Border Alerted
N Pureiy Commentary B-G Makes
Defense Moves
r ig n
By PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
Friday, March 22, 1957
O
No Such Scenes During Israel's Administration
When the United Nations Emergency Force took over the
Gaza Strip from the Israel army, riots and demonstrations ensued
and the UNEF had to resort to tear gas to quell the demonstra-
tors. Here is one of the scenes, showing the Gaza refugees clamor-
ing for UN food:
There were no such scenes when ISrael was in control for
four months: for the simple reason that Israel devoted herself
to setting up a civil administration and to creating self-governing
units among the Arabs. BLit the moment the ineffecive UN re-
presenatives stepped in, they apparently were accompanied by the
rabble-rousers from the Nasser palace who conducted a sort of
cheer-leading shout of "Long Live Nasser."
The manner in which such demonstrations are conducted
in Moslem countries is well known. In the pre-Farouk days, the
story was told about two comtending forces who vied with each
other for power. A crowd was "employed" to shout for one party
down the main Cairo road. By the time it reached the end of the
road it was paid to traverse with its political shouts, representa-
tives of the other party were on hand to re-employ the demon-
strators for their own purpose, and the mob traveled back again,
down the same road—this time shouting for the opposition party.
That's Levantine politics! That's the type of demonstration
that was possible only where blackmail is the order of the day.
But Israel does not accept blackmail.
Two differing worlds are engaged in a struggle. Israel per-
sonifies the progress of - the West and of modernity. The Arabs,
led by a handful of effendis who are determined to hold in sub- .
mission their vassal fellaheen, are holding on tenaciously to the
backwardness of the Middle Ages. This is a fight between the
Middle Ages and Progress, and , unfortunately, the progressive
nations are so frightened by the spectacle of great achievements
in Israel challenging the ill-fed and disease-ridden Arab states
to emulate them, that they are risking loss of the battle for free-
dom, justice and civilization to a group that is led by a man who
has been knocked out -for a count of ten and whom the vision-
lacking U. S. and UN have uplifted to a position of triumph.
There is also the conflict between the Israelis' passionate
craving for justice based on Biblical prophecies and the cold
legalism and vagueness of UN's Secretary General Dag Ham-
marskjold and the ambiguity of LT. S. thinking. These are difficult
issues to merge. That is why Israel's struggle will be a long and
bitter one.
*
Let's Have an Endlo-Double-Talk
As we go to press, a JTA teletype wire from London
forms us:
"The Washington correspondent of the Manchester Guardian
said in a report that newspaper published Wednesday that it
may be "stated with authority" that President Eisenhower's
•:cater of-March 1 to- Premier :David Ben-Gurion 'was- drafted
by Mr. Dulles in the presence of Mr. Eban.' That, he added,
`is why Mrs. Meir spoke of coming to the United States to col-
lect 'a debt of honor.'"
Yet, there are some who still speak as if there were no prom-
ises made to Israel. Lets have an end to double talk,
* * * *
*
(Direct JTA Teletype Wire
to The Jewish News)
TEL AVIV — Prime Minister
David Ben-Gurion, accompanied
by his chief military advisors,
made a surprise visit Wednes-
day to two -key settlements on
the Gaza Strip border• The visit
followed a decision by the Pre-
mier to shift his headquarters
from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv to
be in closer contact with the
Israeli Defense Ministry and to
concentrate all his time on the
security problem.
The switch in the Prime Min-
ister's headquarters was based
on his determination to ensure
the safety of the border areas
and to be ready for more seri-
ous action in line with his state-
ment published Tuesday in
Newsweek Magazine that he
would go to war if both the
United Nations and the United
States permitted Col. Nasser to
resume his campaign of bel-
ligerency and blockade against
the Jewish State.
Ben-Gurion told settlers at
Nahal Oz and Nirim, principal
targets of Egyptian fedayeen
raids before the Sinai campaign,
that "compelling reasons" had
forced Israeli withdrawal from
the Gaza Strip.
He was accompanied by Maj.
Gen. Moshe Day a n, Israeli
Army Chief of Staff; Brigadier
Haim Laskov, in command of
the Israeli Southern defenses,
and Shimon Perez, Deputy De-
fense Minister.
The Premier also told the set-
tlers that the best security for
the border areas was continuing
strengthening of the army.
Nasser's End in 6
Months Predicted
(Direct JTA Teletype Wire
to The Jewish News)
LONDON—Col. Gamal Abd el
Nasser will remain in office in
Egypt for only six -months, ac-
cording' to a noted British cor-
respondent who recently re-
turned from Cairo.
Stephen Barber of the London
News Chronicle reported
Wednesday that Nasser's "repu-
tation and above all that of the
army which sustains him haS
been badly dented." The corre-
spondent added that "Egypt
faces bankruptcy. Urban unem-
ployment grows. • The small but
significant middle class clerks
and artisans are fretting. The
one-time pashas and politicoes
swept aside in a Cromwellian
cleanup following Farouk's oust-
ing lurk ever in the wings."
Cair6 is alive with rumors of
abortive coups d'etat quickly
quashed, the correspondent re-
ported, but the fact remains that
Nasser has made no major pub-
lic appearance since last Octo-
ber. His security chief; Interior
Minister -Zacharia Moheddin,
the:correspondent said, "refused
to answer for his life if he vis-
ited Port Said." • -
U. S. Desirous of Preventing New
ME Outbreak, Wilcox Tells Council
(Direct JTA Teletype Wire
to The Jewish News)
WASHINGTON—Francis Wil-
cox,. Assistant Secretary of State
for United Nations Affairs, told
the National Council of JeWish
Women on Tuesday that "it is
not sufficient to put out the fire
(in the Middle East), we -must
prevent it from breaking out
again."
Wilcox asked, "Can anyone
seriously believe that lasting
peace will be possible so long
as the boundaries between Is-
rael and her neighbors remain
unsettled and feelings of in-
security pervade the entire
area? Can lAre hope to avoid
serious difficulties inz, the future
unless real progress is made
toward solution of the Arab
refugee problem and the de-
velopment of the area's natural
resources?"
The Assistant Secretary, ad-
dressing the 22nd - national con-
vention here, said that squarely
before the U.S. "is the necessity
for agreeing on interim arrange-
ments . for the use of the Suez
Canal and moving On to a solu-
tion of basic problems which
gave rise to the -present crisis."•
Removing the basic causes for
Arab-Israeli hostility is a "for-
midable task," he said, but the
U.S. is determined to use every
means within the United Na-
tions and without to find solu-
tions to the problem.
Outlining the U.S. position on
Gaza and Sharm El Sheikh
Wilcox echoed Secretary of
State Dulles' reaffirmation Mon-
day that the U.S. stands firmly
by its hopes and expectations it
had expressed with regard to
the Middle East.
He -said the U.S. stands by
the "exercise of responsibility
of the UN in Gaza, free and
innocent passage through the
Straits of Tiran by ships of all
nations in accordance with in-
ternational law and settlement
of the Suez Canal problem in
accordance with six principles
adopted by the Security Coun-
cil and accepted by Egypt.
He also reaffirmed U.S.
•
back-
ing of statements by UN Am-
bassador -Henry Cabot Lodge
before the General Assembly on
March 1. Lodge then expressed
U.S. willingness to support the
role of UNEF in the Gaza Strip
"until there is a definite settle-
ment respecting the Gaza Strip
or some_final general agreement
between the parties."
Earlier, the Council stood
firm on its policy to support
greater Federal spending for
education and welfare legisla-
tion, despite a personal appeal:
from Treasury Secretary George
Humphrey for economy'
In a special message, Hum-
phrey urged the group to sup-
port budget cutting measures.
In response to the note, • the
Council passed a motion sup-
porting more Federal spending.
for., education and progress to
combat juvenile delinquency.
The Council, meeting here for
its 22nd national -convention,
also heard Dr. Eveline Burns .
of the Columbia University
School of Social Work 'speak on
the place of the volunteer in
social service work. Elliot L.-
Richardson, AssiStant Secretary
of Health, Welfare and Educa-
tion, commended the organiza-
tion for its recreational pro-
grams for the aging.
Francis Wilcox, Assistant Sec-
retary of State for United Na-
tions Affairs, spoke to the
Council Tuesday on "The United
Nations and Public Understand-
ing."
Israel's Married Women
Get UN Convention Status
UNITED NATIONS, N.Y.
(JTA)---Israel signed the United
Nations convention on the status
of married women. The signa-
tures for Israel were mE.de by
Mordecai Kidron and Tamar
Shohan Sharon.
Israel is the eleventh nation
to sign the convention.
=No 1 ••••...M-0111.11.411111110 ■ 04.1111INMIONISINNIMP tt IMMO 11•111 ■ 44.11.1•0•111111.0111111101111111.94•004171•1.1 ■ 110
Boris Smolar's
' APO'
'Between You
... an Me'
(Copyright, 1957,
Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Inc.)
The Home Front
The war which is developing between the American Jewish
Committee and the anti-Zionist American Council for Judaism
may have reverberations at the 50th annual meeting of the AJC
next month, because within the ranks of the American Jewish
Committee are a number of people who are also members of the
American Council of Judaism . . . Lessing Rosenwald, founder
of the Council for Judaism, is one of them . . . These people, al-
though a very small minority, may let their voice be heard at
the AJC annual meeting in criticism of the. present AJC adminis-
La Fontaine's Story With a Moral Lesson for Statesmen
tration . . ; They are members of the AJC because of tradition,
Several -weeks ago, a correspondent called the attention of
although they disagree with the pro-Israel policy. of the, organ-
the New- • York Herald Tribune ,to the fable of Jean La Fontaine
ization . . . Incidentally, it was courageous of the American Jew-
in which 300 years ago, the 'French author described how . easy it
ish Committee leaders to come Out once and for all and say pub-
is to step upon the Weaker fellow- -arid to make a scapegoat of
licly that the Council for Judaism is conducting propaganda which
him. It Was retold in relation to Israel. Two weeks later, Senator
"provids fodder to anti-Semitism" . . Even - more serious is the
Paul Douglas of Illinois used it as a moral in his address to a
charge that the Council propaganda is "dangerous to the status, '
gathering that - protested against proposed sanctions on Israel, at
and even the security, of American Jews. . • In its answer,: the
New York's Madison Square Garden. More recently, again _in
Council for Judaism fails to defend itself against these very grave
relation to Israel, the - story, "The Animals Stricken With the
accusations .. . The leaders of the Council for Judaism. are ap-
Plague," was retold by Bill Kelsey in the Detroit News. _Here is Shazar Arrives in Argentina
BUENOS AIRES, (JTA) — parently little concerned whether they play. into the hands of
Kelsey's version of _it:
Zalman Shazar, vice chairman anti-Semites . . . Nor do they seem to be worried by the'fact.that
The animal kingdom was suddenly smitten with .a terrible
, disease of enormous fatality. 'The lion called together A' council. of the Jewish Agency 'executive, their anti-Zionist argument of "double loyalty" endangers. 'the
'He told the assembly-that evidently the gods had battered them
; !as a• punishment for sin, and that it was up to them - to select
the greatest sinner among -them and sacrifice him to appease
the divine anger.
He acknowledged that in his career he had killed a good
many sheep who had done him no harm, and on occasion had
eaten a few shepherds, even. But he thought each animal should
own up to his misdeeds, and let the council decide on the degree
of guilt.
Whereupon the fox argued in tihe lion's favor. What crime
was it to kill some stupid sheep? As for shepherds, they were
310 friends of the wild animals. - The lion was too good a king to
offer to sacrifice himself for the communal good. Then other
animals confessed and were excused.
At last the donkey recalled that one day while he was walk-
ing past a field owned by a monastery his hunger, and perhaps
the prompting -of a devil, got the better of him, and he stole a
mouthful of grass from that pasture, to which he admitted he
•' bad no right. That settled it. The donkey it was who had caused
the fatal contagion. So he was put to death.
The moral deduced by La Fontaine was: "According . •to
whether you are powerful or poor, the court's judgment will
find you white or black."
This still is the ease with Israel in relation to the Middle
arrived there to participate in a
national conference on- Jewish
education in Argentina. The par-
ley is being organized by the
Buenos Aires Jewish Commu-
nity in cooperation with the
Federation of Jewish Commu-
nities of Argentina.
East. Israel is held guilty: she
builds roads, seeks the better-
ment of human- beings and
strives for peace. But she does
not have oil. Those who have
oil are white, otherwise they
are painted black.
But more people are becom-
ing aware of the La Fontaine
fable, and the people in the
high places — including the
transgressors in the State De-
partmenthad better beware:
fate has a way of avenging the
offended.
security of Jews in this .country . . .. However, they are now
branded as a Jewish group "embraced by anti-Semites" -and as
persons whom the Arabs consider allies . . . Since the branding
was done this time not by Zionists, but by the American Jewish
Committee—which considers itself a non-Zionist .body—the effect
is bound to be really strong.
* * *
Friendly Competition
There is competition between Jewish and Irish organizations
in this country over Robert Briscoe, Jewish may-or of.Dublin .
Briscoe originally agreed to come. to the United States for the
United Jewish Appeal . . No sooner did the news of his antic-
ipated arrival in the U.S. become known, when various Irish
societies in New York and in other American cities began to flood
him with requests to appear under their auspices . . . The result
is that his appearances are now being handled not by the UJA
but by a special representative ... The Irish societies are espec-
ially interested in having Briscoe speak in .various American
cities in an effort to stimulate tourist trade between the United
Sates and Ireland . . . His visit in the U.S. is now all the more
important to those Irish Americans who admire Eamon De Valera
. . •Briscoe;••an observant Jew, is a' founding member of De
Valera's Fianna, -Fail Party which made a terrific 'comeback ion
last month's elections in Ireland.