Al Aksa Arsonist Indicted by Israel
JERUSALEM (JTA) — Israel's fire was discovered. He said Rohen Religious Council at the mosque
attorney general filed charges in offered him a 10-pound note (about at the time of the fire.
a Jerusalem district court against 52.80) presumably as a bribe be-
The Al Aksa mosque and the
Michael Denis William Rohen, 28- cause the mosque was closed to nearby Dome of the Rock (Mosque
year-old Australian national indict- visitors at the time. of Omar) have been placed under
ed of setting the fire which severe-
Questioning by Attorney Gen-
special security precautions. The
ly damaged the Al Aksa mosque in
eral Meir Shamgar revealed that
Moslem religious authorities have
East Jerusalem Aug. 21. The
the guards appointed by the Mos-
put in charge a Jerusalem Arab,
charges drawn up by Meir Sham-
lem Supreme Religious Council
Hazem el Halidi, who once served
gar accuse Rohen on two counts:
had no ready means of contact.
as a major in the Syrian Army
arson and willful destruction of a
ing police or civil defense auth-
and served with British forces
holy place. The first charge carries
orities and did not know how to
during World War II. Halidi re-
a maximum penalty of seven years
operate fire fighting equipment
portedly participated in two coups
in jail and the second, 15 years. ' in the mosque. The witness told
in Damascus before returning to
Shamgar
that
in
case
of
emerg-
his
native erusalem some years
Itzhak Tunik, a well known
ency he could only run for help.
ago.
criminal lawyer from Tel Aviv,
Some 200 Arabs seeking to stage
He said when he discovered the
was named by the court to defend
fire he had a choice of running a demonstration after Friday noon
Rohen.
for help or trying to extinguish the prayers in the Mosque of Omar in
The accused has said he did
blaze and decided to do the latter. the Old City were dispersed by
not want legal counsel. He has
But the flames spread so quickly Army personnel who used batons
refused to appear before a spe-
and he had to leave the scene to and fired shots over the demon-
cial committee inquiring into
get help. The guard said that when strators' heads.
the causes of the fire even
he came on duty at 8 a.m. he did
About 2,500 attended the pray-
though several witnesses have
not see the night guard who he ers, held in the Mosque since the
incriminated him and he is en-
was
supposed
to
relieve.
Rohen
fire.
Most of the worshippers dis-
titled, under Israeli law, to
was already in the mosque. He persed peacefully after the pray-
question them. Rohen, reported-
said he recognized the Australian . ers , but about 200 sought to dem-
ly a member of a Fundamental-
from a previous visit. onstrate.
ist Protestant sect, confessed to
A special committee appointed
Defense Minister Moshe Dayan,
Israeli police that he set the
by the Israeli Supreme Court to Brig. Rafael Vardin, military gov-
mosque afire because "God told
investigate
the
causes
of
the
fire
ernor
of the area, and Maj. Gen.
him to." But he signed a paper
heard testimony from an Arab Rehavaam Zevi, head of the south-
waiving the right to appear as a
shoemaker
who
was
one
of
the
ern
command,
witnessed the dem-
witness or to question other
guards appointed by the Moslem ! onstration.
witnesses.
An Arab guard at the Al Aksa
Mosque when the fire broke out
early on Aug. 21 delayed running
for help because he was accosted
by the suspected arsonist, a wit-
ness testified Monday. The guard
said he recognized the 28-year-old
Astralian national who emerged
from the shrine just before the
•
Recognition of Israel's Capital,
More Arms Urged by Sen. Goodell
WASHINGTON (JTA) — The cording Israel "its right to desig-
United States government should nate her capital city," Sen. Charles
move the American Embassy from Goodell. New York Republican,
Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. thus ac- said Wednesday.
The senator, who recently re-
turned from a visit to Israel, said
America shbuld respect Israel's
designation of a capital. He pointed
out that movement of the embassy .
would not prejudice the "ultimate
status" of Jerusalem, which would .
"have to be determined by ulti-
mate agreement of Arabs and
Israelis."
Sen. Goodell is drafting a rec-
ommendation for more extensive
and faster arms deliveries to
Israel. He disclosed that he will
propose new terms to facilitate
military aid.
Citing Arab militance and con-
tinued flow of Soviet weaponry, he
visualized a "long-term" rather
than "short-term" prospect of a
new general war in the Middle
East.
Sen. Goodell depicted the hi- ;
jacking of a TWA airliner and
detention of two Israeli passengers
by Syria as "an American issue
and not only an American prob-
lem but an international problem."
He called for a new look at in-
ternational laws on punishment of
"air piracy."
He said the hijacking had im-
plications for the United States
that far transcended the neces-
sary efforts to achieve release of
the Israelis.
On the Iraq anti-Jewish policies ,
and hangings, Sen. Goodell re-
ferred to the need for American
action through the United Na-
tions. But he emphasized that the
failure of the Senate to ratify the
UN conventions on human rights
and genocide weakened the U.S.
position. He urged prompt action
to ratify the UN undertakings to
put America in a stronger posi-
The Hungry Penguin opens. Features
tion to speak out.
Sen. Goodell disclosed that he
authentic English fish and chips.
will report next week to Presi-
Miley! You'd have to cross the Atlantic to find something more English
dent Nixon and Secretary of
than the Hungry Penguin. Don't bother England's been transplanted
State William Rogers on his visit
door, everything is veddy British.
to Israel and his stops at the
to Berkley, Michigan. Right from the
Vatican and in Bucharest where
Especially the food ... genuine English fish and chips. Eat it
the Mid East issue was believed
at the Penguin or take some home in a copy of the London
among topics discussed.
Times. The cost? One American dollar. And for a limited time,
Deploring the failure of Arab
some
Hungry
you'll receive your change in English pennies. Try
leaders to enter peace negotia-
Penguin fish & chips today. You'll love 'em, Ivy! Don't forget
tions, Sen. Goodell said "The
to try our Yorkshire BisquitS.
longer negotiations are delayed,
Presenting
historic
England
for a buck.
7: 466.
Hungry Penguin
I T Mile Rd. &
•
Coolidge—Berkley
Division of Susie-Q Restaurants, Inc.
the lest likely
it will be that just
Arab claims can be met."
He warned that while Israel is
growing stronger, the Arabs are
also gaining strength. He said
Washington must do everything
possible to "preserve the balance
of power."
THE 'DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
Friday, September 5, 1969
-
9
Jews Supporting Italian as Mayoral Candidate
NEW YORK—The Jewish com-
munity's favorite son these days is
an Italian—Mario A. Procaccino,
I Nei.%) York City controller, who is
running for mayor against John
Li ndsay.
Procaccino and his running mate,
! Abraham D. Beame, are chalking
up pre-campaign victories among
Jewish citizens once solidly behind
Lindsay but now concerned about
such unsolved municipal problems
as street crime.
On a holiday weekend tour of
Catskill Mountain resorts, the two
nominees were greeted warmly by
Jewish visitors. Procaccino was
wished "maze!" by one woman
who turned to her husband and
said in Yiddish: "He's Italian
but a fine man."
githa .7.cuput
Photographers
For Passports, too!
UN 4.8785
...has a better ides
Because they have
IRV KATZ
at
McDonald Ford
14240 W. 7 Mile Road at the
DI 1-3800
Lodge X Way
-
MAKE
BORENSTEIN
HEADQUARTERS FOR ALL
YOUR HOLIDAY HEEDS !
TALEISM
•SILK
•WOOL
•RAYON
•DACRON
We carry a large seliction of
New Year Cards.
HIGH HOLIDAY
PRAYER BOOKS
Tell us what synagogue you
attend and we will tell you the
correct orayer book to use.
We carry the Jeru-
salem Post a n d
Hebrew Newspapers
ram Israel.
7:00:
7 MILE STORE ONLY !
CLEARANCE
OF SELECT GROUP OF
• MACHZORIM
• YIDDISH BOOKS
EACH ONLY
• SIDURIM
While Supplies Last
25c
AVAILABLE AT BOTH STORES
OAK PARK
25242
GREENFIELD
No. of 10 Mile
In Greenfield Center
AMPLE FREE PARKING
398-9095
DETROIT
13535
W. 7 MILE
at Schaefer
DI 1-0569
DI 1-3268
PLEASE NOTE: GREENFIELD STORE IS OPEN SUNDAY
AND FRIDAY 9 A.M. TO 5 P.M., MON., TUES., WED.,
TO 7 P.M.: THURS. 9 TO 9; SAT. EVE. 8:30 P.M. TO
11 P.M.
W. 7 MILE STORE OPEN EVES. 'TILL 7 P.M.