayle assured a Jewish audience that the center of U.S. Middle East policy “remains strong and unwavering support for Israel’s security.”

His comments precede an expected stepping up of Administration contacts with Middle East leaders in coming months. President Bush is likely to meet with King Hussein of Jordan in Tokyo in mid-month at the funeral of Emperor Hirohito. Later, in Washington, he is likely to meet with Israeli leaders.

The vice president made his comments in a toughly worded speech to a meeting of the 400-member National Executive Committee of the Anti-Defamation League of B’nai B’rith. He was frequently interrupted by applause.

In a speech that an aide said reflects guidance laid down by the National Security Council, Quayle declared that although PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat has accepted the U.S. conditions for a dialogue with his organization, the Bush Administration will be wary in its dealings with him.

On Dec. 7, Arafat, in a move that opened the way to renewed U.S.-PLO contacts, said explicitly that the PLO accepts the existence of Israel and renounces terrorism. On Dec. 16, the first official contacts followed when Robert H. Pelletreau Jr., the U.S. ambassador to Tunisia, met with a PLO representative in Tunis.

“Let me tell you, my friends, we need more than press conference statements and semantics,” Quayle said. “We need to see real evidence of concrete actions by the PLO--actions for peace and against terrorism--before changing our fundamental attitude toward the PLO.”

Describing the PLO as “an umbrella organization” for various groups, including some that reject Israel’s right to exist and view terrorism as legitimate, Quayle said that the “nature of the PLO’s commitment to peace needs to be clarified.”

He said that lieutenants contradicting Arafat’s “peaceful protestations” have not been censured or disciplined. “What are we to make of this?” he asked.

“Once again, simple prudence obliges us to monitor Mr. Arafat and his organization very carefully and to probe his words very closely before arriving at a final determination,” he said.

Reflecting the U.S. policy of placing primary responsibility for “making the compromises, finding the solutions,” on those in the Middle East, Quayle said, “Israel knows what is in her national security interest, and we will support Israel.”

Talking with reporters aboard Air Force Two as he flew here, the vice president said the United States will rely on Israel’s guidance, adding, “Israel will take the lead in negotiations.”

And even as he seemed to criticize Israel over the handling of the uprising, he told reporters: “They are dealing with it on a daily basis. They know the sensitivities. They also know the international implications. They know the situation is intolerable.”

He said that “I don’t think there’s any doubt” that the Israeli Defense Forces can do a better job than they have to date in dealing with the uprising.

The daylong trip to Florida brought Quayle into contact with a variety of ethnic groups, from the Jewish organization meeting in Palm Beach to black students at an elementary school in the heart of Miami’s riot-scarred Liberty City, and then to the Cuban-American Bar Assn.