Fantasies Galore: What Arabs Know About Israel

,e ■

By HAIR SHACHIER
JERUSALEM—What does the
average Arab intellectual know
about Israel and the Arab-Israel
conflict? Some time ago the re-
sults of an interesting inquiry
were made known in Cairo by Dr.
Anis Tza'ig, director of the Na-
tional Center for Palestine Re-
search.
The inquiry had been instituted
among Arab students in the ,uni-
versities of Cairo and Beirut, with
a view to gauging the knowledge
of the more enlightened Arab
classes on the subject of Pales-
tine, on the assumption, as he put
it, that "the Arabs, at least inso-
far as the Palestine question is
concerned, speak about the subject
more than they read about It, and
they have far stronger feelings
than well-founded knowledge on
the matter." The conclusion ar-
rived at by the author was that
"these young people are devoid of
any basic and well-founded know-
ledge about the Palestine ques-
tion."
The Replies
Some of the replies forthcoming
from the -Arab students point to
their crass ignorance of the very
basis of the Arab-Israel dispute.
For example:
—The Palestinian rev olu ti on
against the Mandate is still at its
height . . . .
—The Western Wall is in Hebron

—The Knesset is a social club for
officers of the Israel Army . .
—Uri Avneri is a French-Jewish
writer, or a Negro leader .. .
—Ben-Gurion is the leader of one
of the Palestinian parties founded
in the 1930s . . .
—The moshav is a Communist
agricultural village in the USSR.

-The "Law of Return" symbol-
izes the unification of the masses

and their struggle against imper-
ialism, in other words: the Return
to Palestine .. .
—The Palestinian nation numbers
from 10- to 100,000,000 . . .
—The length of the Palestine
coastline: 18-1,000 kilometers, etc.

—The inhabitants of Israel: 333,-
000-1,000,000, etc. . . .
The results of this inquiry were
recently published and commented
on in the Israel press.

Second Inquiry

Recently, a correspondent in the
Lebanese newspaper, Al-Hawad-
ath, revealed that the book had
induced him to undertake an in-
dependent inquiry among students
in the three Lebanese universities
with a view to refuting the con-
clusions arrived at. Kanaj Assan
interviewed students in the Ameri-
can University in Beirut, the Arab
University of Beirut and the Leb-
anese University also in Beirut,
but the replies forthcoming had
led him to bear out Dr. Tza'ig's
statement made some years ago
that "we are a nation that speaks
more than it reads; whose enthu-
siasm exceedi its culture and
whose feelings overcome its wis-
dom."
The following are some of the
replies he reecived to his ques-
tions:
What is the area of occupied
Palestine (meaning Israel)?
A student in the faculty of poli-
tical science said: "I have read
about it, but I've forgotten the ex-
act number of square kilometers.
I think it's about twice the area
of the Lebanon, or somewhat less
than that." Many others said they
simply didn't know.
What is the population of Is-
rael?
The answers were more or less
correct—between 2- and 3,000,000.

What do you know about politi-
cal parties in Israel?
Generally, only half-correct an-
swers were forthcoming. Two
students replied that there are 13
parties active in Israel, the most
outstanding among them being
the Labour party, the extreme
rightist Cabal Party, and the He-
rut Party. In addition, there were
several small religious parties,
whose names they did not know,
and the "Young Israel Party."
Some students mentioned a party
by the name of "Hanhamar,"
which is of course non-existent.
One student mentioned "Nahal,"
the Youth Pioneering Corps of the
Israel Defense Army.

Kibutz, Histadrut Unknown

The "kibutz," and the "Hista-
drut" were terms almost unknown
to the Lebanese students.
Asked to mention the names of
five Israeli leaders (apart from
Golda Meir, Yigal Alton and Moshe
Dayan), some did mention Ben-
Gurion and Haim Bar-Lev, and one
or two made mention of someone
by the name of "Am-ban," with
probably Abba Eban in mind.
Arab Logic
The questionnaire included ques-
tions about their personal outlooks
and opinions. Asked whether they
would agree to meet Abba Eban,
the Israel foreign minister, and
enter into discussion with him, one
replied: "I shall not agree to dis-
cuss anything with Abba Eban, be-
cause Arab logic is based on feel-
ings, and being an Arab I cannot
be other than I am."

Another replied: "On my part I
would agree because the- Arabs
are not seriously engaged In this
question," adding, "Possibly in
this way we would gain something
and not lose everything, as is the
case today."

If you should be on a visit to
Europe and meet an Israeli citi-
zen there, would you agree to speak
to him?
One student replied: "This is a
question of good manners and a
person's decent behavior should
not clash with his nationalist sen-
timents."'
Another replied: "I would speak
with him and if our conversa-
tion touched on Palestine, I would
try to convince him of the injus-
tice done to us by his govern-
ment." -
Most of the replies were in a
similar vein.
The following replies were forth-
coming from students in the uni-
versity at Beirut:
About the parties in Israel, a
fourth-year law student said: "The
outstanding parties in Israel: "The
Irgun," the "Stern" party, and
the "Hagana." Another student
mentioned the "Napalm," (obvi-
ously having Mapam in mind.)

'

Myth About 'Fedayeen Crucified'
Asked to define the Knesset,
one student said it was a place

of prayer and then corrected her-
self by saying that it was a hall
intended for official gatherings.
One student said that it was a
place where the Jews crucified
members of the fedayeen.
One student defined the kibutz
as a cave which the Jews had hol-
lowed out in the Palestine moun-
tains, but later corrected himself
by saying it was a leftist party in
Israel.

Robin Hood

Asked about outstanding person-
alities in Israel, one said that
Israel's outstanding general was
Robin Hood. Another said that Is-
rael's outstanding political and
military figure was Mr. Rakah (a
word composed of the initial let-

ters of the New Israel Communist
Party.)
Would they agree to meet Abba
Eban? Some argued that there
could be no understanding with
the Zionists, whose past deeds re,
fleeted their intentions in the fut-
ure. - Some replied that they were
prepared to negotiate with Abbe
Eban the Jew, but not with Abbe
Eban the Zionist, whose expan-'
sionist tendencies were w e 11
known. A third group said that
they supported the establishment
of a secular democratic state in
Palestine, in which the Jews,
Moslems and Christians would en -
joy equal rights.
Would Slap His Face
A student in the university
in Beirut gave the follow-
ing answer: "No, on no account
would I speak to Abbe Eban—I
would merely slap his face." An-
other replied: "The Jews are a
nation of liars and Abba Eban is
one of them. I could not bring
myself to speak to an imperialist
agent such as he is."
Another second-year law stu-
dent said: "No conversation with
Abba Eban - would be conceivable
before the Palestinians regain
their captured land and their
rights." -
Another second-year law student
said: "If I met Abba Than, I would
kill him. He is a liar and I could
not forget the slaughter and the
victims." - • -
The correspondent arrines at the
conclusions that' "thh leek of
knowledge about the Palestine
question is an undisputed fact,"
and that he had not succeeded in
refuting the findings of Dr. Annis
Tza'ig.
If this is the situation among the
enlightened classes in the Arab
world, how much greater is the
ignorance among the Arab youth
who have not reached the univer- -
_sities?

_Arthur Schnitzler's- Memoirs Reveal Dramatic Episodes
of Viennese Life and the Anti-Semitism of College Students

Dramatic experiences of the than politically and socially, that
early years of this century are was assigned to the so-called
embodied in . the memoirs of one Jewish question when these lines
of the most eminent
of the Vien- were written. It was not possible,
e
nese intellectuals, Arthur Schnitz- especially not for a Jew in public
ler (1862-1931).
life, to ignore the fact that be
His "My Youth in Vienna," trans- was a Jew* nobody else was do-
lated for the Holt, Rinehart and ing so, not P the Gentiles and even
Winston volume by Catherine Hut- less the Jews. You had the_choice
ter, commences with an Important - of being counted as inselidtive
foreword by Frederic Morton, obtrusive and fresh; or of beini
whose story of the Rothschilds is oversensitive, shy and suffering
now being staged successfully in from feelings of persentitin. And
New York after its initial tun 'in even if you managed somehow to
conduct yourself so that nothing
Detroit.
The Schnitzler story may well be showed, it Was hipastdbie to re-
called a drama recorded by one of main completely untesebed; as
the beta known dramatists. It re- for instance a pewee may not
lates the role of a playwright who remain unconcerned whose skin
gained fame in an atmosphere of has been anesthedsed but who
political intrigues and social scan- has to welch, with his eyes *pen.
dals. The anti-Semitic aspects are how it is scratched by an unclean
vital to the Schnitzler story, yet knife, eves cut into until the
the memoirs are not devoid of w:t blood flows."
and general human interest.
On Anti-Semitism . . .
Morton refers in his prefatory
"During my Gymnasium years,
essay to Schnitzler's "quasi Bar

scarcely felt, The first who was
considered an anti-Semite, or,
since the word didn't exist in
those days, a Jodenfresser (Jew
devourer), was a certain DePeris,
who wouldn't speak to a Jew, but
a mong Vienna's best-educated
was also considered ridiculous
classes which was part of a
by
his Gentile colleagues. He was
general racist exasperation."
The reader is warned in advance very elegant, didn't have to pay
for
his tuition, was stupid and
in these memoirs that Schnitzler
had a lot to say about Jews and today enjoys the title of Privy
Councillor.
Among the profes-
anti-Semitism and we have these
early samples of his views on the sors—Professor Blume, still rela-
tively
harmless.
A moderately
issues that affected him, written
in 1912 in his notes for an auk,- gifted man, Wagnerian, very
German-national, pronounces all
hiogra phy :
Jewish names with derision but
"In these pages a lot will be
is not unfair in his behavior
said about -Judaism and anti-
toward his Jewish pupils. Marries
Semitism, more than may at
a Jewess.
times seem in good taste, or
necessary, or just. But when
"At the university—the begin-
these pages may be read, it will
ning. In the committee of the
perhaps no longer be possible to
Subsidies for Medical Students
gain a correct impression (at
Association. Agitation against
least I hope so), of the impor-
the Hungarian Jews. One of the
• lance, spiritually almost more chief instigators: young Bain-

Mitzva." He writes about the
Strauss irony of that era Wirich
"was endemic to the glitter of
the Hapsburg lands." He com-
- meats on "the anti-Semitism

48— Frider. Esinvery 5,'1971

r I

THE DETROIT-JEWISH NEWS

berger, later killed in an acci-
dent. Spokesman for the anti-
Semitic group: Kari August Herz-
feld, who at the time hadn't even
been baptized yet. Later dissolu-
tion of the association.

flows Jewish blood, is from the
day of his birth without honor and
void of all the more refined emo-
tions. He cannot differentiate be-
tween what is dirty and what is
clean. He is ethically subhunian.
Friendly intercourse with a Jew is
therefore dishonorable; any asso-
ciation with him has to be avoided.
It is impossible to insult a Jew;
a Jew cannot therefore demand
satisfaction for any suffered insult.'

Zionist, as which he lives on In -
posterity.
"In the institutions of higher

learning, anti-Semitism -was' natu-
rally not altogether satisfied with
these auspicious reforms in - the
areas of student behavior and
"The. German-national dueling
questions of honor, areas in which
corps expel all Jews (Herz1)."
theoretical
racial speculations and
Then there ensue his recollec-
in a sense therefore the dmitinanee . -
tions regarding the student associa-
of
an
idea
could
Mal be considered
tions, the dueling, the anti-Semitic
excusable; but they amended in
venom among the college-bred
enforcing their bias also on-inele-
youth. To quote Schnitzler's mem-
"The decree was not declared ties that had nothing to with
oirs - about the rapidly spreading
official until a few years later but philosophy or politics, nor With the
anti-Semitism among students:
the spirit that sponsored it and the phantom of the honor
rank,
"The German-national associa- sentiments it expressed existed at there-where -.solely humanitarian -
tions, or Burschenschaften, had al- the time I am describing here, at ends were being served. There was;
ready started to expel all Jews and the beginning of the eighties there- a club at the university which bad'. -
Jewish descendants, and conflicts fore, and the practical conclusions the -function of lending old to
during the so-called 'promenade' were drawn on both sides simul- needy, industrious medical atu- -
on Saturday mornings, and during taneously. It wasn't always possi- dents by a_ monthly contribution. of
student carousals, also street ble, when actual insults had been from two to five guldds. The way
fights, were not rare in those days exchanged' and especially when of- things stood, thole who profited by
between the anti-Semitic student ficer honor could not be made to these sums, which came mainly
corps and the radical-liberal Lands- agree with student behavior, to from Jewish pockets, were for the
mannschaften, formed by those apply the Waidhofen principles as most_part Jews from -Hungary,
coming from the same native strictly as their followers would also -It few from Bohemia and
areas, some of which were pre- have liked; but the spirit of these Moravia. Granted that they were
dominantly Jewish. (Dueling corps principles, the idea—if one may not `always good to look at, but
did not exist in those days.) Provo- call it that—triumphed all along they were hard-working, some-
cations between individuals in lec- the line, and as is common knowl- times . very talented young men
ture halls, corridors and labora- edge, not only along these lines.
and -certainly unfortunate &ills .
tories were daily occurrences. This
who had starved In thei. ghettos of -
"One of the Jewish students who their homeland and noW,eondnued -
was one of the reasons why many
Jewish students considered it nec- belonged to a German-national fra- to suffer hunger in.the big e.i0."
essary to become exceptionally ex- ternity before the changes just
As a student of medicine, later -
pert and dangerous fencers. Tired mentioned, was Theodor Herzl. I
of waiting for the opponent's ef- can remember seeing him with his in the armed forces of biecountry,
frontery and insults, they quite blue student's cap and black walk- then -in the many !social 'involve-
frequently behaved in a provoca- ing-stick with the ivory handle and ments, the Sclmitzler story emerges
tive fashion, and their 'superiority F.V.C. (Florist Vivat Creseat) en- as a most fascinating tale is the
in dueling, which was becoming an graved on it, parading in step with form of memoirs by the matt-who
increasing embarrassment, was his fraternity brothers. That they became the master among drama-
certainly the main reason for the eventually expelled him, or, as the lists. His dramas were sexually
priceless Waidhofen manifesto with students called it, 'bounced' him, shocking for his time. Some coun- -
which the German-Austrian student was undoubtedly the first motiva- tries banned them. But he became
body declared all Jews once and tion that transformed this German- popular in • Austria, only to be
for all incapable of giving satisfac- national student and spokesman in banned again in 1938—posthumous-
tion. I have no intention of omit- the Academic Debating Hall (where ly—by. the Nazi terrorists who
ting the exact words of this decree; we bad stared at each other-eon- gained control of his native land.
temptuously one evening at aasoett: 1 ---Tfiere, is no doubt about the.,ins-
it went like this:
ing, without however knowiniroltch manse interest , ffiliy youth:V.1n
"'Every son of e Jewish mother, other personally), into-Use- pertiaps Vienna" will retain- in • eonfoltmo-
every human being in whose vein-- more- enliinidastie thee' lohnineeti vary literature.-- -
—PS,

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