Israeli's Nerves Being Tested
Not Shattered, by Saber Rattlers

By PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
Special to Jewish News

Communists (there are seven Com- American Jewry—to enlist aid of
munists in the 120-member Knes- all peace-loving people in a demand
set). But even such talk arouses not to permit a bloodthirsty ruler
indignation, the feeling being that to threaten the sovereignty of
the desired unity comes spontane- amity-seeking Israel.
ously.
If war is inevitable, it may
It came as a kind of amaze-
mean the bankruptcy of the UN,

Via Overseas Telephone
Israel's nerves are on edge and i
are being tested. An embattled
people, suddenly plunged into a
state of tension that has led to
near-total mobilization, finds itself
ment that even the extremist
pressed to the wall, once again
religious group — the Naturai
recognizing the em breira—the no
Karta—called off its battles on
alternative—of a fight to a finish
the irreligious and cancelled
to retain the sovereignty that is
planned protests on the autopsies
threatened and challenged.
question. That, too, became a
symbol of unity.
Because of the mass threats to
The religious groups once again
Israel's security stemming from all
Arab centers the average Israeli emerged amongst the most cour-
believes this is the time to strike. ageous in the land. Ultra-Orthodox,
to call a halt to aggression that wearing streimels, bearded, kaf-
would rob Israel of its basic free- taned, joined on the Sabbath in
doms and would deprive it of the digging air shelters. Sakanet ne-
right to freedom of the seas—a fesh, protection of life, defense of
right that has been upheld by all the state, makes it permissible for
the maritime nations and all the the laws of the sanctity of the
world powers—barring only Rus- Sabbath to be amended.
sia's antagonism to Israel.
Children of all ages, as young
In spite of the resentment among as nine and ten, are seen packing
the populace, the Israel govern- sand bags for air shelters. For the
ment is exercising remarkable re- first time in l(P/S) years these shel-
straint, setting an example for ters are being prepared for all
moderation that leads authoritative emergencies.
sources and nearly the entire press
Youngsters are assisting in all
corps which has grown to a force
endeavors. For the first time in
exceeding 150 to believe that a hot
his life this correspondent rode
war has been averted, that while
in back of a motorcycle driven
a war of nerves may be worse than : by a lad who took him on a spe-
an active one that would lead to a
cial mission to and from the gov-
speedy solution to an aggravated
ernment press office in Tel Aviv.
situation. Israel's role among the
There are no empty cars—every
nations of the world gains in pres- driver makes pickups at bus stops
tige by the present tactics.
to prevent lines.
As had been expected, infiltra-
A new faith has developed in
tions are increasing as a result the pledges made to Israel by the
of the massing of 80,000 Egyp- . U.S. and Great Britain and while
tian troops on the Gaza border.
many are in a quandary over the
Before the removal of the UNEF
French role there have been as-
it was hoped they would end.
surances that maritime nations Un-
But the latest incidents, the fir- der the leadership of Denmark,
ing on Nachal Oz. the dynamite
Sweden and Norway will demand
planted near the Lebanese bor-
adherence to Israel's right to feee
der on Tuesday and other ex-
passage through Tiran.
pected incidents are mere epi-
The prospect for war is anyone's
sodes on a situation created by
guess. Even the Israeli policy mak-
a state of war.
ers can't fully evaluate the pos-
The calmness that prevails in sibilities. There could be an in-
Israel could well betray an inner terminable war scare developing
spirit of courage so deep-rooted from the battle of nerves—the cold
that it expresses the indomitable and bloodless. but thoroughly un-
Jewish will to live and survive.) nerving irritations — and there
The Hetzah-Israel spirit of the eter- could he a sudden blast of gunfire
nity of the people is that powerful involving the universe.
One thing is certain: the West-
weapon which could well induce
e'ven saber-rattling Gamal Nasser ern powers are challenged; either
to be cautious before launching an they fulfill pledges to Israel and
all-out attack on Israel. The dan- put an end to Nasser's braggadocio
ger once again has created a spirit or there will be war. The U.S. is
of unity that forces into the back-! especially put to the test. We have
ground all the previous idle talk more to lose in the Midle East than
about "two nations" — Ashkenazi in Vietnam. If Nasser and Russia
and Sephardi — Oriental and Oc- as his ally win, then the most vital
cidental — that divide the state. area of the world is lost to com-
There is no such division now. munism.
Therefore it is urgent that the
There is a clamor for a "national
government." a "national cabinet." LB.) administration act at once to
There is talk about a political unity protect Israel, and the duty devel-
of all parties. excluding only the ops upon world Jewry, especially

AVM

BY HENRY LEONARD

op.,

A C- 4 ?!.*I i e i lq t?,

1

I
.q

and America's prestige will be
on the rocks. If another Munich
is in the offing, another world
calamity menaces us.

The historic fact to be remem-
bered is that Israel will not yield
to threats that might lead to des-
truction, and extinction is not in
Israel's or Jewry's vocabulary.
(In Paris, a silent demonstra-
tion on Israel Square attracted
thousands of supporters Wednes-
day night in an expression of soli-
darity with Israel. Non-Jews as
well as Jews are offering to join
Israel's army of defense. This is
true also of the friendly demon-
strations in nearly all European
capitals.)
It is accepted as certainty that
Israel will never sacrifice the right
of ships on the way to Eilat Port
to cross the Tiran Strait, through
Sharm el-Sheikh. In the process of
guaranteeing this necessity that in-
volves Israel's very vital factor
to the state's existence, there is
caution, moderation, restraint. This
may prove in the long run, an im-
portant step in the direction of ,
peace and another great tribute to',
Israel's wiser diplomacy and real-
istic statesmanship.

Theological College H onors Agnon, Harman

SKOKIE,

Y. Agnon, the

Literature (that country's high-

est such award), and twice was
78-year-old Israeli citizen who was
honored with the Bialik Prize for
a recipient of the 1966 Nobel Prize
Literature.
for Literature in December, and
Ambassador Harman, who was
Avraham Harman, the ambassa-
dor of Israel to the United States, graduated in law from Oxford, was
will be honored during the June appointed to his present post in
commencement exercises of the 1959.
In a ceremony at New York City
Hebrew Theological College, Sko-
Hall Monday, Mayor Lindsay pre-
kie, Ill.
sented
Agnon with the City's Me-
The graduate school of the Col-
lege will award each of them the dallion for Distinguished Service.
honorary degree of doctor of Heb-
rew letters. Harman will deliver
the commencement address.
DANNY

Agnon, honored by the Heb-
rew The'logical College in con-
junction with his first visit to
the United States, has also twice
received the Israel Prize for

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"Doctor, why is it I only feel good
when I DON'T feel good?"

Friday, June 2, 1967-13

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