Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

Hussein gives reasons for crackdown on PLO by Gil Sedan JERUSALEM (JTA) —King Hussein has explained why he cracked down on the Palestine Liberation Organization leadership in Jordan and claimed that a “silent majority” in the West Bank sup ports his policies but has yet to make itself heard. Hussein, who appears to have embarked on a master plan to “lib erate” the West Bank from PLO influence, held a press conference last week in Amman for the West ern media—his second last week — to which he invited foreign journal ists permanently stationed in Jer usalem. He told them the image they had that most Palestinians in the West Bank support the PLO was erroneous. He said he shut down the offices of El Fatah in Amman two weeks ago because of its interference in a parliamentary election in Irbid, Jordan’s second largest city, its involvement in a clash between students and police at Yarmuk University in Irbid and because of its constant criticism of Jordan’s West Bank policy. El Fatah is the terrorist arm of the PLO, supportive of Yasir Ara fat. It has long been considered to command the support of most West Bank Arabs either voluntarily or by intimidation. Hussein appears determined to create new political facts in the territory. He made clear, however, that Jordan would not make a separate peace with Israel. He said he saw no signs of a new American peace initiative in King Hussein the region in the immediate future. Hussein has some influential backers in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. One of Arafat’s former aides, Col. Atallah Atallah—also known as Abu Al-Zaim—denounced Arafat as a dictator and said it was time to say “yes” to Israel. Atallah was formerly head of PLO intelli gence. Rashad A-Shawa, the former mayor of Gaza, said in Amman that the PLO had done nothing for the Palestinian people but attempt to force its will on those interested in a political solution. Shawa has recently spoken out for an interim settlement with Israel. He praised Jordan’s decision to grant Jordan ian passports to residents of the Gaza Strip. But if there is grass roots sup port for Hussein’s policies in the territories, it has yet to manifest itself. A home of its own The Southern Israelite The Weekly Newspaper For Southern Jewry 'Since 1925' Hassan has long record of contacts with Israelis by David Landau JERUSALEM (JTA) —King Hassan of Morocco has a long record of high-level contacts with Israelis, although Prime Minister Shimon Peres’ surprise visit to that country Monday night as the king’s guest is the first publicly acknowl edged summit-level dialogue be tween the two countries. Peres is known to have visited Hassan at least twice during the period 1977-1984 when he was leader of the Labor opposition. And Hassan played host to Yitz hak Rabin when he was prime min ister of Israel in the mid-1970s, though Rabin’s trip to Rabat was undertaken in strictest secrecy. Hassan’s quest for Middle East peace accelerated after Likud came to power in Israel under Prime Minister Menachem Begin in 1977. He hosted two crucial secret nego Shimon Peres tiating sessions with then Foreign Minister Moshe Dyan and Hassan Tohamey, a senior aide to Egyp tian President Anwar Sadat. Those sessions are said to have paved the way for Sadat’s visit to Jerusalem on Nov. 19, 1977, the Camp David meetings between Sadat and Begin a year later and the subsequent peace treaty between Egypt and Israel. Hassan invited Begin to Moroc co. But the latter, according to Israeli sources, insisted that a visit be open and official and Hassan demured. Last year the Moroccan ruler publicly invited Peres to meet with him, “but only if he comes with a real peace plan.” Shortly afterwards, Hassan ap pealed to the Arab world to select one of its leaders to meet with Peres for an exchange of views on peace. In March 1986, he said he himself would accept the assign ment. But there was no response from other Arab heads of state. Some analysts here attribute the timing of Hassan’s latest invita- See Hassan, page 20. Epstein School plans ’87 relocation by Vida Goldgar When the Harry H. Epstein Sol omon Schechter School opens its doors for the 1987 school year it will have its own building for the first time since its founding. Announcement was made this week that after the current school year, the Epstein School will relo cate from Ahavath Achim Syn agogue’s classrooms to the Under wood Hills Elementary School, one of several public schools which are being closed due to population shifts. Gary Snyder, Epstein School president, says July 8 was “the most historic date of the school since its inception 13 years ago.” July 8 was the day that the Fulton County Board of Education ap proved a plan to make the Under wood Hills School in North Fulton County available for lease by the Epstein School beginning in Sep tember 1987. Except for the document prepa ration, lease details were firmed up on Monday, July 14, between the superintendent’s office representing the Board of Education and Snyder and Sol Singer of the Epstein School Site Committee. The lease, Snyder says, is on an annual renewable basis, with Epstein School having Rabbi Epstein, Cheryl Finkel and Gary Snyder check out the Underwood Hills School. right of first refusal in the event Fulton County decides to sell the property at a future time. “The Epstein School will finally have its own building,” Snyder says, “a permanent home, some thing the staff, board and parents have been looking forward to for a long time.” The school began when a number of members of the Ahavath Achim Congregation felt the need for a Solomon Schechter day school in Atlanta to serve parents who wanted a Conservative day school educa tion for their children. Although the Epstein School was developed as an independent institution, it has been housed in the synagogue’s classrooms and, Snyder says, much of its support and leadership comes from the congregation. The coop erative arrangement included the Epstein School’s operating the congregation’s Early Childhood Program until the first of this month, when it was consolidated into the Epstein School. The arrangement was mutually beneficial during the school’s initial growth period, Snyder said, but the increasing enrollment over the past few years has resulted in more students than the Ahavath Achim space can hold, necessitating wait ing lists for certain classes. The Early Childhood Program enrollment increased from 54 in the 1982-83 school year to 128 for 1985-86, with 143students projected for this coming year. Grades 1-7 have increased from 105 in 1982-83 to 138 in 1985-1986, with 173 pro jected for 1986-87. By 1987, when the school moves to Underwood Hills, the enrollment is projected to be 364. It is clear from these numbers, Snyder said, that the already crowded classrooms will not be adequate for the future. Thus, the search began, culminating with the arrangement with Underwood Hills School, which Ahavath Achim is currently leasing for its afternoon Hebrew School classes, a relation ship which the Epstein School an ticipates will continue. Sec Epstein, page 20.