March 15, 1957 — THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS- 2
Purely Commentary
111-G Reser-sTes Freedom of NCtion Without
`Notice'; Wins 2 Knesset Confidence Votes
By PHILIP SLOMOV I TZ
(Direct JTA Teletype Wire
to The Jewish News.)
The Facts Still Beg for an Audience
Time will tell whether the Israeli decisions to pull out their
troops from ,Sharm el Sheikh and the Gaza Strip will mean
merely a temporary truce or will lead to the urgently needed
peace. Meanwhile, the facts still must be disseminated regarding
the true state of affairs in the Middle East, in order to offset the
. misrepresentations that are being spread about Israel in relation
to her neighbors.
Arab propagandists continue to invade our land, and Michi-
gan, where there are several communities with large Moslem
populations, is especially vulnerable to their appeals. Last week,
a representative of the World Moslem Congress came here to tell
Detroit and Ann Arbor audiences, and to be quoted in ,a local
newspaper, that "Israel has no right to exist."
These propagandists keep on repeating an untruth that
Palestine is an Arab country They ignore Biblical facts. They
overlook Prophecy. What is more, they misrepresent historical
facts.
Historically, here are the facts regarding the various powers
who ruled Palestine in the last 3,200 years:
Hebrew rule lasted for 864 years, from 1250 BCE to 586
BCE.
The Babylonian conquest lasted only 50 years
586 to
536 BCE.
The autonomy of the Hebrews then was renewed for 203
years — 536 to 333 BCE.
Then came a period of 270 years of Greek rule-333 to 63
BCE—but it included 223 years of local- Jewish autonomy that
began with Judah the Maccabee until the destruction of the
Second Temple, 153 BCE to 70 CE.
Roman rule: lasted for 458 years-63 BCE to 395 CE—and
it included 12 years of Jewish autonomy under Bar Kochba,
130 to 142 CE.
Then came the periods of changing rulerships in the present
era; with the limited domination under the Arabs:
Byzantine rule of 239 years, 395 to 634.
The 438-year rule by Arabs, 634 to 1072: Caliphates of
,Mecca, 636 to 661; Damascus, 661 to 750; Abbasids, 750 to 8'70;
Fatimites, 969 to 1071. -
Seldlikes (Mongolians) rules followed for 24 years, 1072
to 1096.
The Crusaders followed for 192 years, 1099 to 1291, with the
Ayyubides in domination from 1175 to 1291.
For 116 years thereafter, 1291 to 1516, the Mamelouks
(Mongolians) were in control of Palestine.
The Ottomans (Turks) dominated the Holy Land for 402
years, 1516 to 1918, and the British Mandate, preceding the
rebirth of Israel, followed it for 30 years, from 1918-- to 1948.
These are the facts—indicating that Arabs ruled Palestine
for only 438 years ; as compared with the uninterrupted Jewish
rule of the land for 1302 years. The rest. of the time the land was
in the hands of differing invading forces. These are facts that
should be made known, especially to the fly-by-nights "foreign
experts" who have been misleading the world by referring to
"Jewish invaders," and to the Arab propagandists who would
deny the small State of Israel the right to its existence. The
Arabs today outnumber the Jews in the Middle East 20 to 1,
but their combined land possessions are 400 times larger than
the small State of Israel. Therefore we ask the Arab propa-
gandists: how about an ounce of justice? Let's have peace, dear
cousins! .
JERUSALEM—Premier David
Ben-Gurion served notice Wed=
nesday that Israel reserves its
freedom of action if there is
any return of Egyptians to the
Gaza Strip and if the need
arises won't announce its ac-
action in advance. He said con-
cern expressed in the Knesset
over the Gaza situation was not
imaginary but real.
The Israel leader took sharp
issue with Dr. Ralph J. Bunche,
Deputy Secretary General of
the United Nations, over a state-
ment attributed to him that the
United N a t i o ns Emergency
Force was in Gaza only with
the consent of Egypt.
The Irish and the Jews: Erin- and Zion Go Bragh
Dublin Lord Mayor Robert Briscoe's approaching visit in
our community reminds _us of an interesting episode involving
the Irish and the Jews.
It was in the very early 1920s that William Marion Reedy,
who then published the . colorful Reedy's • Mirror in St. Louis,
became interested in Zion and Zionism.
At that time, to the average Christian, Zion was Palestine.
It referred to the Holy Land, to Biblical .Prophecy, to the aspira-
tions and the rights of Jews to reacquire the Holy Land as a
Homeland for Jews.
It was in the days preceding Israel. The term Israel then
was used for the People of Israel. The term was applied as the
name of the new State much later-4n May of 1948.
Reedy befriended the late Jacob De Haas, the distinguished
Zionist leader who. was one of Dr. Theodor Hei•zl's early secre-
taries. De Haas- was the man who interested Louis Dembitz
Brandeis in Zionism.
Reedy, a fighting Irishman, a leader in the movement for a
Free Ireland, also was concerned about Prohibition—which he
opposed.
It was a natural for him, therefore, to ask De Haas whether,
in a free Jewish State, there would be Prohibition.
"Not even on pork," was De Haas' reply.
Reedy wrote a fiery pro-Zionist article in his Mirror. Its
title, borrowed from the Irish slogan "Erin Go Bragh"—"Ireland
Forever"—was: "Zion Go Bragh!"
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Enforced. Demonstrations: Challenge to UN
During the entire four months of Israel's occupation of the
Gaza Strip, there were no demonstrations. Civil administrations
were set up, an Arab was chosen as Mayor of Gaza and there
was tranquility in an area that could have- been served •well by
conscientious administrators. True: one outburst of anti-Isra-
elism was reported during the first week of Israeli rule. But it
was short-lived.
The moment the Israelis let, the Arabs took advantage of
the United Nations Emergency Force. They demonstrated. They
displayed signs which, it has been established, were shipped in
by Nasser. They called for the return of the Egyptians.
It has been explained that when Arabs, under such cir-.
eumstances, are ordered to demonstrate, they dare not refuse
What they need is enlightenment, to be reasoned with,' to
shown the way to a better life. These people are unable to
into Egypt—they have been kept in a Gaza that was t'
formed into a concentration camp. Israel offered to absoT
refugees and to reconstruct their lives. Only time will
whether reason will rule over might.
Will the UN and its UNEF be able to overcome the _
difficulties?
•
Will Israel be able to repulse the new type of fedayeen, the
murderous guerrillas who are invading the land?
The answers are in the lap of Time, with the fight for life
ati endless Israeli responsibility.
"It is not in the power of
the Egyptian dictator to agree
or disagree since he was ignom-
inously • expelled f r o in t h e
strip," Mr. Ben-Gurion asserted.
"I must add with regret that
Dr. Bunche's superiors in the
United Nations have sometimes
been more concerned with the
Prestige of the Egyptian dicta-
tor than with the fulfillment of
Egypt's international obligations
and the preservation of peace in
the Middle East."
"In accordance with _the For-
eign Minister's declaration in
the General Assembly," M r.
Ben-Gurion announced, "Israel
reserves its freedom of action in
case the Egyptians return.to the
strip which never belonged to
them and which was used by
them only for the purpose of
attacks or threats against Is-
rael."
"If the time comes when
Canadian Premier Says
Egypt Cannot Order UN
Forces Out of Gaza
OTTAWA, (JTA) — Egypt
cannot unilaterally order the
United Nations Emergency
Force °l it of its territory in the
Sinai Peninsula or the Gaza
Strip when it wishes, Canadian
Prime -Minister Louis St. Lau-
rent declared in the House of
Commons.
The Canadian's government's
attitude is that Eg,) pt's consent
to the stationing of UNEF
troops has been obtained. If
Egypt wishes to assert that
UNEF's job is done, he. said, it
should go to the United Nations
and -see if it can obtain UN
agreement that such is the case.
Arab Legion Commanders
Warn Against, Incursions
JERUSALEM, (JTA) — Arab
Legion commanders in the He-_
bron area of Jordan, from which
a number of attacks had been
launched recently by fedayeen
staging incursions into Israel,
have warned village headmen
that they will be held person-
ally responsible for any future
illegal crossings of the Israel
frontier.
The village headmen were
fold, in meetings to w'-“ch they
were summoned by Legion
commanders, that collective
fines will be imposed on vil-
la,ges from which anti-Israel
raids are launched in the fu-
ture.
Observers' here expressed the
opinion that Ara _ b Legion lead-
ers fear Israel is ready and able
to take f;-
. .
. against in-
'7; the Gaza-Sinai
vaders;-
peen liquidated.
campfi
Aentation -of
'• Pledges
(JTA) — Presi-
.Ae 17 major American
and non-Zionist organ-
s affiliated with the
.,idents Club," suggested
at "political stability in the
iddle East" w a s possible
through the effective imple-
mentation of President Eisen-
hower's pledges to Israel. The
statement was issued as reports
reached this country of efforts
by pro-Egyptian elements in
Gaza to restore Egyptian rule to
that territory.
Ur
action is appropriate and nec-
essary," he declared, "the -gov-
ernment of Israel will not of
course give prior notice of its
actions."
Two moves by opposition
parties to subject the govern-
ment Gaza policy - to Knesset
review were defeated Wednes-
day. A General Zionist motion
for debate was rejected by the
Parliament 51-24 and a Herut
party motion 53-24. The rejec-
tions followed an unusual pro-
cedure in which Mr. Ben-Gurion
replied briefly only to the Gen-
eral Zionist motion and dis-
dained reply to the H e r u t,
merely asking the house to de-
feat the motion. The Achdut
Avoda party, a coalition mem-
ber, -was not present for the
voting.
In introducing the Herut mo-
tion Menachem Beigin, who cut
short an American tour to re-
turn to Jerusalem, called for
full discussion of the "catastro-
phic policy of the government."
He accused Mr. Ben-Gurion of
a "putsch by a dictator giving
orders to abandon parts of the
homeland."
In his brief reply to the Gen-
-eral Zionists, Mr. Ben-Gurion
admitted .that the situation was
worse today than when he last
addressed the Knesset. -
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Boris Smolar's
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`Between You
... and Me'
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(Copyright, 1957,
Jewish Telegraphic Agency, lnc.)
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Israel Echoes:
Now that the Sinai campaign has become history, Israel
is resuming its plan for economic development in the hope that
American financial aid will also be resumed . . . One of the plans
provides for making Elath an' "Oriental Miami" for American
tourists . . . The waters there are unusually calm and clear, the
beach has a gentle slope, and the bathing season is between
October and .April, when 'the Mediterranean resorts are too cold
for most people . . . A large hotel will be built there this year
and tourists will be provided with equipment for underwater
sports and with speedboats . . . There is already an "American
House" in Elath—the Philip Murray House which the AFL-CIO
presented to the people of Elath as a token of sympathy . .
The house, carrying the name of the president of the American
labor movement, is a social and cultural center for 1.200 Elath
settlers . . . In addition to the plan for developing Elath into an
"Oriental Miami," other new development plans are being re-
vived in Israel . . . All of them in expectation that Israel will
receive first of all the $25,000,000 in U.S. monetary aid which
was frozen following the Sinai campaign and then part of the
$75,000,000 loan which Israel was due to receive from the Am-
erican Export-Import Bank .
•
Community Trends:
Independent fund-raising for Jewish causes—outside welfare
funds and the United Jewish Appeal—is increasing from year
to year . . A survey shows that last year some 65 agencies
independently raised $37,000,000 . . . At least one-third of the
total of the $37,000,000 was- raised in New York City . . This
is the ratio which generally prevails in fund-raising between
New York City and the rest of the country . . . Bi•andeis Univer-
sity and the Einstein Medical College raised independently more
than $4,000,000 in the course - of the year . . . National Jewish
hospitals raised more than $5,000,000 . . . The national Reform
and Conservative organizations received about $2,700,000 • from
their congregational membership ... Hadassah, National Council
of Jewish Women, Pioneer Women, and ORT women:s organiza-
tion raised from their members more than $9,000,000 . . . Bnai
Brith provided $1,700,000 from its membership toward the activi-
ties of its various institutions -. . . One hundred and eighty-seven
local hospitals, family agencies, child care agencies and homes
for the aged raised $3,400,000 independently, in addition to allo-
cations they receive from their local Jewish federations and
welfare funds . . . Substantial sums were 'raised independently
by capital fund campaigns for local institutions,. mainly syna-
gogues and temples . These campaigns continue to be exten-
sive, but the national congregational groups do not publish
figures on fund-raising for such purposes . 1. . The ratio of in-
dependent fund-raising to Jewish welfare fund drives is usually
about 3 to 1.
Christians Among .Jews:
•The American Jewish Conimittee is preparing interesting
data on the Christian community in Israel . . The document
will assess five broad areas of Christian interest in Israel . . .
These include the rights of Christian communities in Israel, the
individual rights of Christians to enjoy religious freedom, and
the protection of the Christian Holy Places . Also the dis-
position- of property belonging to Christian institutions, and the
right` of missionaries to seek. converts in Israel . . . AJC estab-
lishes that there are today about 42,800 Christians in Israel, of
whom more than 37,000 are Arabs . . . It stresses the fact that
the government of Israel has not interfered with the system of
Christian communal • organization and administration prevailing
since the Ottoman times . . The legal status of the various
Christian communities recognized by the British government
during the mandatory period remains unchanged and each com-
munity functions within the provisions of its own constitution
. . . In 1955, the authority of the Christian religious courts was
strengthened by an Israel decision to uphold the competence of
these courts, even though their judges might reside in a foreign
country.
From the facts gathered by the American Jewish Commit-
tee, a picture emerges showing -that all Christian churches in
Israel are independent and autonomous in all internal affairs
. .. They are allowed to appoint dignitaries without interference
from the state . • They can dispose of real estate and movable
property, which is practically exempt from taxation . . . They
exercise exclusive jurisdiction in matters of personal status .. .
Church officials are exempt from customs and other charges .. .
There has been no official curtailment of the 'work of missions,
but their attempts to win Jews to Christianity are regarded with
skepticism, if not hostility, in the popular mind .. Altogether
there are today only about 2,000 Judaeo-Christians in Israel .
Missionary schools are attended mostly by Arab children, .but
they have attracted about 2,000 Jewish children as well.