32
THE DETRO IT JEWISH N EWS — Friday, August 17, 1962 —
Editorial: Panic and Misunderstanding in Soblen Case
Continued from Page 1
Rabbinical Assembly
to Hold Parleys in
U.S. and Israel
after all, did not want Soblen on its soil any more than Britain
But they are no justification for what has been done. The Jews does, why then does Britain require El Al to act on its behalf?
The Rabbinical Assembly will
Israel sent Soblen out on an El Al plane, could not Britain
are not the only people who have suffered ..."
have sent him out quickly on BOAC or upon an American hold part of next year's con-
Thus, a responsible newspaper has introduced an issue that
vention
in Jerusalem "to em-
airplane or, indeed, have handed him over to the nearest
has absolutely no relevance to the case in question. and thereby American
Consul?
phasize both the central signi-
undertook to point a finger of accusation at Jews generally, as
"Israel's actions right at the very beginning left no doubt ficance Conservative J e w r y
if to say: why do you always cry: you're not the only ones who
whatsoever that as far as was compatible with the widest possible places upon Israel as well as
are persecuted!
the international character of
How quickly the world forgets! For generations responsible interpretation of its own laws, Israel would help this country. the Movement," and to dra-
Christians who recognized the sins of anti-Semitism conceded Of course, no one expects even one's very best friends to break matize the' fact that post-war
the wrongs that were committed in the name of Judaism's their own laws, and I understand that this fact has been stressed America is now "the reservoir
daughter faith. In 1855, Dr. Leopold Zunz, the famous German- by the State Department's spokesman. I believe that the Secre- of spiritual leadership for world
tary of State explained to a member of this House the problems
Jewish scholar, summed up Jewish suffering by stating:
Jewry," it was announced by
connected with the fact that this offense is not internationally Rabbi Theodore Friedman,
"If there are ranks in suffering, Israel takes precedence
of recognized as extraditable. We have, of course, no ratified extra- president of the Assembly, the
dition treaty with Israel and, as for Britain, she claims that her
which they are borne
boe ennoble, the Jews can challenge the
international association of Con-
extradition treaty with the U.S. does not cover such cases as servative rabbis.
aristocracy of every land; if a literature is called rich in the
this.
Yet,
why
could
Israel
find
a
swift
way
of
action
on
the
possession of a few classic tragedies—what shall we say to a
The first part of the con-
first of July and why does Britain apparently expect Israel to do vention will be held in the U.S.
national tragedy lastn,g for fifteen hundred years, in which
twice what Britain is clearly not prepared to do even once? May 5-9 and the second part in
the poets and actors were also the heroes?"
li
ritain has any intention whatsoever of seeing Soblen returned I s r a e l during the week of
No one, unless ne was a rabid anti-Semite who was himself to the U.S., why then does she insist on forcing him back into July
14.
responsible for the sufferings described in this deg
p l y moving
statement, has ever challenged Dr. Zunz in the mo re than a Israel's hands after Israel has done the decent thing once and
Rabbi Friedman also an-
after Israeli authorities have stressed for over a month that nounced that a new Rabbinical
hundred years since he had written his evaluation of the position
of the Jews as actors and poets and heroes in the tragedy of their hands are now entirely tied by the developments which Assembly Region is being estab-
suffering. But a Detroit editorial writer, suddenly swerved by have arisen out of several weeks legalistic quibbling in Britain." lished in Israel under the ini-
emotional impulses resulting from the flight of a spy who
The issue became all the more aggravated when Rep. Francis tiative of Rabbi Jack Cohen,
happens to have been born a Jew, now undertakes to teach us E. Walter of Pennsylvania, chairman of both the House Immi- formerly of the Society for the
a lesson and to admonish us that Jews are not the only ones gration Subcommittee and the House Committee on Un-American Advancement of Judaism in
who have suffered!
Activities—the man who so notoriously referred to those who New York and now director of
We could send the uninformed editorial writer to many sought the liberalization of immigration laws, which had been the Hillel Foundation in Jeru-
areas to investigate for himself whether there still is a degree favored by all Presidents, including Truman, Eisenhower and salem. Rabbi Friedman will
of suffering among Jews. We can direct him to Algeria and Kennedy, as "professional Jews"—introduced a bill, aimed at attend the first meeting of the
Morocco and all the Moslem lands and behind the Iron Curtain denying landing rights in this country to the El Al Israel Airline Region this Fall, and Rabbi
countries to witness the mounting tide of anti-Semitism, and we and at cutting of emigration from Israel to the U.S. The Israel Wolfe Kelman, executive vice
could ask him what the civilized world is doing to alleviate quota to this country is so small that the brilliant congressman's president of the Assembly, will
the tragedies in scores of Jewish communities.
proposal sounds most ludicrous.
be in Israel from February
But this is not the question at issue. That angle was not
"Are we by any chance 'picking on the little guy'?", Rep. through July of next year.
introduced by us but by a sensation-seeking writer who must , Farbstein asked.
have been unaware that a statement which he may have consid-
The Philadelphia Inquirer was more rational. It viewed the Hebrew Corner
ered innocent really may serve to recreate anti-Semitism—as it Soblen incident editorially as follows:
is being reborn in Latin American countries. The question at
"There is a feasible way for the British to cut the legalistic
issue involves Dr. Robert Soblen, a man who was born a Jew knot that has kept the unwanted Robert Soblen in their hands.
Ashdod is a new port in Israel. in
•! and
who tried to capitalize on his birth by injecting himself Simply place the Soviet spy on a plane that will return him to addition to the port towns of Haifa,
Jaffa and Eilat.
into the Israel picture because of a Law of Return in that the U.S. The British have denied Soblen political asylum and
Ashdod, which was selected to
country. What arc the facts in the case, that they should be so
serve as an additional gateway to
muddled in our free land where we boast of a free and they want the El Al Airline which brought the fugitive to Israel, is developing in a gigantic
England to take him off their hands and carry him to New manner. Immigrants were brought to
untrammeled press?
her; housing projects were erected
York. . . . Israel has had its own trouble with the spy when he and
also a business and industrial
centre — life came about on the
There really should be no need to review ad nauseam the fled there after jumping $100.000 bail in New York. The Israeli desolate
sand-dunes.
government charged him with illegal entry and promptly sent
"The Ashdod Development Com-
background of the case. Soblen came to Israel June 26. His him off on the flight intended to return him to this country. pany,"
headed by Oved Ben Ami, is
identity was discovered and he was expelled on July 1- Speaking Now that the problem has become Britain's, the Israelis are planning a city to serve as an ex-
in the Knesset to Israel's parliamentaries on July 11. Prime disinclined to take orders from the British government on ample. The company is developing
the fundamental utilities of Ashdod;
Minister David Ben-Gurion stated firmly, interpreting the Law
.
•
the water
system, electricity. sew-
o en s disposal. It would he unfortunate if a byproduct of his age,
la
of Return:
ndscape levelling, etc. The
maneuvering
should
be
friction
between
the
U.S.
and
our
friends
main objective of the company is to
"We are thinking of a refuge for Jews who do not wish,
in Britain and Israel . . . El Al is not the only airline available t ag easli hte ec h o tn s.om4fte for ad ir oiti o r n tto had trar s
or are unable, to remain where they are, but not of an
for passage. The spy could be flown back on an American being. built and other important in-
asylum for criminals."
Now, for more than six weeks. Soblen has been in England, airliner, thus ending the bizarre case as far as both Britain ed u m spt Li e y sm erio thou
shaen dfsuo
t t rw
e'ortehr.es
Israel are concerned. If the British quibblers consider that in Ashdod.
having been removed from an El Al plane when he tried to and
it would not b e cricket
•
The city plan Is for a quarter of
for them to p
lac
commit suicide. Let
e the fugitive bodily a million
inhabitants. so the pace of
et the Consul General of Israel in Chicago. in a U.S. liner, some other arrangements could surely be made.
is great. Five years
David S. Tesher, take up the cudgels for his government at this . . . possibly the British would be agreeable to transfer Soblen development
ago there were only fifty people
point. Tesher stated this week:
here. today there are 8.000 and in
as a fugitive illegally in England to the custody of the American another five years there will be
"Upon his expulsion from Israel. Israel's part in this case Embassy from where he could be taken to a U.S. bound plane. 50,000.
The town planners cared not
was terminated. Dr. Soblen is no longer under Israel's jurisdic- All that is needed to defeat his plan and get him to prison is only for economics but also for
spiritual development. The known
tion, and, therefore, there was no basis for involving Israel or a simple act of red tape cutting by the British—making sure Yeshiva
of Poneviz of Bnei Brak
EL AL in any further steps regarding Dr. Soblen. Any participa- this time that he makes it all the way to New York."
will set up a branch in Ashdod.
tion by the government of Israel, or an Israel aircraft, or an
Ashdod, the city, is being built on
e facts just enumerated should clarify the issue. They the site of ancient historical Ashdod
Israel vessel in the removal or deportation of Dr. Soblen from
and is an important spot on the map
the United Kingdom to the United States is contrary to Israel should serve to eliminate panic among Jewish pressure groups. of the State of Israel.
They
should
enlighten
editorial
writers
who
have
so
hastily
Translation of Hebrew Column
law and, therefore, the government of Israel cannot take any
—Publishe b Brh Ivrith
pounced upon the "little guy." Israel has been truly hurt by
such action.
Olamith, Jerulem
dy sait
the repetitive misstatements in newspapers which placed all
" The government of Israel notes that at no stage was it
e blame on Israel while overlooking the sanctimonious in
asked by the United States to take action which would not be Washington and the holier than thou John Bull.
in conformity with the laws of Israel. In this connection, the
• • 1 , ' 12.V1
' -
government of Israel recalls the statement made by the official
spokesman of the United States Department of State on June Israeli Minister
11
.
'7 r. th2
28, 1962:
world that often has treated them badly are understandable.
Ashdod
n4nmr—I
. . . 'We are not asking them (Israel) to break their
own laws of course'. . . He added: 'The situation is that we
and Israel do not have an extradition treaty. In January of
this year, we negotiated such a treaty with Israel. But it
has not been submitted to the Senate for ratification. One
cautionary note—even if we had such a treaty, and it were
in force, it would not cover extradition for espionage.'
Is Satisfied With
Devaluation Move
JERUSALEM, (JTA)
Yaakov Arnon, director-genera 1
of the Israel Finance Ministry
appraised the country's ec •
"In the light of this situation, the government of Israel, nomic situation, six month s
while fully sharing the concerns of the governments of the since the Israel pound was de -
United Kingdom and the United States, could not see its way valued to a rate of three for a
to authorize El Al to comply with the directions issued by the dollar, and found that "our
British government, since the laws of Israel do not permit economy now stands where we
it to do so.
had reckoned it would" at this
"The government of Israel expresses its hope that it will point.
now he possible for a solution to be reached. The procedure now
He warned, however: "I can
initiated by the government of the United Kingdom indicates not say the worst is over. Six
the correctness of the assumption of the Israel goVernment, months is too short a period in
that a satisfactory solution can be found without any of the which to judge the success of
parties being required to act against its own laws."
devaluation."
*
*
noted there h a s been
In a statement in the U. S. House of Representatives, anArnon
increase in Israeli i mports
Congressman Leonard Farbstein called attention to the fact that and a relatively mild rise in
Soblen arrived in Israel on an Air France plane, yet, the New prices. He predicted a 10 per
York Congressman said, "I do not recall that the government cent increase in production for
of Israel made any attempt to force Air France to deal with 1962. Viewing the employment
Soblen, although it, too, could very easily have sheltered behind situation. he noted that overall
such excuses. The government of Israel expelled Soblen and employment has not decreased
placed him upon one of El Al's own aircraft." Congressman and that, despite the large im-
Farbstein added:
migration, the number of un-
"One hears a great deal concerning friends and friendship, employed has declined both
hut such words are apparently used lightly and freely. I can relatively and absolutely.
think of few examples of acts by a foreign government which
The official's appraisal stated
would prove the spirit of friendship more indisputably than the that he was even more con-
action of the government of Israel on the first of July. Yet vinced now than he was last
Britain, in a similar situation, did not do the quick and straight- Feb., when devaluation took ef-
forward thing, but found no more gallant way of dealing with feet, that pegging
the pound at
the matter than to pick on Israel to act on its own behalf. If three per dollar had been the
Israel did not ask Air France to take Soblen out and Israel, correct move.
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