Antagon:srri
Between
Hammarskjold
and Israel
E JEWISH NEW
Like Fathers
Like Sons in
Reform Rabbinate
Smolar's Column
on Page 2
A Weekly Review
of Jewish Events
Michigan's Only English-Jewish Newspaper—Incorporating The Detroit Jewish Chronicle
VOLUME XXXI — No. 8
27
17100 W. 7 Mile Rd. — VE 8-9364 — Detroit 35, April 26, 1957
Hilaire Bellocis
Reputation for
Anti-Semitism ...
Chesterton and
the Jews. Catholic
Attitude on Israel
Commentary,
Page 2
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USSR Keeps Middle East Pot
Boiling; Israel Remains Calm
. A Community in Danger
Lebanon Jews Isolated
By a Special Correspondent
The severe lack of information about the fate of Jews in
Lebanon is largely due to their own policy of isolationism
from world Jewry, by joining the general anti-Jewish and anti-
Zionist choir of the Middle Eastern Arab countries.
Before 1948 there were only 4,000 very wealthy Jews in
Lebanon. All of them lived in Beirut; most of them were
of French origin; about ' a third of them had free professions
and the remaining two thirds dealt in legal business trans-
actions.
The official attitude towards the local JeW ,was far more
liberal than that of any Moslem country in the kiddie East.
Many of the local Jews had considerable influence.
They were full-fledged citizens, had a right to vote Or to
abstain which, wisely enough, they did more often than. nat.
They had a . synagogue, a Jewish kindergarten, a mikvah, a
peaceful life and a Maccabi sports movement.
But Jews in Lebanon always sensed a strong undercurrent
of anti-Jewish bias.
In 1956 Lebancn began, like all Arab states, the country-
wide commercial boycott on Israel. Although this boycott had
no immediate negative effect on the local Jews, it made them
pursue even more closely the policy of isolationism from world
Jewry and of identity with the Lebanese Christians and Mos-
lems; thus hoping to remain inconspicuous and not to arouse
envy and possible wrath of the 1,353,000 general population of
Lebanon which consists of roughly 55% Christians and 45%
Moslems.
Although Lebanon keeps up appearances by pouring its
speeches and resolutions against Israel—it actually directs its
guns against Syria which sharpens its teeth for Lebanon.
The armistice line between Israel and Lebanon is the most
tranquil of all Israeli-Arab borders. Although in 1948 a few
villages had been overrun by Israeli troops — they were long
since returned to Lebanon which is well aware of the fact that
the glib fabrication called "a military pact against Israel"
proposed by Syria (and rejected by Lebanon) is merely an
attempt to obtain military bases which would soon enough
turn into camps of Syrian Occupational Forces for Lebanon.
The Lebanese Jews realize that such a situation between
the two newly established states averts attention from them,
for the time being. But they also know that should the Arab
states accuse Lebanon of exorbitant leniency towards Israel
and/or Jews, Lebanese authorities would not hesitate to "clarify
their attitude" on the skin of the local_ Jewry.
Lebanese law does prchect its Jewish subjects to a certain
extent. There is the unique article in the constitution which
rules that "within the territories of Sovereign Lebanon every
denominational group which consists of 12 members ar more
way be regarded as a constituency and may be ,either directly
or indirectly represented • in the Parliament which is to
recognize and to impose national recognition and observance of
any such holiday as the respective constituency may demand
on grounds of its religion."
This article is enthusiastically observed. All government
offices are closed on Fridays because of the Moslems, on Satur-
days because of the Jews, on Sundays because of the Christians,
all principal holidays of all religious groups, including Rosh
Hashanah, Yom Kippur and the first two days of Pesach.
The following might throw some light on at least some
of the Lebanese profit sources:
Figuratively the Beirut International Airport is a 20th
century goldmine. It serves passage of 30,000 airliners and
450,000 passengers per annum—two thirds of the Middle Eastern
air traffic. This airport is being used by 50 companies, among
them 12 Transatlantic and 11 Pan-Arabic airlines, including
the private company of Skeikh Azaz al-Kahut of Kuweit. This
eompany is called "The Arabian Desert Airline" and its planes
reach a total of: one. Its pilot, Yossef Abuaff, is a Lebanese
Jew with 3,422 flight hours behind him.
The annual number of tourists scuttling through Beirut is
five times the number Of its inhabitants. Next to the highly
flourishing industry of vice, the leading attraction for visitors
from the bare deserts are the ski-tracks in the Mountains of
Lebanon. Many European visitors go to the ski-tracks as mere
spectators. All four ski-tracks are owned by Jews.
Most of tourism and catering is in Jewish hands—especially
in those of the old-timers who constitute the Jewish "upper
class" of Lebanon. The "lower class" consists of newcomers
Continued on Page 32
Widespread Soviet prbpaganda and threats keep the Middle East's situation to
a boiling point and constantly add fuel to the fires that are endangering the peace
of the world.
In press and, over the radio, the Soviet propagandists blame the United States
and Israel for the troubled conditions in Jordan. The Soviet-Egyptian combine con-
tinues to foment discord and to blame Israel for the developments in the area.
Soviet propaganda takes the form of broadcasts in Arabic, instigating against
Israel; pledges of financial support to Arab states to keep the area divided in the
Communist battle against the Baghdad Pact, and continuing_ threats to Israel.
But Israel remains calm and was the only country
that did not take seriously the rumors of a march by
U. S. Restores
Iraqi troops into Jordan.
Aid to Israel
The United States this
week restored economic
and technical aid to
Israel, after an inter-
ruption of nearly sik
months, since the Octo-
ber - November- Gaza-
Sinai operations.
The withdrawn U. S.
personnel have been au-
thorized to return to Is-
rael by the International
Cooperation Administra-
tion.
It is expected that the
$15,000,000 economic aid
item earmarked for Is-
rael ending June 30 will
now be restored.
An INS report from Jerusalem quoted Israeli au-
thorities as stating that rumors about entrance of Iraqi
troops in Jordan was "whole cloth" propaganda intended
to. create tensions in Israel. and to incite a counter-move.
However, a dangerous new pattern of Arabian infil-
tration attacks developed from Syria, Jordan and Leb-
anon.
A heavy attack from Syrian gunposts north of Lake
Huleh, the ninth in less than a month, brought the
United Nations Truce Supervision Organization into the
Syrian-Israeli border situation for the first time. -
The patrol was caught on Israeli soil in a severe
crossfire from Syrian machinegun nests and Israeli re-
inforcements were rushed to the scene to extricate the
patrol. By the time the UN demand for a cease-fire
came through, the patrol made its way to safety under
cover of Israeli gunfire. Israel then complied with the
cease-fire demand.
Continued on Page 9
Itequest to Adinit Egyptian Jewish Refugees
Rejected; Eisenhower Says U.S. Might Aid
Jordan If Attacked by Israel or the USSR
WASHINGTON, (JTA) — The Administration, has turned down a proposal to offer
Egyptian refugees haven in this country under the emergency parole provision of the im-
migration act. The Administration's position is that the entire question of granting asylum
in the United States to Egyptian - Jewish refugees is a matter for Congress to handle.
The Administration's views were expressed by Deputy Attorney General William
P.
Rogers in a letter to Republican Senators Clifford P. Case of New Jersey, and Irving M.
Ives and Jacob K. Javits of New York. An exchange of letters between the three Senators
and the Justice Department was released by Senator Case.
The three Senators originally asked the Justice Department "immediately" to extend
the parole provision of the immigration act to offer haven in the United States to Egyptian
Jewish refugees. They pointed out that Egyptian Jewish refugees "are no less deserving of
sympathetic assistance" than the Hungarian refugees. The National • Community Relations
Advisory 'Council denounced the Administration's announcement as a "pretext."
President Eisenhower told his press . conference that the United States could go to the
aid of Jordan in the event of aggression by either Israel or the Soviet Union. The President
said the - 1950 Tripartite Declaration could be applied if Israel attacked Jordan, while the Un-
ited States might support Jordan under the Eisenhower Doctrine if Communist aggression oc-
curred.
(From Jerlisalem it was reported that President Eisenhower's statement in Washington,
that the United States would go- to the aid of Jordan if that country were attacked by either
Israel or the Soviet Union, aroused little interest in Israel. Israelis feel that international trou-
ble is not imminent and that any implied warning by Mr. Eisenhower should concern Syria
and possibly other Arab states because the United States is aware that Israel has no intension
of intervening in Jordan.)
(In Tel Aviv, U.S. Ambassador Edward B.
Lawson conveyed a message to Foreign
Minister Gold Meir, in behalf of the U.S., cautioning Israel not to precipitate action in the
explosive Jordanian situation.)
President Eisenhower indicated that if the Arabs interfered with U. S. ships in the Gulf
of Aqaba, the United States would look to the World Court. He said the United States had
announced its readiness to consider Aqaba Gulf an international
waterway and will continue
to so consider it until a World Court rules otherwise.
He insisted that the United States had not changed its policy on maritime passage
through the Gulf or the Suez Canal but he had not heard of U.
S. ships having asked per-
mission to transit the contested waters of Elath. Nor had he heard of a reported U. S. un-
dertaking to avoid the Aqaba Gulf while negotiating on Suez. Mr. Eisenhower said the United
States still has some hope of solving the general Suez issue without resort to the United
Nations Security Council.
Meanwhile, it was learned that the U. S. has notified Saudi Arabian officials that it re-
gards the Gulf of Aqaba as an international waterway and that Israel ships cannot be denied
use of the gulf.
Allied Jewish Campaign 'Reaches Record $5.850,000