in the State of Israel
VIPsSeeGolda 2 Views of Golda: 'Strongest Man'
to reach cabinet rank.

Off on Trip

TEL AVIV (JTA)—Premier Gol-
da Meir left on her official state
visit to the United States Wednes-
day morning, telling newsmen at
Lydda airport. "I look forward with
hope to my meeting with President
Nixon, but I. do not know the an-
swers he will give to the questions
we have in mind to discuss."
The importance Israelis attach
to her trip was evident in the
assemblage at the airport to see
Mrs. Meir off. It included Defense
Minister Moshe Dayan and other
cabinet members, Chief of Staff
Gen. Haim Bar-Lev, the chief of
police, justices of Israel's Supreme
Court and the dean of the foreign
diplomatic corps.

It was learned Tuesday that
Mrs. Meir sharply criticized the
British government at a recent
cabinet meeting for its vote in
favor of the Security Council's
latest resolution on the status of
Jerusalem and its refusal to sell
Israel Chieftain tanks.
Mrs. Meir is reported to have

voiced the suspicion that Lord Ca-
radon's vote for the resolution de-
manding that Israel rescind its
annexation of East Jerusalem rep-
resented British policy rather than
the private initiative of the envoy.
(Deputy Premier Yigal Alton will
discharge the duties of Prime Min-
ister Meir and Foreign Minister
Abba Eban while both are abroad.)

By MARIE SYRKIN

(Mrs. Syrkin, close friend and long-
time Zionist associate of Prime Minis-
ter Golda Meir, is author of a bio-
graphy of the Israeli leader. A new,
updated edition of this work, "Golda
NIelr: Israel's Leader," was published
Thursday, the day of Mrs. Meir's ar-
rival in the United States on an offi-
cial visit. The following is an excerpt
from this book distributed by the Jew-
ish Telegraphic Agency with special
permission of the publishers, G. P.
Putnam Sons.)
•
•

•

When, after the sudden death of

Prime Minister Levi Eshkol in
1969, Israel chose as his successor
a woman past 70 known to be with-
out political ambitions at this
stage of her career, surprise was
tempered by the assumption that
Mrs. Golda Meir was 'a com-
promise candidate whose election
forestalled an open struggle among
younger contenders for the office.
Undoubtedly, a desire to stave
off a confrontation between the
partisans of Moshe Dayan and
Yigal Allon—both war heroes and
luminaries of the Israel Labor
Party—played a part, but not a
decisive one, in the choice.
In March, Israel's situation' was
too grave for the reins of leader-
ship to be held by default. Neither
the Arabs nor the Big Four, press-
ing for a Middle Eastern settle-

acknowledged her quality. If, de-
spite the mounting clamor for
new faces, Israel in a crisis
turned to a woman, an elder of
the Mapai hierarchy, it was be-
. pause the country knew her
mettle.

Justice at the United Nations
—Will Israel Ever Get It

For that matter, so did the tam- woman
would have to be
ily of nations. As foreign minister. The secret tt
woman h If
Mrs. Meir had for years been an song
woman
international figure. Even before Asked how it felt to be a
minister,
Mrs.
Meir
answered
her formal appearances at the
United Nations, the world's states- matter-of-factly, "I don't know.
I was never a man minister."
men had occasion to take her
Admittedly, the new prime min-
measure. The British remembered
Mrs. Meir from the stormy days ister has her quota of supposedly
of the Mandate when they paid her feminine characteristics, among
them a frank "emotionalism"
the deference due a valiant foe.
The Russians had first-hand which worries her critics. And in
memories of her service in Mos- all situations she has a fund of
coni in 1948 as Israel's first minis- homely, down-to-earth sense on
ter. Her dramatic encounter with which she draws like a good
Russian Jewry had brought home housewife.
• •
the unpalatable fact that after de-
By DAVID SCIIWARTZ
cades of savage anti-Zionist pro-
(Copyright 1969. JTA, Inc.)
paganda, Soviet Jews still stub-
President Nixon recently pre
bornly remembered Zion.
The United States regarded her dieted that some day in the not- I
as a beguiling variant of the Am too-distant future, the President of
erican success story: Raised in the United States would be a
Milwaukee, Mrs. Meir had been woman. The visit of Prime Minis-
an American librarian before leav- ter Golda Meir of Israel to the
ing for the marshes of Palestine. White House may afford an oppor-
In the eyes of world Jewry she tunity to Mr. Nixon to explore the
ment, had declared a period of practicality of the idea.
There is an apple pie story that
grace while Israel waited for thi.s
fall elections to determine who we keep remembering. One time
we had the opportunity of seeing
would head the state.
Border clashes of growing in- Mrs. Meir at close range. It was
tensity required immediate mili- at some Israel Bond dinner. The
tary and diplomatic response.- waiter set before Mrs. Meir an
The new prime minister would apple pie. Mrs: Meir looked at it
have to take prompt command. perplexed. The pie was quite siz-
Israel could not afford a passive able. Close by was a young woman
government whose chief objective connected with the Israel Bond
would be to maintain domestic office. Mrs. Meir called to her
and said, "Look, I cannot possibly
harmony for a few months.

•

In any case, Mrs. Meir could
be trusted to set her own dyna-
mic, forceful pace. A current
Israeli quip, "Golda is the
strongest man in the country,"

The Security Council and the as- had long been a legend: the Am-
BY RABBI ISRAEL MILLER
Chairman, American Zionist Council sembly are two of the six principal erican girl who became one of the

i

i

eat all of this. Will you share it
with me?"
We thought to ourself: A man
facing the same situation would
have eaten as much as he want-
ed and forgotten about the rest.
It was the woman in her—the

Jewish mother in her if you will
—that made her desire to share
it.

Recently the newspapers showed
a picture of Mrs. Meir fondly hold-
ing her grandchild in her arms. It
was the picture of any doting
mother.
So what we are saying is that
maybe the male's assumption of
superiority is erroneous, that may-
be it is because Mrs. Meir is so
inherently feminine that her serv-
ice has been so exceptional.
It was said of Washington that
he was first in war and first in
peace. Golda Meir has been first
in many things. Not only in poli-
tics. She is being given a dinner
by the UJA and Israel Bonds. She
was first there. She helped in the
development of the UJA and along
with Ben-Gurion and Eliezer Kap-
lan created the Israel Bond organi-
zation.
Men have gone round every-
where, making wars, making gen-
erally a mess of things. The world
needs a great house cleaning job.
Maybe it's time to change things.
Let men have their pictures in the
society page and let women take
the helm in government. I think
we would find great improvement.

Boris Smolar's

'Between You
...and Me

organs of the United Nations. The founders of the Jewish state, the
On Monday, United Nations Sec- others are the Economic and Social heroine of Jewish national in-
retary-General U Thant will honor Council, the Trusteeship Council, dependence . . .
Israel's prime minister, Mrs. Golda the International Court of Justice
Israel's experimental society
(Copyright 1969, JTA Inc.)
Meir, at a luncheon at UN head- (World Court) and the Secretariat,
with its egalitarian pioneer tra-
quarters.
of which the chief executive is the dition did not adequately explain
MEET GOLDA MEIR: There is an atmosphere of simplicity in the
There will be ghosts at the ban- secretary-general.
her rise, for even in the land of
quet — each invisible, uninvited
the kibutz she had been the only Gffice of Israel Prime Minister Golda Meir in Jerusalem. A visitor feels
None of these organs has ever
very much at home there.
guest a fact. And each ghost will
ask: Can Israel ever find justice been headed by an Israeli. There
This reflects the personality of "Golda," as she is affectionately
at the United Nations? Here are has never been an Israeli on the.
called in Israel. The first woman to hold the highest post in the coun-
World Court. But Arabs have
some of these facts.
try, she impresses everyone—Israelis and non-Israelis—with her infor-
The Security Council is stacked filled all of the highest 1 ,ts in
mality.
against Israel. It takes only nine three of these vital bodies.
We sit and discuss with her a number of problems now faced by
As to the Secretariat, the secre-
votes in that 15-member body to
Israel—the military problem, the human needs of Israel under the
adopt a resolution, provided the tary-general, U Thant, has been
Prime Minister Golda Meir of present tense situation, American aid to Israel, the link between
measure is not vetoed by one of increasingly at odds with Israel.
the five permanent members. The
In the complex of other UN Israel said that from a 'Russian American Jewry and Israel. It was only natural to ask what she
fro her visit to the United States as guest of President Nixon.
Soviet Union is one of those five. bodies, commissions, commit- viewpoint the present Middle East expects from
Six of the present Council mem-
tees, working groups, numbering deadlock with its terrorism and
Mrs. Meir has great confidence in the U.S., she says. She con-
bers do not even have diplomatic
110, there are no more than 10 border clashes is preferable to siders the U.S. a friend. of Israel and values it. She also believes that
relations with Israel. One member
Israelis listed, all of them on peace.
1Vashington is not an enemy of the Arabs, but she is convinced that
—Algeria—is an Arab country.
bodies that are marginal or tech-
"I don't know whether the Soviet
the U.S. government will do nothing that can harm Israel.
Another member—Pakistan—is
nical, some even dormant. Fur- Union wants war," she said in a
Mrs. Meir has no doubt that whatever the U.S. has agreed to do for
also Moslem and a leader in the
theremore, %%hen an Israeli does current Look Magazine interview.
anti-Israel cabal. Three of the
achieve a place on one of the "but I don't think they want Israel will be implemented. "When we say Israel must be strong, we
council members, including
bodies, he is "balanced" by an peace. This is probably the ideal don't mean only militarily, but also economically and culturally," she
emphasizes. She is quite certain that her visit to the U.S. will—in addi-
France plus Senegal and Zambia.
Arab or another Moslem, and, situation for them."
tion to the talks with President Nixon—also serve to dispel misconcep-
can now be counted upon to add
Most of the time, by one or more
Mrs. Meir commented on Arab tions about Israel', which pro-Arab elements in the U.S. are attempting
their votes to the six who do not
Soviet representatives.
intransigence:
to spread.
recognize Israel to muster the
Can Israel, alone or in concert 1
•
•
•
"I don't know what the Arabs
ballots necessary to condemn with other members, sponsor or
want.
They
always
take
a
licking.
HER MISSION IN U.S.: What will Premier Golda Meir seek in her
Israel or to bail out the Arabs . co-sponsor resolutions? The answer
Thus, no resolution blaming the is no. When a resolution is pend- Rationally, you can't explain what talks with President Nixon?
Arabs for any action against Israel ing, on any subject, and Israel they are doing. There is probably
It is obvious that the Israeli premier will, in the first place, ask
a degree of irrationality and emo-
can be adopted.
the sale of more American modern arms to Israel—in addition to the
would like to see it adopted—the tionalism.
The General Assembly has 126
Phantom jets—as long as the Soviet government continues the shipping
surest way to defeat it would seem
"They convince themselves of of its modern arms to Egypt and other Arab countries..This especially,
members. Any resolution that to be to add Israel's name to the
might favor Israel or condemn an list of sponsors. No matter what some things that are not real. because—as admitted now by high U.S. officials—the Soviets have
They
haven't the courage to face shown no interest in discussing with the U.S. the possibilities of agree-
Arab state would be a "substan-
the issue—the Arabs, other Mos-
tive" issue, needing at least a lems and the Communist represent- facts. They can either destroy Is- ment on limitation of arms in the Middle East.
two-thirds vote, or 84 members, atives would vote in the negative. rael—I'm convinced that will not
Mrs. Meir will obviously ask President Nixon for American eco-
happen—or they will have to live
favoring the affirmative. If more
Last year, when Israel brought with us. There is no other solu- nomic aid which has nothing to do with Israel's expenses on security.
than one-third of the votes were
a
clear
case
of
Egyptian
violation
The
Conference on Human Needs in Israel—which Jewish leaders from
tion."
cast against such a measure, it
of the cease-fire along the Suez
could not pass. One-third is 42.
"If (Jordan's ,King) Hussein all countries of the free world held in Jerusalem last July—has.estah-
The Arabs, with their Soviet Canal, after Egypt shelled Israeli really wants to sit down with us," lished that Israel will need about $400,000,000 next year for developing
backers and the help of many of positions on the east bank of the added Mrs. Meir, "there is no its social services for aiding the integration of immigrants.
the other Afro-Asian members, waterway, and the chief of the UN problem. He must be under ter-
This sum is to be raised by Jewish communities world over; the
could always garner more than the observers reported that fact clearly rible pressure from Nasser, and largest part of it by the American Jewish community. However, Ameri-
42 votes needed to defeat any reso- —the best the Council could do was afraid." She said she would drop can government economic aid is needed in Israel for industrial develop-'
lution unfavorable to the Arab side, to sweep the issue under the rug. everything to meet with Arab rep- ment in order to make the country eventually self-supporting. And it
When Egypt sank the Israeli de- resentatives during her American stands to reason that Mrs. Meir will bring this to President ;Nixon's
or stop - one favorable to Israel.
The assembly leadership — its stroyer Eleth, forcing Israel to re- visit if they wain to talk.
attention.
taliate,
the council criticized "both
president, its 17 vice presidents.
The prime minister reiterated
Finally, there is the question—which Mrs. Meir may and may not
the chairmen of its seven standing sides."
Israel's view that self-reliance is
raise with President Nixon—on how the U.S. would act if Russia in-
Why does Israel stay on at the the key to survival.
main committee—wield great influ-
: volves herself in a war against Israel. The Israel government does
ence. Not one of these in an Israeli, United Nations? Because only
not expect, and does not want, American soldiers to fight for the
Becoming Israel's fourth prime
and a number are either Arabs, there is Israel's side heard at all;
existence of Israel, but America has long-enduring interests in the
members of the Soviet bloc or pro- only there is any Israel-Arab dia- minister when over 70 "was
national security of the Middle East States, including Israel.
Arab Moslems. There has never logue still possible, no matter how against all my plans," Mrs. Meir
It has important strategic and economic interests as well as inter-
been an Israeli president of the harsh. And Israel firmly believes, said. But after six months, accord-
ing
to
the
magazine,
she.
clearly
ests of a political character. S. ovi involvement in a war against Israel
assembly. only once—back in the with all peace-loving peoples, that
loves
what
was
supposed
to
be
a
the
UN
can
still
achieve
the
goals
will
strongly affect these interests. Mrs. Meir would therefore be justi-
1950s— was an Israeli elected to a
vice presidency; that honor went held-' out for it when its charter temporary job, and will be a shoo- fled in seeking to clarify the issue with President Nixon.
to Abba Eban, then Israel's very was adopted—a world of peace in to succeed herself in the co
ber elections.
I 40-4riday, SeOfeinitiri 26; 1969'
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
' and security.
popular ambassador.

(Copyright, 1969, JTA. Inc.)

Russia Prefers
Today's Unrest,
Mrs. Meir States

ot