HOSTAGE CRISIS IN LEBANON : Effective Lobbying : Israel Moves Quickly to Avoid Blame

Fearing damage to its relations with the United States, Israel has moved swiftly to blunt suggestions that its abduction of a Muslim sheik last week should be blamed for the reported hanging of Marine Lt. Col. William R. Higgins by his Islamic captors.

And if signs Tuesday were any indication, the Israeli campaign of private lobbying and television interviews is working. Both the White House and key legislators on Capitol Hill backed away from criticism that Israel helped precipitate the United States’ latest hostage crisis.

The coordinated effort illustrated that American Jewish groups, though divided over Israeli politics and the handling of the uprising in the occupied territories, still coalesce strongly behind Israel’s response to suspected terrorists.

Role of Israel Lobby

Moreover, the quick impact in official Washington clearly reflected the influence that the Israel lobby wields in shaping American opinion.

In his initial public comment on Israeli commandos’ abduction in Lebanon of Sheik Abdel Karim Obeid, a suspected terrorist planner, President Bush appeared critical of Israel, saying, “I don’t think kidnaping and violence help the cause of peace.”

On Monday, after reports surfaced of Higgins’ murder in retaliation for the abduction, the matter suddenly took shape as a potential diplomatic disaster. Israel’s response came on various levels.

“Given the erosion of Israel’s image since the intifada (the Palestinian uprising that began in December, 1987), it was vital to Israel” to counter suggestions that Israel bore responsibility for Higgins’ death, said Frederick W. Axelgard, a fellow in Middle East studies at Georgetown University’s Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Israel restated its offer to swap all Lebanese Shiite Muslim prisoners that it held in exchange for all Israeli and foreign prisoners in Shiite hands in Lebanon. If such a trade came to fruition, it could turn a diplomatic crisis into a triumph.

The next stage was a media campaign apparently orchestrated at the highest levels of the government in Israel and in the Israeli Embassy in Washington.

By Tuesday morning, Israeli officials had appeared on the evening news programs, on ABC-TV’s “Nightline” interview show and on two of the three network morning programs.

Lauren Block, who booked the Israelis for ABC-TV’s “Good Morning America,” said she had the impression that the Israeli Foreign Ministry was gathering the interview requests and deciding which Israeli official would appear on which American program.

When “Nightline” called for Israeli Cabinet Minister Ehud Olmert, his office even furnished the phone number of an Israeli television station where he could be reached immediately, so that the appearance could be arranged.

Aided by Consultants

A media plan also was organized for appearances on local television stations, organized by Ambassador Moshe Arad and aided by 10 consultants stationed across the United States, according to David Peleg, a spokesman for the Israeli Embassy.

“They were very upset by Dole,” said “CBS This Morning” associate producer Didi Wallerstein, referring to a statement by Senate Minority Leader Bob Dole (R-Kan.) that “perhaps a little more responsibility on behalf of the Israelis would be refreshing.”

While Israeli officials labored to counter that impression in their television interviews, a private lobbying effort was launched by U.S. Jewish groups to convince Administration and congressional leaders that Israel was blameless.

Jess Hordes, Washington director of the Anti-Defamation League, said the effort was not orchestrated but rather was “people flying by the gut, based on the whole issue.”

In the appearances and contacts, the spokesmen for the Israeli position strove to focus all blame for the affair on the Lebanese Muslims holding hostages. They raised questions about whether Higgins was really killed Monday or whether he might have died earlier, with the videotape of his reported hanging released only now to unfairly impugn Israel.

They expressed sympathy to the American people over Higgins’ reported death, striking a clear contrast with the remorselessness of terrorists. They also emphasized Israel’s reputation as the No. 1 terrorist target and noted that their nation’s commando raid was not extraordinary. Even the United States has captured terrorist suspects overseas and brought them to trial, they recalled.

When ABC anchorman Peter Jennings asked Israeli Ambassador Arad on Monday night whether Israel had consulted the United States before it “went in to kidnap” Sheik Obeid, Arad stopped him:

“Well, we don’t see, first of all, this as kidnaping, Peter,” Arad said.

“But if you go and take him from one country to the other,” Jennings asked, “what do you call it beside kidnaping?”

“Well,” Arad responded, “you call it apprehending. . . .”

By Tuesday, the media blitz appeared to have made inroads, and criticism of Israel was abating. On Tuesday, Dole softened his comments, saying that no one was to blame for Higgins’ apparent death except those who hanged him, and in daily briefings the White House repeatedly emphasized Israel’s status as a close U.S. ally.

While the American Jewish community clearly was concerned by initial U.S. reaction to the reported hanging, some U.S. experts said that the fears may have been exaggerated.

“The Israelis are unnecessarily nervous,” said Robert E. Hunter, a White House Middle East expert during the Carter Administration. “The relationship between the United States and Israel is very firm, firmer than many Israelis often think.”