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!" * * * 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. - ■ 13.1=1.11•11 ■ 0•11111.0 ■ 41.11111•11.1.11••••11,1 ■ 11.41 ,11•11...M ■ 111.11111.1•11=1, 11=111• ■ 1111.1.11 ■ 41.111.041 ■ 111111111.1) ■ =1.141 ■ 01.0 0•111 ■ 0•11 ■ 1) I I Boris Smolar's I I I `Between You ... and Me' I (Copyright, 1957, Jewish Telegraphic Agency, lnc.) I 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.