Purely Commentary •
The U.S. and French Posi-
• Mons on Proposed Pipeline
through Israel
B Philip
Slomovitz
Friday, January
defensive action against Egypt, of sufficient importance to append
More International Complications Revolve_
to it the following note:
Around Projected Aqaba-to-Haifa Pipeline
"This proposal of finding an alternative to the Suez Canal
French Foreign Minister Christian Pineau's statement that by cutting a canal through Israel has been briefly discussed
his country will assist Israel in building a pipeline through
in public print. The difficulties are these:
Israeli territory draws attention anew to another complicated
"1. Whereas the Suez is a sea-level canal of 103 miles, a
issue which may assume international significance.
parallel route through Israel would measure at least .190 miles
The scene which marked the brief discuSsion over the pipe- and would have to rise to an altitude of 1,056 feet in the
line in the French National Assembly can best be envisioned at
Negev, which would take 36 or more locks.
this distance from the following description by the Paris corre-
"2. Having reached the Israeli port of Elath on the Gulf of
spondent of the Manchester Guardian Weekly:
"Work on a pipeline from the head of the Gulf of Aqaba
to Haifa will begin in a few weeks. This statement was made
in the course of the French foreign affairs debate by the For-
eign Minister, M. Pineau to confute M. Mendes-France; who
had expressed surprise that the Government had - not taken up
the idea when it was firs_t mooted in the summer.
"M. Pineau observed that the Gulf of Aqaba was blockaded
at its mouth by Egypt. M. Mendes-France replied that France .
had never accepted this blockade and that it would have been
a much less dangerous enterprise and a much sounder one to
have insisted on the passage of French ships than to have
landed at Port Said. Anyway, the Gulf of Aquaba was now open.
"M. Pineau very bad temperedly observed that the criticism
was quite unfounded; in a few weeks' time, work on the pipe-
line would begin. And was French material to be used in its
construction, M. Mendes-France asked. M. Pineau nodded his
head, looking as if he was sorry he had said anything at all.
"M. Mendes-France spoke in an atmosphere of glacial dis-
like. Evidently his conquest of the Radical party, his departure
from the Government, his refusal to vote approval of the
Franco-British ultimatum, of Euratom, or of the Saar agreement
have completed his isolation. He is not only disliked but
feared."
Thus, the issue is being brought to a head. The proposal for
a new pipeline to offset the difficulties created by the Nasser
regime has been discussed by other governments, including our
own, for more than a year. Under date of Dec. 4, a New York
Times correspondent cabled to his newspaper the views of "an
authoritative Israeli source" 'that "a projected trans-Israel oil
pipeline, as an alternative to the Suez Canal, was balked by
the United States Government's attitude." The Times story,
cabled from Tel Aviv, presented the following facts:
"A French company had proposed to finance a projected
30-inch pipeline designed to transport 20,000,000 tons of crude oil
a year from the Red Sea across the Negev to a port on the Medi-
terranean coast. The venture was said, to have been endorsed
by the French government.
"The company had proposed to operate through a United
States subsidiary, which . has outgrown the parent organization.
The Americans said they would go in only with -approval of the
State Department, but that was refused, the informant here said.
"Israeli officials declined to identify the company concerned.
"With the more ambitious plan deferred, the Israel Cabinet
is considering a more modest plan to lay an eight-inch pipeline
from the Red Sea port of Elath to Beersheba. The plan is to
transport a substantial part of Israel's annual domestic needs by
pipeline from Elath to Beersheba and on by rail from there to
the British-owned refineries in Haifa.
"It was estimated that the pipeline would cost approxi-
mately $6,000,000 and that the work could be completed in
four months.
"The sources here said that a consortium of Western Euro-
pean companies manifested an interest in taking over the big
pipeline project.
"Experts said the cost of discharging oil from tankers at
Elath, piping it 200 to 300 miles to the Mediterranean coast and
reloading there would be $1.19 a ton. They said the cost of
moving oil through the Suez Canal had been $1.26 a ton and
that it would probably be higher after the damage to the canal
was repaired and navigation resumed.
"Moreover, it was stated that, in addition to serving as an
alternative to the Suez Canal in periods of emergency, the
projected pipeline would take the load off the canal, which is
not big enough to handle the entire oil traffic from southern
Asia to the Mediterranean.
"The assumption here is that Egypt will not be permitted to
resume her blockade of Elath, broken by the Israeli conquest of
Sinai. The Israelis, who are withdrawing from Sinai in accord-
ance with a United Nations resolution, demand assurances that
the blockade will not be reimposed."
These facts are vital to a necessary understanding of an
issue that affects not Israel alone but the peace of the entire
world. Israel is not quitting the fight for free passage of her
ships through the Suez Canal, and France needs an oil pipeline
through friendly territory equally as well.
There are many other facts to be taken into consideration
in studying the new propoSals. On Oct. 1, Adelia Henderson, of
Stillwater, Okla., in a letter to the Christian Science Monitor;
expressed concern over the position that may be taken by Egypt
in 12 years, when that country comes into undisputed possession
of the Suez Canal. She suggested the establishment by the
United States and friendly countries of "a canal just outside of
Egyptian territory through Israel, down to the neck of the Red
Sea that is between Egypt and Israel, coming into the Red Sea
from the Israel side." Miss Henderson qualified her proposal
with this statement:
"The United States could put into this new canal the money
it offered to put into the Aswan Dam, and so could all the other
friendly countries. The new canal could be world-owned and
controlled, and profits divided accordingly.
"Israel and Jordan could profit financially from this, and
a possible agreement could be required of them to end their
wars and troubles, and all work on this new canal in peace,
building up their countries financially and in every way.
Israel, too, would not be subject to Egypt's refusal any longer
to allow it canal use, but would have one in its own country.
"All that is needed is another huge ditch worked out of
the earth. It would cost far less than a war, and far less than
continual shipping around the Cape of Good Hope over a period
of years. And surely cost no more than all those pipelines
across Saudi Arabia. So it isn't impossible."
The editor of the Christian Science Monitor considered this
statement, addressed to him an entire month before Israel's
Aqaba, the canal still would be inaccessible to ships from the
Red Sea unless some way could l a found of passing Egyptian
batteries on the islands of Tiran and Sanafir which commanil
the entrance to the gulf."
The events that transpired since Oct. 1 may completely
nullify the obstacles suggested by the Monitor. Israel has cleared
the passageways south of Aqaba which were harrassed by Egypt
prior to - the Israeli military and naval actions of Oct. 29. The
Israelis now are in control of the Tiran and Sanafir islands.
Furthermore, the position taken by the French government, in
support of a new pipeline, gives strength to the idea.
As matters stand now, the United States opposition is the
major obstacle in the way of the proposal.
Will it be possible for world opinion, acting impartially, to
overcome the obstacles and thereby to obviate all difficulties that
may come from Egypt?
Naturally, in the interests of world amity, the best
solution must come through a permanent peace agreement be-
tween Israel and her Arab neighbors; and by way of assuring
free passage through the Suez Canal for all nations, including
Israel. But the added pipeline, if it materializes, will serve as
an added defense mechanism against obstruction of the freedoms
of the seas. Israel and France should be given encouragement and
support .in building the proposed new pipeline.
In Lighter Vein: Moshe Dayanu, the Koppel & Other Stories
Chronicler, in his "Incidentally" column in the London
Jewish Chronicle, relates a new story going 'the rounds, under
the heading "From Moshe to Moshe."
The traditional "m'Moshe ad Moshe" phrase refers to the
comparison of greatness between Moses the Lawgiver—the Moshe
Rabbenu—Mdses our Teacher—of the Exodus story—and Moshe
ben Maimon (Maimonides). Now we have another Moshe to
make comparison with: Moshe Dayan, the Israel Army Chief
of Staff.
The story the Londoner presents us with as going the
rounds now is:
"Who took us out of Egypt?—Moshe Rabbenu. Who took
us back there--Moshe Dayanu."
With credit to Chronicler, we would like to share with our
readers another of his stories, about a Minyan in Court:
"The jury in Court One at the Middlesex Sessions last Friday
was composed mainly of Jewry. The usher approached the first
juror who took the Old Testament in his hand, put on the at-
tached koppel (yarmulke) and took the oath—so did the next
and the next—in fact there were eight Jews on the jury. And
presiding over the court, assisted by the magistrate, Alderman
Morris Franks, of Acton, was the new Chairman of Quarter
Sessions, the Hon. Ewen Montagu, Q.C., President of the United
Synagogue. It is gratifying to relate that none of the prisoners
was Jewish (though one had a Jewish counsel—Miss Marilyn
Wigoder). The Hon. Ewen Montagu announced that the court
would adjourn earlier than usual, at 3:30 p.m.—perhaps to
enable the jury to get home in time for the Sabbath."
Chronicler also relates this interesting London incident:
"Two women from the Israeli Embassy recently went shop-
ping. Looking for a parking space for their car they read care-
fully the notice which gave them permission to do so. The date
was a Wednesday, the 19th, and the notice said that parking
was permitted on even dates only. After some discussion and
calculation they parked their car and disappeared into the shop.
When they came out a policeman stood by their car and pointing
to the notice, observed: 'I saw you ladies trying to work it out;
well, it's the 19th, not an even date.' The two Israelis looked at
one another in bewilderment. 'But,' said one, 'did we not count
it out. Today is yom revi-i, the fourth day of the week.' The
policeman was so impressed by their sincerity that he signalled
to them to carry on."
Our London confrere suggests that those who believe accusa-
tions of collusion between France and Israel adopt the new motto:
"Tel-a-vive la France!"
And—the South African Jewish Times carried a cartoon
showing a lone Egyptian, with a white flag in his fez, carrying
a basket with a sign "stop me and buy one," faces a horde of
fleeing Egyptians in the Sinai area with an offer of "white
flags-5 piastres."
Viva la humor!
Soviet Envoy
Back in Israel
JERUSALEM, (JTA) — The
Israel Foreign Ministry con.
firmed reports that the Soviet
Union is sending back its Am-
bassador, Alexander Abramov,
who was recalled from Israel
during the height of the Sinai-
Suez crisis to underscore the
Kremlin's dissatisfaction with
Israel's part in that series of
actions.
Political observers believe
that Abramov's return will be
the precursor of a new Middle
East "peace offensive" to be un-
dertaken by the Soviet Union.
The "peace offensive" is like-
ly to be launched in the United
Nations General Assembly, and
is expected to be based on the
United Nations' 1947 resolution
which had called for partition
of Palestine. Under that scheme,
Israel would be truncated, much
of its present territory being
allotted to the Arab states.
Abramov's return is regarded
as possibly a warning to Egiypt's
President Gamal Abdel Nasser
against tightening his relations
with the United States. Reports
that Abramov's return might
also bring a resumption by the
Soviet Union of oil shipments
to Israel were regarded here as
premature.
The Kremlin stopped all oil
shipments to Israel during the
crisis in November, as another
sign of its displeasure with Is-
rael's campaign in Sinai.
Report on Soviet
Arming of Syrta
(Direct JTA Teletype Wire
to The Jewish Nevts)
Reports from Damascus,
reaching the New York Herald
Tribune, indicate that some of
the details of Soviet arming of
Syria have been learned.
The reports state that. Russian
diplomats are returning to Arab
countries, and that Soviet tech-
nicians are in actual command
of the Syrian armed forces.
Some military items, includ-
ing tanks and equipment, plus
some infantry and artillery reg-
iments, are already in Syria.
The New York Times mean-
while, reporting from Beirut,
says that Syria is forming a
coalition cabinet of five parties,
with the position of leftist ele-
ments still undecided.
The prolonged political crisis
shows that Russian sympathies
are not strong, the report says.
If leftists had strength, it adds,
there would by now be a strong
pro-Soviet government.
West German-Egyptian
Import-Export Reports
(Direct JTA Teletype Wire
to The- Jewish News)
BONN — In the first half of
the current year, West Germa-
ny's import-export credit to
Egypt was 16 million, compared
with 8 million for the same per-
iod in 1955. Exports increased
to 33 million from 28 million
and imports dropped from 17 to
16 million.
Zionists Shift Event
Date, Avoid Clash With
Jack Benny's Concert
Gen. S. L. A. Marshall to Address
Community Council Rally, Thursday
PHILADELPHIA, (JTA) —
Philadelphia Zionists bowed to
a' world-famous friend of Israel
to assure there would be no
conflict in two f u n d-raising
benefits.
A Philadelphia Zionist Organ-
ization testimonial was shifted
so that an appearance of Jack
Benny for the benefit of the
Israel Philharmonic Orchestra
could get full community sup-
port.
By a mixup, both events had
been scheduled for Jan. 17.
When the conflict became
known, the Zionist testimonial
for Attorney General and State
Supreme C o u rt Justice-Elect
Herbert B. Cohen was shifted
to Jan. 22. Mr. Benny will ap-
pear as soloist with the Phila-
delphia Orchestra on Jan. 17 as
scheduled.
Gen. S. L. A. Marshall, na-
tionally acclaimed military au-
thority, member of the editorial
staff of the Detroit News who
returned last week from a
Middle Eastern trip where he
studied Israeli conditions at first
hand, will address a public
meeting at the Brown Me-
morial Chapel dr Temple Beth
El, next Thursday, 8:15 p.m.
The Jewish Community Coun-
cil, sponsor of the meeting, ex-
tends an invitation to the com-
munity to attend this meeting.
Gen. Marshall will present his
views on the current interna-
tional crisis.
On his recent visit in Israel,
Gen. Marshall visited strategic
military areas. His articles at-
tracted nationwide attention.
GEN. S. L. A. MARSHALL