'Thursday,
Thursday, September 22, 1949
DETROIT JEWISH CHRONICLE
Second Suez to Aqaba
Is the Dream of Israel
MADRAS, India—(World News Services)—That President Weiz-
mann stated some time ago that he personally had suggested to
President Truman that Aqaba be given Israel so that Israel might
build a second canal between the.;
Mediterranean and the Red Sea
has been reported here by the
newspaper "The Hindu."
President Weizmann is alleged
to have advahced this plan in
view of his fears that some time
in the future Egypt might "close
the Suez to Israeli traffic and
Iraq might close the routes to the
Persian Gulf."
In telling the story the Indian
newspaper gave many details
about the importance of Aqaba
which continues to remain a tense
spot on Israel's border.
• • •
EXPIRES IN 20 YEARS
THE CONCESSION of Suez ex-
pires in 20 years unless renewed.
Several years ago, the company
attempted to have it renewed, but
failed, and there is not the least
hope in the world that it would
succeed now.
Egypt has the right to acquire
the canal at the expiration of the
term. Therefore the company,
Britain, the U.S. and other inter-
ested powers must make their
preparations now for the future
so as not to leave the most im-
, portant of all highways at the
mercy of any chance event.
The real importance of Suez,
however, is in global strategy.
The commander of the Transjor-
dan Arab Legion, Glubb Pasha
put the matter succinctly: "What
Panama is to the U. S., Egypt is
to Britain. What the South Amer-
ican continent is to the U. S., the
Middle East is to Britain. Let's
have a Middle East Monroe Doc-
trine!"
A Middle East Monroe Doctrine
must have a Middle East "Pana-
ma" and also a canal. This is
where the alternative route comes
in. It is proposed to link the Med-
iterranean Sea with the Red Sea
via the Gulf of Aquaba.
That gulf forms the eastern
boundary of the Sinai Peninsula,
of . which Suez is the western
boundary. The gulf bites deeply
into the desert and offers a par-
allel canal.
• • • •
STRATEGIC VALUE
AT THE HEAD of the Gulf
stands the Arab village of Aqaba,
inhabited by some 500 persons,
near the junction of four fron-
tiers—Transjordan, Egypt, Saudi
Arabia and Palestine. The village
is safely within Transjordan, and
thereby hangs a tale that casts a
light on the great significance of
this insignificant oasis in the des-
ert land.
Aqaba has a strategic impor-
tance which is not new. This was
the port from which King Solo-
mon launched his ships on an ex-
pedition to Ophir from where the
building material for his temple
was to come. Much later, the Cru-
saders built a castle here, and its
ruins may be seen to this day.
Early this century the Ottoman
Empire claimed Aqaba, while
Britain laid clown the law that it
was part of Egypt, then a British
protectorate. During World War
I the Turks took the village, ready
to repulse the attack of the Brit-
ish from the side of the sea. In-
stead of that, the attack was
launched from the land side, un-
der the leadership of Lawrence of
Arabia.
The tiny village became a pawn
Rosh Hashonah Greetings
Mr. and Mrs.
Max Schreiber
Economy Printing Co.
9123 TWELFTH STREET
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[;R. WEIZMANN
•
•
•
in a big power chessboard game,
and for good reason. Egypt was
turning away from Britain, And
the possibility of an alternative
canal route to link the Mediter-
ranean with the Red Sea was can-
vassed.
In the deep desert of Arabia
there arose a mighty warrior,
leader of the fanatic Wahhabi
sect, Ibn Saud, who contested
Hussein's right to the Iledjaz
throne, and besieged him in Aqa-
ba.
'If he had stormed Into that vil-
lage he would have obtained con-
trol of a key position. In order
to stall him off, the British gov-
ernment took poor King Hussein
to Cyprus to cry over the loss of
his throne. Ibn Saud was halted
several miles away. This, in spite
of the fact that he was Britain's
friend and on the London Arab
office payroll.
• • •
BENEFIT TO ABDULLAH
THE FRONTIER was drawn in
such a way as to leave Aqaba
within Transjordan. King Ibn
Saud wrathfully refused to rec-
ognize the new boundary, which
is not demarcated even today.
The Egyptian frontier runs a
few miles to the west of Aqaba,
and to the north is Palestine.
There is little doubt that in the
settlement of the Palestine issue
Great Britain will throw her
weight on the side of the King
Abdullah, so that the route of the
proposed canal should be across
land controlled by him.
That excellent periodical "India
and Israel" recalls that it was two
Jews that saved Britain the Suez
Canal, the empire's lifeline. The
magazine quotes Andre Maurois'
"Disraeli" in telling the story of
Jewish effort on behalf of the em-
pire. ,
"On Nov. 15, 1875," Maurois
writes, "Fredrick Greenwood,
the editor of the 'Pall Mall Gaz-
ette,' called upon Lord Derby at
the Foreign Office. He had dined
on the previous evening with a
financier well versed in Egyptian
affairs, and had learned that the
Khedive, being short of money,
was desirous of pledging his 177,
000 shares in the Suez Canal.
There were in all 400,000 Suez
shares.
"Greenwood considered that it
was in England's interest to ac-
quire the Khedive's holding, as
the canal was the highway to In-
dia. Derby showed no great en-
thusiasm; he had a horror of
large projects.
"But Disraeli's imagination was
fired. He telegraphed to the Brit-
ish agent in Egypt and learned
that the Khedive had given an
option to a French syndicate for
3,680,000 English pounds up to the
following Tuesday.
'MUST BE DONE'
"The Khedive was glad enough
to deal with England, but he
required money at once. Parlia-
ment was not in session, and four
millions was not a sum which
could be taken on to the budget
without a vote of credit. Scarcely
breathing time! But the thing
must be done, wrote Disraeli to
the queen.
"The French government offer-
ed no obstacles; on the contrary,
the Due Decazes was very anxi-
ous for Disraeli's support against
Bismark, and discouraged the
French banks, who renounced
their option. But 4,000,000 Eng-
lish pounds had to be found.
On the day of the cabinet's de-
liberation, Montagu Corry was
posted in the ante-room. The
chief put his head round the half-
open door, and said one word:
'Yes.'
Ten minutes later Corry was in
New Court at Rothschild's whom
he found at table. He told him
that Disraeli needed four millions
on the following day.
"Rothschild was eating grapes.
He took one, spit out the skin and
said: "What is your security?'
" 'The British governtnent.'
"'You shall have it.'
Later. " 'Mr. Disraeli, with his
humble duty to your majesty:
"'It is just settled. You have
it, madam ... Four millions sterl-
ing. There was only one firm that
could do it—Rothschild's. They
behaved admirably; advanced
the money at a low rate and the
entire interest of the Khedive is
now yours, madam.'
"The queen was overjoyed.
Never had Disraeli seen her so
smiling; she kept him to dinner.
"What particulary delighted
the queen was the thought of
Bismark's fury, for only shortly
before he had insolently declared
that England had ceased to be a
political force."
Rosh Hashonah
Greetings
SHERUTH
LEAGUE
Parkside Hebrew PTO
Holds Birthday Affair
The second anniversary party
of the PTO of the Parkside He-
brew School was held Sept. 13.
Plans for the coming season are
being arranged. For information,
call Mrs. G.' Hyams, president,
UN. 2-9164.
Mrs. Saul Krieger,
President
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