Purely Commentary
Another Glubb Has Come to Judgment
Israel, the state that emerged out of the people's travail of
centuries in 1948,
-
could easily have had all of the Holy Land that
year. The 650,000 people who formed the reborn nation had no
weapons. They fought against great odds. They met an obstacle on
the Jordanian front, due to many unfortunate occurrences and espe-
cially the lack of manpower in the New Jerusalem. The result was
that the Arab Legion held back the Hagana, and the Old City was
retained by the Jordanians. A cease-fire ordered by the United
Nations was primarily responsible for the loss of the Old City, the
destruction of the Jewish community in the Holy City and of the
many synagogues.
Credit for stopping the handful of Israelis from regaining the
Old City and of acquiring the right for Jews to visit the Western
(Wailing) Wall was given to General Sir John Glubb, commander
of the Arab Legion, who became such a darling of the Moslems that
he became known as Glubb Pasha. The elder Glubb was never too
keen on Israel's existence and only of late did be begin to speak of
Israel as an existing state. More recently his views have been that
the Soviet Union seeks to control the Middle East first by condoning
the subduing of Egypt by Israel, then assuming the control the
Kremlin seeks. He is still considered an authority on the Middle
East in many quarters.
Now a new Glubb has appeared on the scene. It has just been
reported from Amman that a cry has gone forth among the Jordanian
Arabs: "The son of Glubb Pasha is back in Jordan." The bearded
Faris Glubb, 28-year-old son of Sir John, has now let it be known
that: "The June war between the Arabs and Israelis had a big effect
on me. I have always felt the Arabs were my people. When I saw the
pictures of Jordanians charred by Israeli bombs and refugees pouring
over Allenby Bridge, I knew my place is here."
Where did he see "charred" Arab bodies? Were they in the
Hussein propaganda that continues to spread against Israel?
Now that he is back, what will he do there—other than to give
encouragement to Arabs to labor against peace?
Hussein had expelled Faris' father, Glubb Pasha, from Jordan
and personally assumed control of the Arab Legion. Now, when Glubb
Pasha's son asked for permission to return to Jordan, Hussein told
Faris: "Ahlan wa sahlan! Welcome! This is your country." And Faris
said he would leave it up to the king to decide what he is to do, that:
"I am ready to serve in any capacity."
We can be prepared that the "capacity" of Faris will be primarily
in spreading what Hussein wishes him to say. Anything, of course,
goes with the adopted—or converted—Pashas!
Dilemmatic C. L. Sulzberger
C. L. Sulzberger of the New York Times confronts us with many
dilemmas. He is one of the ablest commentators and analysts of
foreign affairs. He is a top man on the New York Times staff. But
he often puzzles us.
Very soon after the Six-Day War, about which he had written
sympathetically, he wrote an interesting column on Israel and the
status quo. He traced Israel's history vis-a-vis precedents involving
"conquests. - It couldn't be said that he was friendlily amenable to
Zionism and Zionists and he even wrote about "the first Israel, im-
posed on the Canaanites by Moses." But he did partially demolish
the Nasser hope of imposing upon Israel a status quo that prevailed
in 1956. or turning back even to 1948, and he stated:
"Other nations, before Israel, have established themselves by
the power of an idea and the force of a civilization even though, by so
doing, they tragically violated justice. Geopolitics is a dynamic science
and admits no fixed status quo.
"That which should be established in the Middle East is not a
status quo ante bellum with reference to any war between 1914 and
1967 but a status quo post bellum based on a synthesis of right,
tradition, economics and prevailing political realities. Into such a
framework the UN should try to fit a settlement."
We do not accept the "tragically violated justice" phrase as a
reality or as a bit of justice in itself. But we call attention to an
important analysis that rules out the return to a status quo that is
no longer feasible even if it were ever justifiable—as it was not.
Now, nearly seven months after he had written the definition
of a status quo. Sulzberger has written another analysis of the Middle
East situation in which he made a rather puzzling statement. He
declared:
"Nasser is in a very anti-American mood because he sees us as
Israel's strongest foreign supporter. Nevertheless, he knows (as proved
in 1956) there are limits to such support and that the United States
seeks peace with justice in the Middle East."
Just what does he mean by "as proved in 1956?" Does Sulz-
berger imply another shameful withdawal? Does he imply another
order similar to the one that came from the Eisenhower-Dulles policies
which caused a crisis not only for Israel—when Ben-Gurion was
forced to withdraw from the Sinai area—but also for Great Britain?
And is "peace with justice" to be interpreted as something that neces-
sitates the opposite of encouragement to Israel as the only bulwark
for democracy in the Middle East?
Dilemmatic C. L. Sulzberger doesn't help the cause of democracy
and justice in the Middle East with his implications.
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Bloch's Pioneering Publishing Tasks
Under the editorship of Solomon Kerstein, Bloch's Book Bulletin.
issued periodically by Bloch Publishing Co., serves as an excellent
guide for book buyers.
It does not limit itself to Bloch publications and it publishes news
about books from all producers of books of Jewish interest in English,
Hebrew and Yiddish.
For the 38th year, Bloch's book guide now is rendering this
service, and to the publishers and the editor of its bulletin, Mr.
Kerstein, go the appreciative encomia of Jewish book buyers in all
English-speaking countries.
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New Israeli School: American College in Jerusalem
A comment made by President Johnson. in his State of the Union
message to Congress on Jan. 17, regarding the growth of educational
activities in this country—indicating that a new college is organized
here every day—has special relevance to a new project in Israel.
While the existing universities in Israel are not affluent and are
struggling for means to provide for constant growth a new school
of higher learning is being formed in Jerusalem. It is to be the
American College in Jerusalem and courses of instruction will com-
mence next September.
A Glubb on the Jordanian Scene
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
2—Friday, February 2, 1968
By Philip
Dilemmas Created
Analyst... New
bySchool l WO/MY/1Z
mentions the Spanish origin of
many Egyptian Jews but does not
refer to the Inquisition, the reli-
gious horror that had been im-
posed upon Spanish, later Portu-
guese and as an aftermath on
Latin American Jewries.
A distinguished list of Americans is sponsoring the undertaking,
lending encouragement to an effort that is explained as aimed at
"promotion of international understanding and cooperation," students
to be given "an opportunity to take all or part of their undergraduate
education in a challenging academic environment where formal class-
room studies are enriched by direct contact with persons of diverse
cultural and intellectual backgrounds."
The purposes of the new college are explained in this introductory
statement listing the courses to be offered:
The American College in Jerusalem is a private, non-sec-
tarian American-sponsored institution of higher learning.
The college offers four-year, co-educational programs of
study in the arts and sciences, and in education and social
work, leading to the bachelor of arts and bachelor of science
degrees. The intent of the founders is to provide young men
and women with an accredited American liberal arts educa-
tion of the highest quality in a stimulating overseas acad-
emic setting.
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The curriculum of the American College in Jerusalem is
geared to the academic background and interests of American
youth; it is structured on the educational lines of the most
demanding American liberal arts colleges and provides the
academic discipline that should enable the student to be a
thoughtful, humane and productive citizen, as well as pre-
pare him for graduate and post graduate study in the
United States.
The American College seeks to strengthen the under-
standing and appreciation of the classical and modern cul-
ture of Israel in the English-speaking world. Although instruc-
tion will be in the English language, students will be expected
to learn the language of the host country and to take basic
courses dealing with its history and literature. It is hoped that
some graduates of the American College will undertake pro-
fessional or voluntary service in the fields of Jewish and
Hebrew education.
Dr. Norman Greenwald, of the faculty of the College of the City
of New York, as secretary of hte American committee for the new
college, is the chief administrator of the undertaking. The college is
to be located in the Emek Refaim garden suburb of the new Jerusalem.
The academic resources of the college already "are augmented by
close ties with a wide variety of cultural and scientific institutions
throughout Israel," permitting students "to use specialized facilities
such as archaeological and anthropological museums, archives and
music, art and drama centers."
The initial plans, therefore, have been well formulated. Staffs
are being organized; deans have already been selected.
The American College in Jerusalem is a significant new under
taking, certain to add immeasurably to Israel's cultural advancement
with the cooperation of American Jewry.
New Exodus ... Reminder of Inquisition
A cabled report of the New York Times from its correspondent,
Eric Pace, contains an interesting reminiscence of the 15th Century
tragedy occasioned by religious bigotry.
Describing the new exodus, the permission granted by Egypt to
several hundred Jews in Egypt to emigrate to France, Italy and Spain,
Mr. Pace's cable contained the following facts under date of Jan. 25:
Cairo does not usually permit Jews to leave the country,
but the government's spokesman, Dr. Mohammed H. el-
Zayyat, said in an interview yesterday that it had helped
the Spanish ambassador, Angel Sagaz, to give Spanish pass-
ports to a few members of the Jewish community, which
numbered about 2,500 before the war.
The sources said that Mr. Sagaz and his staff had been
particularly assiduous in furnishing Spanish passports to
former detainees and their families. They were able to
do so because the Spanish government considers descendants
of Jewish families who were expelled from Spain in the 15th
Century to be eligible for Spanish nationality.
A number of Jews in Egypt were found to be members
of these families or to have connections with them, the
sources said. Spanish officials have been giving them pass-
ports, helping them to apply for exit permits and, in some
cases, paying for their transportation by ship or air.
Emigrants with Spanish passports are understood to
have left for such European ports as Marseilles and Bar-
celona. Most of them were said to have expressed a wish
to go to the United States or Canada, where some have
relatives who emigrated before the war.
A rich historical narrative and a commentary with numerous
tragic annotations could be written as an addendum to this cable. It
There is an apocryphal tale
about Abarbanel who, as the fi-
nancial advisor to Ferdinand and
Isabella, the monarchs under
whose rule the most atrocious of
all the Inquisition practices were
formulated by Torquemada, ap-
peared before his masters with the
cap of a Jew he was compelled to
wear to distinguish him from
Christians. He carried with him
another such cap and when the
king asked him what it was for
Abarbnael replied: "It is for you,
Your Majesty" — the implication
being that no one could tell who
was an offspring of Jews. Now we
have evidence that nearly five
centuries after the Inquisition
Spain recognizes descendants of
Marranos and escapees from the
brutalities in the land of the Tor-
quemades as being heirs to nation-
al recognition!
That's how it is in Jewish ex-
perience! Jews were in Poland as
early as the Poles themselves, in
many Moslem countries before the
adherents to Islam, pioneers in
Latin American countries before
the subsequent settlers who came
to introduce the Inquisitional prac-
tices were honored by those who
followed them and by those who
became their contemporaries!
All of it is part of Jewish mar-
tyrology. It is also the reflection
and the echo of the conscience that
finds revival — sometimes a bit
late.
Senator Griffin's Timely
Effort in Newspaper Strike
Someone had to act to correct a
horrible situation affecting a com-
munity of 2,000,000. Senator Robert
Griffin has earned our citizens'
gratitude for having spoken up in
the U. S. Senate. Whatever results
from the planned invesigation of a
plot among union leaders to stran-
gle the existing newspapers, the
fact is that Senator Griffin's speech
in the Senate inspired discussion
in the State Legislature in an effort
to end a situation that deprives a
great community of the major
need: communication among neigh•
bors and with the world. The Michi-
gan Senator's courageous act may
put to shame our mayor, who
should have been the first to in-
augurate methods of ending the
long strike. It serves to rebuke a
famed bishop who had helped end
a previous strike and who, in the
present instance, said—some weeks
ago—thtat it was too early for him
to act!
We are disgraced enough already
without countenancing further de-
lay, and Detroit has suffered long
enough. There should be sufficient
pressure to compel an end to an
intolerable situation.
Woe Unto a Generation That Is Denied Even a Decade of Peace!
Woe unto our generations! We are denied peace. We have not seen a single consecutive decade
in which the world enjoyed security and accord among nations.
Now we are in even graver trouble than ever before. As if Vietnam were not enough, we now are
embroiled more seriously in the Far East and one would hesitate to venture into prophecy to guess whether
our young people can rest peacefully, if the reservists of our time are safe with their families, whether
it can be said that in this turbulent time there will be amity for our and the next generation.
Presently we are embroiled in unforseen trouble in to which we have ben dragged, contrary to the
realization that this country is not alone as a gatherer of data about neighbors who can not be trusted,
as intelligence seekers who are concerned about our nation's security.
Russia goes deeper into other peoples' territory. Nations large and small have their spy ships.
Israel could not have won the Six-Day War if it did not have superior staffs in its intelligence-
seeking department.
But there are certain limitations in relationships between nations. The tragic experience last June
with the USS Liberty in the Mediterranean indicated that when and where there is an honorable approach,
without resorting to misrepresentations, avoiding the lie and the witch-hunt, the fear of war can be eliminat-
ed. But when people have ulterior motives, when power politics is involved and it becomes necessary for a
nation like ours to prevent the intrusion of a foreign idea into our body politic, one that aims to destroy
our democratic way of life, trouble begins to brew.
That is why we are placed in an awkward position, compelled always to be on guard against the
threat to our way of life, finding it difficult, while we defend the underdog, even to get an assurance of
loyalty from the underdog—as in the instance of the South Vietnamese in whose behalf we pour in our
material means and in whose defense we are sacrificing precious American lives but who fail to fulfill the
obligations of a partnership to share in the duties of self-defense.
Therefore the North Korean crisis also stares at us with grave danger, challenging us because we
wish to protect those who are threatened with political enslavement, yet we have so little confidence
that those we help will be loyal to us! , „
What a tragic age—especially for our country and our people!
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