THE JEWISH NEWS
Incorporating The Detroit Jewish Chronicle commencing with issue of July 20, 1951
Member American Association of English-Jessish Newspapers, Michigan Press Association. National Editorial Association
Published every Friday by The Jewish NC, a Publishing Co., 17100 West Seven Mile Road, Detroit, Mich. ;8235.
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PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
Editor and Publisher
_
CARMI M. SLOMOVITZ
Business Manager
SIDNEY SHMARAK
Advertising Manager
CHARLOTTE DUBIN
_ City Editor
.
Scriptural Selections for Concluding Days of Sukkot
Shemini At zeret Torah readings. Saturday: Pentateriehal portions. Dent. 14:22-
16:17. Num. 29:35.30:1. Prophetical portion. 1 Kings 8:5-1-66.
Simhat Torn selections: Pentateuchal portions, Dent. 33:134:12. Gen. 1:1-2:3.
Num. 29:35-30:1. Prophetical portion. Joshua 1:1-1S.
Candle lighting. Friday, Oct. 3. 3:32 p.m.
V01.. LV1, No. 3
October 3. 1969
Page Four
Israel s Sovereignty and Singularity
In his important address to the United
Nations General Assembly, Israel Foreign
Minister Abba Eban made important dec-
larations regarding Israel's status. There
have been entirely too many wild assertions
urging that the Jewish state be imbedded
into a Muslim setting — something that is
both unrealistic and treacherous from every
point of view.
The Eban declaration must be taken into
account, and we present it here by quoting
his concluding statement to the UN:
"If I offer no prediction on the prospect of
peace in the Middle East, it is because so much
depends on the incalculable evolution of ideas. The
Arab view of Israel and of the Middle East is
deformed by a refusal to confront two essential
integral part of the past history, the present reality
and the future destination of the Middle East. They
must ultimately come to terms, not just with Jews
or Israelis, but with a sovereign Israel of marked
singularity and identity embodying a tradition and
outlook which are separate from the Arab tradi-
tion and the Arab outlook. Israel can be a good
neighbor of the Arab world; it cannot be a part
of it.
"This involves the second issue—which is that
of diversity. The Middle East is a concept which
canont be exhausted by Arab terms alone. It
is a mosaic not a monolith; the cradle and home
of more nations than one. The issue is how to
bring about the peaceful harmony of states which
have different origins but common interests; and
which belong- in equal logic and justice to the
Middle Eastern story."
J TA
'The Road to War': Laqueur's
Review of Arab-Israel Conflict
attributes of our region. The first is the depth and
Aspirations for peace must not be 'nulli-
authenticity of the historic forces which tie our
fied by false assumptions, and the words of
people to the land of Israel. Much of human history
the Israeli spokesman, which emphasize the
Walter Laqueur makes a distinct contribution towards an nudes-
is unintelligable unless this connection is taken into
singularity of the People Israel in relation standing of the current Middle East situation in his latest work, "The
due account. Remove Israel and all that has flowed
to the State of Israel should be understood Road to War — The Origin and Aftermath of the Arab - Israeli Colatt
from Israel out of Middle Eastern history and you
and must in the course of time be accepted 1967 - 68," which has been published as a Pelican Paperback by Penguin
evacuate that history of its central experiences.
Here we have the only state in the world which
by the Muslim as well as the Christian corn- Books.
speaks the same tongue, upholds the same faith
munities. Time is running short, and there
As a study of the existing situation it Is a superb work, leacring
and inhabits the same land as 4t did 3,000 years
must be an end to antagonisms and enmities.
ago. And our neighbors speak of it as if it were
toward a better understanding of the issues. As a study toward learn-
Only the acceptance of Israel's sovereignty - ing
the
background as well as preparing for possible peace negotiations,
some sudden inorganic eruption which might be
as indicated in the Eban statement can pos
persuaded to disappear! Arab political and inte ec-
a practical work that should serve as a textbook or st ud ent s of
..sibly
lead
to
negotiations
which
will
end
the
it
is
tu.1 leaders have never tried, even in reluctant! ..
the crisis.
state of war in the Middle East.
spirit, to probe the factors which make Israel an
Outlining the escalation towards war and conflict, Laqueur pre-
sents an important review of the background to the state of war and
relates Israel's relationship with the Arab world and the issues that
have arisen and still perplex the contestants.
Prejudice-Building UN Mission
If read out of context, the decision by Because those who would malign Israel
Israel not to assist a committee from the seek cooperation from the Israelis in building
United Nations to "investigate" the status of up a case against the Jewish state does not
Arabs in territories acquired in the Six-Day justify acceptance of an outrageous UN
War could be interpreted as a guilt complex. scheme and giving it encouragement. Israel
The reality of the existing situation is that is fully justified in rebuking the UN for this
encouragement to a group composed entirely ruse that is called fact-finding but actually
of Israel's enemies who are bent upon malign- is prejudice-building.
Amnesty International is not adhering to
ing the already harassed Jewish state would
be tantamount to giving comfort to an Israel's request to boycott the UN investigat-
assassin. ing committee, and its representatives will
Jews were driven out of Arab countries, present the facts the group has gathered to
their possessions were confiscated, the re- prove i that Israel does not molest or mis-
prisoners or the Arab population in
maining few thousands in Egypt, Iraq, Syria treat that
and a few less-threatening lands are in grave the conquered territories. Whether this will
danger. suffice remains to be seen. But experience
Yet not a word has ever been uttered with diplomatic manipulators in recent years
about it at the UN, all emphasis has been on has proven that those who seek to harm
libelous charges about discrimination against Israel will not listen to reason or to truth
Arabs by Israel, and the method has been to and that the aim of Israel's enemies is to
ignore the fact that Israel has provided free resort to every conceivable trick in an effort
passage for Arabs from and to Israel from to undermine the Jewish state's existence.
Jordan, that Arabs are free to visit Israel There is a hard road ahead for Israel in
and are fully protected, that there are Arab the struggle to establish an amicable Middle
mayors of towns in Israel, that for the first Eastern coexistence. Whether or not time is
time since 1948 there is total freedom of on Israel's side will depend entirely upon
religion for all faiths in Israel—something Israel's friends and the readiness to support
unimaginable in Arab countries. the Jewish state.
The manner in which Arab countries were drawn into the Arab
League is analyzed, with the common interest of the nations ilk.
volved. He explains that the bonds between them did nob- go very
deep, that the urge for closer unity was not strongly felt: "even a
modest scheme, like the Arab Common Market, failed to make any
significant progress."
Confrontations, the form in which Nasser took the plunge which
led to War in June 1967, the Egyptian dictator's advocacy of "a blow
of death and annihilation to Israel" — there is a recapitulation of
historical data in the Laqueur review of the basic facts. He shows
how Hussein of Jordan "had been walking a tightrope for a long time."
Laqueur explains how the Lebanese, "for historical and
reasons," were "least eager to precipitate a fight."
Pont-Teat
The. noted author's views on the possible results of the 1967
had the initiative been different contains these comments:
INT
"Perhaps the Arab generals regarded operation 'Victory'
was called) as a police action rather than full-scale war. An al.
fensive war entails even more preparation, coordination and careful
planning than a defensive one. Israel would no doubt have suffered
more civilian losses and more material damage had it left as
initiative to the Arabs: Short of a miracle, the result of the Mr
it
would not have been different."
The "Konenut" — preparedness — period of May 1967, in Israel.
forms a fascinating chapter of reactions, determination, adherence te
national policies, refusal to panic, the people's response.
It is in his outlines of the inner workings in Israel that The
Laqueur volume represents one of the best analyses of a heroic period
him more nationalistic minded. He also said that in Israeli and Jewish history.
he wished Americans would donate Hebrew dic-
Certain ambiguities, as was the case with the Russian position,
tionaries instead of prayer books so that Soviet
Russian Jewry—the Irrefutable Facts
A report to the New York Times from
Moscow by Bernard Gwertzman about the
overflow attendance at the Rosh Hashana Jews could study Hebrew.
service in the Moscow Central Synagogue
On Friday and Saturday nights, small •groups of
throws interesting light on the attitudes of youths joined hands and danced and sang in tradi-
Jews in Russia involving their Jewish inter- tional Jewish fashion before the synagogue. An
ests and loyalties.
American said that he was surprised at the festivity
normally this was a' solemn period.
Deploring the few — very few — Bar Mitz - since
"Why should it be serious?" one youth replied.
vas, one man explained: "The - young boys,
lievera sb jeN;
uti t
V
l
eeb
r
are ieo nonbelievers
a Jewish day of
they have no Hebrew school. They have no
s.
n and we are
interest in learning about being Jews until
While some tourists have returned from
they're about 20 or 30." Then, Gwertzman Russia with the impression that all is well
reported:
there, that prejudice is nonexistent, that Jews
A dark haired biologist who spoke some English are not treated differently from non-Jews,
said she was an atheist but came to the synagogue
the keener observers — Gwertzman of the
quite often with her friends simply to meet other
New York Times, Karen Goren of Birming-
young Jews.
ham whose revealing story indicated how Rus-
It's our club," she said, pointing to the syna-
sian Jews feel about their condition—have
gogue. "We have nothing else. I would like to get
proven that the problem is not a light one
a Jewish husband, but so far no luck."
A Jewish engineer asked if American Jews had and that much will have to be done to provide
to put " Jewish" on their passports, as Soviet Jews a haven for Russian Jews if present discrimi-
-
Ile .Najd, tlmt. l slid, pot, mind, _since , it, made ...................
.......
similarly receive notable attention in this volume.
Then there is the matter of public interest, of the political reactions
and inner struggles, and in all instances the descriptions of what bad
happened within the Israeli and Arab diplomatic circles are revearing.
What about the aftermath? Laqueur asserts that the present
Arab policies can lead them to disaster. He declares: "The existence
of Israel may be a crying injustice in their eyes and their defeat,
a terrible blow to their national self-esteem. But they cannot hope
to achieve more than an honorable settlement which would include
Israeli concessions and solution of the refugee question." He coneetieg
that time is running out, that both the Arabs and Israel will has*
to give up many of their cherished beliefs. He suggests that the
conflict may not be resolved "but it may one day be forgotten:"
The immense value of this work is in appendices — the incorM3'
bon of the most valuable documents relating to the struggle, the roped
on the UNEF withdrawal, the Hammarskjold memorandum on the
Middle East peace force, Nasser's May 25 and 26, 1967, speec hes;
Al Abram and Nasser parliamentary speeches, Nasser's resignation
text, and his subsequent declarations; Abba Eban's famous address at
the UN, Itzhak Rabin's . Hebrew
University address.
. .