Purely Commentary

By PHILIP SLOMOVITZ

"Israel's Tragic Role in Suez Issue

Contrary to the wild speculations that Israel will benefit from
the current Suez Canal crisis, indications are that the poor little
new Jewish State may be the sufferer gather than the gainer.
Israel has been using the long route around South Africa's
Cape of Good Hope and has paid heavily for shipping. She could
have been the symbol of freedom—had Egypt been compelled to
live up to international agreements and to permit passage of
Israel ships through the Suez.
How can the great powers speak of freedom of the seas when
they are themselves guilty of having refused the enjoyment of
this freedom by another nation that is too small to enforce it
for herself?
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Distressing Flaws in deRopp's 'If I Forget Thee'

Dr. Robert S. deRopp is a scientist turned novelist. He writes
with remarkable skill, and many of the chapters in his historical
novel, "If I Forget Thee," hold the reader glued to the pages of
his book, published by St. Martin's Press (103 Park Ave., N.Y., 17).
But there is such a thing, even in literature, as being too skillful.
Dr. deRopp runs away with his appeals to passion and prejudice.
He is too dramatic and he condemns too much. A bit of caution
would have assured better reception for his book.
His story deals with the destruction of Jerusalem by Titus.
His tale is of the years 66 to 70 of the common era—of the events
during which the Sicarii and the Zealots fought for Jewish in-
dependence and lost their battle when Titus came on the scene.
"If I Forget Thee" is an appropriate title for a story about a
Jewish battle for independence. It is the "Im Eshkakhekh" from
the Psalms. But as developed by the scientist-narrator it loses
justification. Therein lies the failure at motivation—an important
rule in story-telling.
In deRopp's book, Lucius Cimber, who is torn between two
loyalties—Jewish and Roman—having learned that his mother
was Jewish, does the narrating. But Lucius does not hesitate to
fight against the Jews, although he upbraids the Romans and
pleads the cause of the Jews. It is mainly his love for Rebecca,
the daughter of the High Priest Ananias, that spurs him on to
fraternization with Jews.
The main factors in his adherence to his Roman loyalties is
his hatred for the Sicarii, who murdered his father; his contempt
for Rebecca's brother, Eleazar, a leader in the revolt against the
Romans, and his objection to the Zealots. They are all painted
as cruel, bloodthirsty, vengeful, unmerciful—the Sicarii especially
being described as a band of robbers and murderers.
Tile-author, through Lucius, speaks contemptuously also of
Simon Bar Giora (he refers to him as Simon ben Gioras). Bar
Giora's name is recorded in Jewish history as that of a hero in
revolt. But little is known about him, except the contempt in
which his activities are described in Josephus, and Josephus is
deRopp's guilde. Josephus also is one of the heroes of "If I Forget
Thee." He appears as the defeated Jewish general who sent over
to the Romans. This is historically true. So is the controversy
over him—Jews having referred to him as a "traitor," and the
debate as to w
_hether or not he was a traitor is continuing to
this day.
In justice to Dr. deRopp we must admit that the Sicarii—a
name given the patriots because of their use of the Sica, the
short dagger—are described by the Jewish historian Heinrich
Graetz as a band "of Zealots, grown wild and savage," who
"forgot the original aim of liberating their country, and turned
their attacks upon the foes of the latter into profit for them-
selves."
Simon bar Giora is described by Graetz as a "wild patriot"
who "brought terror to the hearts of the Romans." But if he
was a patriot fighting for his people's liberation, it was his job,
wasn't it?, to bring terror to the enemy's heart. Graetz described
his "reckless courage" and spoke of bar Giora as having been
"remarkable for his physical strength." And he relates that
bar Giora's end was that, captured, he was dragged in shame
through the streets of Rome and was thrown from the Tarpeian
rock.
Well, facts are facts. Dr. deRopp correctly names some of
the Jewish patriots, including Eleazar, bar Giora, John of
Gischala and others. The events he describes are, in the main,
accurate. It is his extremism, the bitterness with which he speaks
of the Sicarii and the patriots as "dogs" and as men motivated
only by terror that negates his objectives.
Furthermore, by glorifying Titus—Titus haRasha—the rogue
and the cruel one—as he is known in Jewish history—he does
Jewish history an injustice.
An historical fact that might have saved deRopp's descrip-
tion of Titus is that the cruel destroyer of the Temple and of
Jerusalem was, on occasions, compassionate with Jews—a friend-
ship for a select few that was motivated by the Roman general's
love for Berenice, the sister of Agrippa. It should have been
explained—as history explains it.
Also: at the' outset deRopp tells clearly and factually that
crucifixion was a Roman practice. But later in his story he
charges crucifixions up to the Jewish patriots whom he treats
as terrorists. That, too, is unjust in a narrative based on his-
torical occurrence.
Not all the Sicarii were bandits. Jews abhorred the cruci-
fixions and were victims of them. It was not necessary to scream,
through page after page of terror, bloodshed, murders, rape,
robbery, "in dealing with a battle for liberation from the Romans
battle first won by the Jews and then lost to Titus.
There also is a christological factor in deRopp's book. He
refers, time and again, to the followers of "the Rabbi Jesus,"
to the new sect of Christians, to Jews who followed - him. It is
a Christian's warm reaction to the origin of his faith. -
Another reaction to deRopp's novel: Granted that peaceful
negotiations with the Romans might have prevented the destruc-
tion of Jerusalem, historical truth points to the possibility of
added Roman tyranny imposed on the Jews whorft they sought
to oppress by suppressing their culture, whose religion they
wanted to wipe out. The battle was one of freedom for body
as well as . soul. It was a libertarian and religious freedom
struggle. In every revolt, there are objectionable elements. They
were to be found in the revolutionary forces under Washington.
There were such also in Judea. But how is it possible, today, to
ask us to brand all the Sicarii, Simon Bar Giora and their forces
as bandits? How can one possibly paint Titus as a saint? It can't
be done! Because he is extreme in his condemnation, Dr. deRopp
has weakened a novel that had such great possibilities.

Suez Crisis Revives Issue of Supply of
Arms for Israel; Hammarskjold Confident

(Copyright, 1956, ny The Jewish
Telegraphic Agency, Inc.)

JERUSALEM (JTA) — Israel
sat on the sidelines last week,
an interested spectator of the
efforts being made in London,
Paris and Washington to cope
with the dangerous Suez Canal
situation that the Great Pow-
ers themselves had helped to
create. The Israeli "wait and
see' policy was reportedly out-
lined by Foreign Minister
Golda Meir to a closed session
of the Knesset's Foreign Af-
fairs and. Security Committee.
Mrs. Meir is said to have
told the deputies that Israel
will be most cautious in mak-
ing sure that a race for stra-
tegic airfields in Israel is not
precipitated. She is reported to
have expressed the opinion that
there is now a more receptive
attitude in the West toward
Israel's arms requests.
Mrs. Meir met with Peter
Westlake, British Charge d'Af-
faires, at his request. One re-
port had it that Mr. Westlake
sounded out the Foreign Min-
ister on whether she would be
willing _ to go to London for
talks on the situation.
Last week's activities were
climaxed by England's sugges-
tion that British nationals get
out of Egypt, coupled with the
dispatch of troops to a state of
readiness and the calling up of
reservists.
The danger to Israel posed
by Egyptian President Nas-
ser's constant threats • was
raised in Commons by Labor
leader Hugh Gaitskell who,
at the same time, urged that
Britain's arms freeze on
Egypt be extended also to
Syria and Lebanon.
Mr. , Gaitskell insisted that
Nasser had given "clear
enough notice" of intention
of aggression against Israel
and warned that the Suez
seizure will constitute
a
greatly increased threat to
Israel. He warned that Bri-
tain was obligated under the
Tripartite Declaration of 1950
to go to the assistance of
either Israel or any Arab
state if it were attacked.
Prime Minister Sir An-
thony Eden drew severe cri-
ticism from the House when
he made a statement that
British policy in reference to
the Suez Canal was "alWays"
based on freedom of passage.
He was interrupted by shouts
of "Israel" from the Labor
benches.
After an exchange between
the Prime Minister and Sidney
Silverman, Labor M.P., Sir An-
thony admitted that his use of
the word "always" had not in-
cluded consideration of the
Egyptian blockade of the Canal
against Israeli shopping. In the
course of the discussion, Sir
Anthony insisted that Israel's
case was in another category,
because the current Egyptian
action would make the future
use of the canal solely depend-
ent on Egypt.
Mr. Silverman told him that
if Britain had held to the prin-
ciple of "always" and had
fought in Israel's behalf Bri-
tain's position now would be
much stronger. The Prime
Minister noted that the last
Labor government had taken
the question to the United Na-
tions and it had been dealt
with then.
T h e British government
will not alter its arms policy
in relation to Israel because
the nationalization of the
Suez Canal is "not related"
to the Israel-Arab question,
Lord John Hope, Joint For-
eign Under Secretary, de-
clared in Commons.
In Washington, President
Eisenhower made it clear that
it was the desire of the United
States to insure unrestricted
use of the Suez Canal.
Earlier, the U. S. Govern-
ment placed under temporary
licensing controls all assets in
this country of the Egyptian
government and the Suez
Canal Company. The measure

was announced by the Treas- respect for the rights of all
ury Department following a :cations in the international
meeting between President waterway.
Eisenhower and Secretary of
The New York Senator
criticized the U. S. and the
State John Foster Dulles.
The move would prevent the other Western Powers for
Egyptian Government and the being "so long dazzled and
Suez Canal company—unless deluded" by Egyptian Presi-
they obtain Treasury author- dent Nasser whom he de-
ization in advance — from scribed as a "would-be Na-
using money in U. S. bank ac- poleon-on-the-Nile." He said:
counts or any other assets "Three years ago President
which they may be holding in Eisenhower sent to the chief
this country-.
of the Egyptian State, by the
Senator Herbert H. Lehman hand of Secretary Dulles, the
advocated United Nations
gift of a gun. Today, General
guardianship of the canal. He Nasser is holding that gun
said that the Suez Canal crisis to the heads of the Western
can only be met by establish-
Powers. He is pointing it
ing an international regime for from the Suez Canal and at
the canal which will guarantee last we are aroused."

r01111M.4111111•1041 ■ 04111111.1 ■0■ 14/4•1•1r1M ■ HNIIIII. ■ 0411 ■ 0411111.21.M004=11.0

Boris Smolar's

'Between You
and Me'

(Copyright 1956,
Jewish Telegraphic Agency,

Inc.)

By BORIS SMOLAR

(Copyright, 1956, Jewish Telegraphic Agency,

Inc.)

Soviet Discrimination

Jewish groups in the United States are complaining against
the suppression of Jewish culture in the Soviet Union . . . But no
Jewish organization seems to pay attention to an even more basic
determination against Jews still prevalent in the Soviet Union
. . . This discrimination consists of . indicating all identity docu-
ments carried by every Jew in the USSR that the holder is a
Jew . .. The practice, which was abandoned after the fall of
the Czarist regime, was quietly revived under Stalin and has not
been abolished since . . . It has the same effect as the word
"Jew" stamped on the identity documents of Jews in Hitler Ger-
many and in Nazi-occupied countries . . . Unlike the suppression
of Jewish culture, which affects only the Yiddish-reading Jews
in the Soviet Union, the practice of stamping passports and othei%
identity documents affects every Jew . . . In fact, when the
notorious "Doctors' plot" had sent Soviet anti-Semitism to a new
height, every Jew in the USSR was a marked man . . . Many
Jews were dismissed from their positions as office workers,
clerks, and even factory hands only because their identity docu-
ments indicated they were Jews . . . .The managers of many
Soviet factories were afraid to keep Jews in their employ, lest
they be accused of protecting Jews . . . Today, the Soviet Union
is practically the only country in the world where every Jewish
citizen has his Jewish identity stamped on his documents . .
Under the Czar this was done on the pretext of religion, but in
the USSR, where religion is not taken into consideration, such a
practice amounts to pure and simple discrimination.

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Washington Echoes

Attention is being paid in Washington to the fact that Israel
has refrained from injecting into the issue of Egypt's seizure of
the Suez Canal . . . This, despite the fact that Israel has been
suffering all the time from Egypt's blockade and notwithstanding
Nasser's belligererice toward Israel .. The attitude of "watchful
waiting" taken by Israel on the Suez Canal issue is deeply appre-
ciated in official circles . . . It is being realized that Israel, more
than any other Country, could have utilized the present anti-
Egyptian fury in more than one way for its own interests . . .
Israel's restraint at this critical moment—at a time when Egyptian
President Nasser shows no let up in his anti-Israel diatribes—is
winning her more friends in Washington than ever before . .
As to the Suez Canal issue itself, some diplomatic circles believe
that the key to the situation lies actually in the hands of the
United States . . . Immediate action, they •believe, could be
taken by U. S. subsidizing the shipping of oil and other cargo
through the longer route instead of through the Suez Canal . .
It would thus take Col. Nasser very little time to realize that
his seizure of the Suez Canal would not be as profitable as he
had anticipated . . . The long-term action would be to finance,
together with Britain and France, the construction of a canal in
Israel parallel to the Suez Canal .. The idea of constructing
such a canal, which would stretch from Ashkelon, Israeli city on
the Mediterranean shore, through the Negev to the port of Eylat,
was seriously discussed years ago when Palestine was under
British Mandate . . At that time it was argued, however, that it
would take a long time before such a canal could be built . . .
This argument is no longer valid in the age of atomic energy
. . . Russia is using atom energy for building a water canal inside
the USSR, why cannot the Western Powers use the same power
for the consruction of the canal through Israel territory to parallel
the Suez Canal?

.

Israel Reaction

In Israel, the practicability . now of ambitious plans for build-
ing an alternate canal to the Suez Canal is looked upon with a
certain amount of. skepticism . . . On the other hand, .Israel is
giving active consideration to blueprints for a railroad linking
the Mediterranean with the Red Sea . . . This project does not,
of course, provide for a full solution of 'the problem that haS
arisen in connection with Egypt's seizure of the Suez Canal . . .
However, Israelis believe that such a rail link could serve to
relieve some of the pressure caused by the Suez problem . . .
It also has the advantage that it could be completed within a
relatively short time . . . Two foreign-investment groups—one
from Japan and the other from France—have approached the
Israel government with proposals to finance the building of the
projected 150-mile trans-Negev rail line . . . An inter-Ministerial
committee of the Israel Cabinet appointed earlier this year to
study the proposals was reactivated following the seizure of the
Suez Canal ... The French proposal includes an offer of a $30,-
000,000 loan to cover the cost of construction, repayable at a low
interest rate over 12 years.

