Growing French Protests Greet DeGaulle Embargo

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(Continued from Page 1)
"The actions of President de
Gaulle run counter to this goal. By
threatening Israel's defensive
capacity, the embargo is in ef-
fect an invitation to greater reck-
lessness and irresponsibility on
the part of those who choose ter-
ror as their weapon.
"If allowed to stand, it is certain
to delay and make more difficult
the achievement of a solid peace
and an orderly, tranquil and pro-
ductive future for all the residents
of the Middle East."
A copy of the Council letter was
sent to Jean LeDireach, French
consul general in Detroit.
PARIS (JTA)—President Charles
de Gaulle's decision to impose a
"total embargo" on arms ship-
ments and military spare parts to
Israel appears to be having more
serious repercussions in France
than the 79-year-old French leader
could have foreseen. Widespread
unrest and discontent in the ranks
of the French army over the em-
bargo were reported from several,
reliable sources. French indus-
trialists were reported to be fur-
ious over the loss of lucrative Is
raeli orders for military equipment
and spare parts. Economists were !
fearful that a further deterioration
of France's balance of payments
as a result of the embargo could
lead to a new economic crisis.
Unrest in the French army re-
portedly reached such proportions
that special measures were taken
by military authorities. The well-
informed weekly, Nouvelle Observ-
ateur. reported that many senior
army officers have publicly and
privately expressed dissatisfaction
with Gen. de Gaulle. A number of
them approached Defense Minister
Pierre Messmer to let him know
their "shame that France has once I
again foresaken her pledges." The
JTA learned that President de
Gaulle included the French "army i
and administration" along with the !
press and radio in his assertion at
last week's cabinet meeting that
French institutions were under 1
"Israeli influence." It was only at'
the urging of Prime Minister Mau- 1
rice Couve de Murville and :
Messmer that references to the !
army were deleted from the com-
munique later released by Infor-1
mation Minister Joel le Theule. 1
The weekly L'Express reported
that France has lost $500,000,000
worth of orders from Israel during
the past year owing to the earlier
embargo on 50 Mirage V jets
bought and paid for by Israel.
The paper said Israel had plan-
ned to place orders for additional
Mir a g e s. The report coin-
cided with a release from the
government bureau of statistics
that showed further deterioration
of France's balance of trade dur-
ing December 1968. France's ex-
ports were only 81 per cent of her
imports compared to 95 per cent in
October 1968. _
A French government spokes-
man denied a statement made by
le Theule that France would not
refund the $100,000,000 to Israel
for embargoed military equip-
ment. Neither the spokesman
nor other official circles would
say what the government's posi-
tion was on the matter. Le
Theule, who was questioned at
a press conference on the possi-
bility of a refund to Israel, said
"There is nothing to pay back as
the planes are being kept for Is-
rael's use and are not being used
for any other purposes." He add-
ed, however, that this was his
"personal opinion" and that "the
French government has not yet
discussed or decided the issue."
The $50,000,000 worth of planes
are part of the hardware that
Israel will not get until a United
Nations peace settlement is ef-
fected in the Middle East.
Foreign Minister Michel Debre
will appear before the foreign
affairs committee of the French
Senate and National Assembly later
this month to answer questions on
the arms embargo against Israel.
His appearance was demanded by

36—Friday, January 17, 1969

many Senators and Deputies.
The Israel embassy here issued a
statement Jan. 10 that Israel had
not applied to France for a refund
because it continued to de-
mand that France supply the Mir-
age planes and equipment "ordered
and paid for." In a radio interview
in which he rejected charges of an-
ti-Semitism which have been level-
ed against de Gaulle in the spread-
ing uproar, Debre said that any
Israeli claim for repayment would
"be dealt with in normal commer-
cial ways." But Minister Mesmer
asserted that the embargo was "an
act of government" and that no
French courts had ever accepted
jurisdiction in such disputes.
He also told a press confer-
ence that the government
would not allow the Israelis to
claim the money in a French
court. He said it was "an old
French tradition that no courts,
either civil or administrative,
would agree to sit in judgment on
a decision taken as an 'act of gov-
ernment' in cases of national ne-
cessity."
Members of the government ma-
jority, Gaullists and the minority
Independent Republicans, joined in
increasing numbers to protest the
embargo.
The Socialist Party denounced
the embargo and said it would try
to take action when the Parliament
convened later this month.
The anti-Semitism issue touched
on by Debre involved a statement
by le Theule, apparently echoing
remarks de Gaulle made at a
cabinet meeting that "certain Is-
raeli influences had become ap-
parent in circles close to informa-
tion media," a charge which in-
furiated a number of press and
radio editors who immediately de-
manded that the government iden-
tify the accused media. When the
question was raised during the
Debre interview, he replied by im-
plying that many leading French-
men who had assailed Gen. de
Gaulle and favored Israel in the
embargo controversy had been col-
laborators with the pro-Nazi Vichy
government during World War H.
In criticizing pressure groups, he
also said that there was ,nothing
defamatory in saying.. that such
groups sometimes served a foreign
government.
He insisted that France had sup-
ported Israel, "when Israel needed
French help'-' but that now, when
Israel's neighbors are in danger of
their very security," France has
had to "reverse this policy."
Despite the President's tough
anti-Israel stand since the Arab-
Israel War, the French public
continues to be strongly sympa-
thetic to the Jewish state. A
statement by Grand Rabbi Jacob
Kaplan of Paris was read in
synagogues throughout the coun-
try. It voiced "profound sadness
at seeing the government . . .
taking it upon itself to sap the
defense potential of Israel against
those who multiply their at-
tacks." Rabbi Kaplan said that
Israel had "narrowly avoided the
threat of genocide" and the fate
of the Nigerian secessionist prov-
ince of Biafra, afflicted by mass
starvation and death. Prof. Rene
Cassin, 1967 Nobel Peace Prize
winner and a longtime de Gaulle
follower, told an audience in
Nice that "France is not on the
side of justice" and voiced hope
that the embargo would be re-
voked. Jewish organizations,
liked within the framework of the
Coordination Committee of Jew-
ish Organizations of France,
urged nullification.
The Committee for French Soli-
darity with Israel, headed by Gen.
Pierre Koenig, military command-
er of the Free French Force in
World War II and a national hero,
urged the country to sign a petition
condemning the embargo. The
committee declared that Israel
"has the right to obtain arms ne-
cessary for her safety."

newspaper Le Monde, never pro-
Israel. Its editor, Hubert Beuve-
Mery, called the government's
decision "unacceptable" and re-
ferred to Gen. de Gaulle's action
as "fraudulent." He said further
that it was "cynical" for France
to keep the money for the planes
and equipment that it refused to
send to Israel.

Roger Massif, foreign editor of
the conservative newspaper, Le
Figaro, said in an editorial,
"Apparently taking a position hos-
tile to the official policy can not be
from pure motives." He said the
government's insinuations were
"unacceptable" and "gave rise to
defamation where no details are
furnished nor proofs offered." Jos-
eph Van Den Ech, one of the chief
editors of the conservative news-
paper L'Aurore, said Gen. de
Gaulle's personal decision to slap
an embargo on Israel "wiped out
everything that was opposed to
absolutism" in the French Consti-
tution. He said it was astonishing
that Gen. de Gaulle made the deci-
sion without consulting his govern-
ment and that not one member of
his cabinet seemed surprised.
The Israel Embassy reported b

terests, particularly in the Suez
Canal, was excluded and did not
play a part. He told the Parlia-
mentary Foreign Policy Commis-
sion that current Soviet initiatives
in seeking a Four Power solution
could be successful only within the
framework of the United Nations.
He told the commission that man-
kind as a whole had a great re-
sponsibility toward the Jewish peo-
ple because of the persecution to
which it had been subjected for so
long. He said he understood the
despair of the Arab refugees and
the Arab tendency to judge Israel
on the basis of Arab past experi-
ences with colonialism. He said
Italian policy was directed toward
building a bridge between the Is-
raelis and the Arabs. Mauro Ferri,
Socialist Party secretary, told the
commission that Yugoslavian in-
terests were parallel with Italy's
and he urged possible mediation
offered by Marshal Tito.
American Jews Angered
by Embargo; Apparent
Boycott Movement Growing
NEW YORK (JTA) — American
Jews — at least those represented
y major organizations—are infur-

that it was flooded with thousands iated by the French boycott of
of letters and phone calls from arms and spare parts to Israel and
various political personalities who are mounting counter-measures de-
wanted to express sympathy and signed to hurt France's troubled
support for Israel. economy. Official Jewish groups
have already brought to the atten-
Britain Possible Source
tion of a French diplomat in Wash-
for Israel's Arms Needs?
ington the "mood of deep resent-
LONDON (JTA) — Israel's am- ment" that prevails among their
bassador to Britain, Aharon Remez, members. But they took pains to
said on a Kol Israel radio inter- stress that it is directed against
view from here Monday that he President Charles de Gaulle, who
had reason to believe that Britain made the embargo decision with-
would respond favorably to an Is- out consulting his government, and
raeli request for arms or spare not against the French people.
parts to replace those embargoed
Some 200 members from 156 of
by France.
the Metropolitan Region, United
Reports in two London newspa- Synagogue of America Conserva-
pers, that Israel could obtain the tive congregations declared at an
parts from a factory in Belgium emergency meeting here Sunday
were disputed by a spokesman for that they would "marshal all of the
the manufacturer. The Daily Mail forces at our command to achieve
and Daily Telegraph reported Mon- effective reaction against French
day that the French manufacturer trade, commerce and travel" until
of Mirage Jets, Marcel Dassault, the embargo is lifted. A boycott
purchased a controlling interest in seems to be developing among
a Belgium aircraft company which some Jewish groups against travel
could supply Israel with spare to France or the use of French
parts, thereby circumventing Pres- carriers. The immediate victim ap-
ident de Gaulle's embargo. A pears to be Air France, a major
spokesman for the Dassault firm international airline that serves
said in Brussels that the French Europe and Israel as well as such
and Belgium governments had nearby winter resorts as Mexico
signed an agreement when Das- and the Caribbean. Unconfirmed
sault moved into Belgium last year reports say that numerous cancel-
forbidding the sale of Mirages to lations have hit Air France since
third countries without France's the de Gaulle embargo was an-
approval.
nounced last week. The Bnai Brith
An Egyptian government official travel service is discontinuing
praised the Soviet Union for its French tours previously offered,
new Middle East peace offensive and other Jewish organizations
and President de Gaulle for his that sponsor group tours to Europe
"total embargo", as reports of an and Israel have reportedly elimin-
impending large-scale Israeli strike ated France from their itineraries.
against Jordan circulated in Cairo.
(At Lydda Airport in Israel,
The semi-official newspaper Al Samuel Rothberg, prominent Amer-
Ahram said that Israel was mass- ican Jewish leader, insisted on be-
ing troops for an attack intended to ing transferred from an Air
destroy Iraqi troop concentrations France to an Alitalia plane in pro-
in Jordan. The paper said it was test against de Gaulle's actions).
timed to coincide with the last days
A delegation representing major
of the Johnson administration so American Jewish organizations
that U.S. disapproval would be at visited the French ambassador,
a minimum. Al Ahram attributed Charles Lucet, in Washington on
its alleged information to Iraqi and Jan. 10. The group, headed by Her-
Jordanian intelligence reports.
man Edelsberg, director of • Bnai
E g y p t's information minister, Brith's international affairs depart-
Mohamed Fayek, said after a cab- ment, said the groups were not
inet meeting presided over by sponsoring a boycott of France but
President Gamal Abdel Nasser, had no interest in suppressing it.
that the Egyptian government con- Lucet reportedly indicated sur-
sidered Gen. de Gaulle's embargo prise at the intensity of feeling re-
decision "a stance which the Arab ported by the delegation. He was
nation will never forget since it re- told that the latest embargo against
stores to international politics that Israel would not only be a disserv-
spirit of principles without which ice to the cause of peace but pro-
it is impossible to solve world prob- moted the . Soviet role in the
lems." Fayek said that the cabi- Middle East. The group said that
net found the Soviet Union's peace American Jewry still regarded the
efforts "highly valuable in this French people as sincere friends
crisis of the destiny of the Arab but that Gen. de Gaulle's policies
nation.'
had strained f eelin g s toward
Foreign Minister Nenni
France as a nation. The delegation
Insists Italy Must Play
included representatives of the Jew-
Role in Middle East Solution
ish War Veterans of the U.S. the
Rome (JTA) — Foreign Minister American Jewish Committee, Un-
Pietro Nenni has served notice that ion of American Hebrew Congrega-
Italy would not agree to attempts tions (Reform), National Council
One of the sharpest attacks on at solution of the Middle East of Jewish Women and American
the embargo was leveled by the
crisis in which this country, as a Jewish Congress.
Mounting anger was dramatized
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS state with great Mediterranean in-

in a demand for a boycott of
all French products and services.
That action was urged by some
1,000 college students who staged
four protest demonstrations in the
New York area.
The largest group of pickets
marched in front of a Fifth Avenue
building which houses the French
tourist office, the French Lines
and the French Bookshop. They
carried banners and distributed
handbills denouncing "DeGaulle's
Treachery." Other students march-
ed through the garment district
and the diamond district in Man-
hattan and at the Renault auto
plant in Englewood, Cliffs, N.J.
The demonstrations were organ-
ized by the Ad Hoc Committee of
American Youth for Peace and
Justice in the Middle East. "Boy-
cott France, de Gaulle Aids Arab
Terror" was one sign. Another was
"1969 Travel Aids Arab Terror."
Another was "1969 Travel Sched-
ule—Riviera Out, Israel In."
A spokesman said the participat-
ing national Jewish youth groups
which organized the protests were
urging Americans "to voice their
opposition" to Gen. de Gaulle's
"One-sided stand by actively boy-
cotting French fashions, French
wines, French automobiles, French
perfumes and French tourism."
About 1,000 persons representing
the Jewish Nazi Victims Organiza-
tion of America demonstrated
against the embargo Monday at
the French consulate here. The
president, Moses I. Socachevsky,
said the theme of the demonstra-
tion is "Never a Second Munich for
Israel." He told the JTA that the
organization is picketing because
"President de Gaulle, by embargo-
ing weapons, is helping Arab ter-
rorists kill survivors of Auschwitz
and Buchenwald."
(In Toronto, the Canadian Jewish
Congress and the Federated Zionist
Organizations of Canada protested
to the French ambassador against
the embargo.)

DeGaulle's 'Madness'
Par for Course, Rabbi Says
TORONTO (JTA) — A Toronto

rabbi has charged that President
de Gaulle's hostile policies toward
Israel parallel his support of the
separatist movement in Quebec.
Rabbi Stuaart E. Rosenberg of
Beth Tzedec Synagogue claimed
that while Gen. de Gaulle embar-
goes arms to Israel, he would prob-
ably be happy to supply them to
Quebec separatists if he could. But,
he added, "De Gaulle's anti-Ameri-
canism and anti-Canadianism are
nothing besides his mad anti-Israel
position. His preemptory, illegal
cancellation of military contracts
to Israel, even without consulting
the French people or members of
his own government, provides evi-
dence of his wilful, personal pique,"
Rabbi Rosenberg charged.
The Chicago Board of Rabbis,
Jewish War Veterans of the United
States and the Jewish Community
Relations Council of Greater Phila-
delphia have added their voices to
criticism of de Gaulle.
The Chicago board sent a tele-
gram to French Ambassador to the
U.S. Charles Lucet, protesting
"strongly the unilateral action" of
Gen. de Gaulle, saying "This action,
together with the continued Soviet
support of arms and equipment to
the Arabs, can only encourage
more Arab belligerency and terror-
ism against Israel."
JWV National Commander
Charles Feuereisen, in a letter to
Lucet, characterized the move as a
"hostile, one-sided act" and said it
was "potentially self-defeating and
self-damaging."
The American Zionist Council
Wednesday charged de Gaulle with
pursuing war aims in the Middle
East.
The Philadelphia group met with
Count Reginald DeWarren, French
consul general in Philadelphia, and
presented him with a statement
saying the embargo "bolsters the
Arab hope of wiping Israel off the
map in renewed war, and makes
France a partner in the threat of
genocide hanging over the Israeli
people."