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The special session opened
five hours later than origi-
nally scheduled. Speaker Yis-
rael Yeshayahu eulogized
briefly and poignantly the
dead soldiers, and all Knes-
set members rose in a long
moment of silence.
Mrs. Meir said the battle
had revealed Zahal in full
bravery and strength. The
soldiers had fought like lions
and inflicted grievous blows
on the enemy, she said.
Referring briefly to the
northern front, Mrs. Meir
said Israel had beaten back
the attackers across the
lines, and the Syrian army
and Iraqi division had been
hard hit, but the war there
was not yet over.
On the ninth day of the
war, she said, Israel learned
of a top Jordanian tank bat-
talion of 80 tanks having
been placed under Iraqi com-
mand. Israel did not wish to
fight Jordan—and it was not
in Jordan's interest to fight
Israel. But. she warned,
there could be no differenti-
ating between tank and tank
on the battlefield, and if cir-
cumstances demanded Israel
hitting Jordanian tanks in
Syria—then it would do so.
Mrs. Meir called Jordan's
sending tanks into Syria a
"worrying and dangerous
step."
On the southern front, she
said. the signs showed the
Egyptian initiative was now
limited. (A major tank battle
east of the Suez Canal was
reported under way as of
Thursday, and it could prove
decisive, according to cor-
respondents. Israeli forces
also were operating on the
western bank of the Suez.)
Israel's successes on both
fronts were comprehensible
when one thought of the qual-
ity of youth, their Jewish his-
torical awareness and the
knowledge that they are
fighting for family and home-
land, she said.
"I am not brave enough to
attempt to comfort the hun-
dreds of families who re-
ceived the terrible message
. . . They are the sons of all
of us . . . The pain is all our
pain," she said.
She assured that Israel
would not accept a cease fire
unless it provided for a total
prisoner - of - war exchange.
She urged families not to
lose hope that those reported
missing would be found alive.
M r s. Meir reiterated
Egypt's and Syria's total re-
About Blood
Confusion still surrounds
the question of donating
blood for Israel. Again:
Israel has not requested
blood donations.
Those who think they
are contributing towart
Israel's effort by giving
blood at this time are mis-
taken, according to Amer-
ican Red Mogen David.
Whatever is donated at
this time at various Re4
C r o s s centers probably
will be used within the
Detroit community—a
worthy need, to be sure,
but not the goal for which
the contribution was in-
tended.
Although the American
Red Cross station in
Berkley is accepting blood
from those who insist on
giving, it cannot guaran-
tee that the blood will go
to Israel.
6—Friday, October 19, 1973
Battle Yet Waged on Egyptian Front
sponsibility for the war. She
listed their powers: Egypt
had 650,000 men, 650 planes,
2,500 tanks; Syria had 150,000
men, 330 planes and 2,000
tanks; Iraq had thrown in
230 tanks and three fighter
squadrons; Jordan had sent
80 tanks; and Morocco, 1,500
men plus armor.
Egypt had 150 SAM mis-
siles and Syria 35 batteries of
missiles. Egypt had 2,000
heavy guns and Syria 1,300.
There were intelligence re-
ports of other Arab states
sending in forces.
Mrs. Meir said there had
been much talk of cease fire
—but Israel had received no
suggestion from any political
body at all, and so there was
no need to discuss this. Syria
and Egypt apparently had
not yet been hit hard enough
—since they did not yet want
a cease fire, she said.
A cease fire would come
only when Arab armies were
on the verge of collapse —
then, she said cynically,
there would be plenty of "vol-
unteers" at the UN and else-
where who would try to
bring a cease
The British embargo—with-
holding equipment that Is-
rael vitally needed to beat
back an attack—was shame-
ful, said Mrs. Meir. She
called British and French
embargo policies "cynicism
and egotistical opportunism."
For the U. S.—"its govern-
ment and its people—she had
warm words of friendship
and thanks. She assured
America that its help to Is-
rael would not prejudice its
friendship and interests else-
where in the world—includ-
ing in the Arab world.
U. S. Jewry's help was
greatly appreciated too. "In
the name of the Israeli peo-
ple, I thank the President
and people of the U. S. who
are acting in the old U. S.
tradition of aiding a state un-
der attack." The quantity,
variety and pace of Ameri-
can supplies were in step
with the needs of the time,
she said. She assured the
world that Israel did not
The central elections committee headed by Su-
preme Court Justice Haim Cohn announced it could
not prepare Knesset elections in time for Oct. 30. The
committee explained that the war made it impossible,
and noted that it would, anyway, be detrimental to he
war effort to have elections in the midst of hostilities
even if it were technically possible.
The major partes decided to set up a committee to
prepare special legislation prolonging this parliament.
The one point still under debate is what to write into
the law about the date elections will be held. The law
must be passed before Oct. 30.
want or need anyone else ac-
tually doing the fighting for
her.
Earlier, the premier had
declared that the war ought
to drive home to those friends
of Israel abroad who had
counseled otherwise the im-
portance of defensible bor-
ders. How much more terri-
bly would Israel have suf-
fered if she had agreed to
go back to the pre-1967 lines?
Mrs. Meir asked.
Questioned whether she re-
gretted not making a preemp-
tive strike, Mrs. Meir re-
plied, "Yes and no. Yes, be-
cause had Israel struck first
it would now be in a better
position and quite a few lives
would have been saved."
And no because "at least
we don't have the argument
with the world about who
started .. • we took the deci-
sion with our eyes open."
It was disclosed Monday
for the first time that some
2,000 Israeli soldiers had
been wounded on both fronts
during the first eight days of
the war. The government an-
nounced Sunday that 656 Is-
raeli soldiers had died in that
period.
Bereaved families were
provided with booklets by
Chief Army Chaplain Gen.
Mordechai Firon explaining
regulations for burial and
mourning. Soldiers killed in
action are being buried tem-
porarily in special cemeter-
ies consecrated for the par-
pre3e.
According to Jewish cus-
tom, families will have the
option of re-burial after the
12-month mourning period.
Next of kin are visited by a
special delegation of the
army chaplaincy and repre-
sentatives of the local town
councils and of any organiza-
tions to which the families
belong. A medical orderly ac-
companies each delegation.
The Israeli public heard
the first casualty report
stoicly.
During the day, Premier
Meir visited wounded soldiers
at the Sheba Medical Center
in Tel Hashomer Hospital.
Defense Minister Moshe Day-
an called on the public never
to forget the fallen soldiers.
An army spokesman dis-
closed that one girl soldier,
injured in an air attack on an
Israeli installation in the Si-
nai, died of her wounds. The
announcement was made to
scotch rumors that girl sol-
diers were missing in action
or in enemy hands.
The commander of the wo-
men's army corps, Col. Ruth
Muskal, denied such reports.
She said girl soldiers were
performing the same func-
tions they performed in
peace-time.
The Israeli high command
reported that Iraqi units sent
into battle on the Syrian front
were virtually destroyed in
their first tank and artillery
clash with Israel.
Monday afternoon found the
Iraqis part and parcel of the
Syrian defense line on the
central sector. Israeli armor
engaged Iraqi armor with the
aid of direct hits by artillery
and air force bombers.
A short but fierce battle en-
sued after which the Iraqis
were again on the run, leav-
ing behind heavy casualties
and scores of blackened
tanks and other equipment.
Israeli forces occupied posi-
tions in the area held earlier
by the Iraqi division.
It appeared that a Moroc-
can task force sent to Syria—
in a brigade strength — was
posted in the northern sec-
tion of the Syrian front, the
place chosen by Israelis for
their breakthrough Sunday.
The Moroccans, who were
equipped w i t h American
arms and equipment, soon
had to fall back and retreat
as the Israelis made their ad-
vance.
Israelis were using the cap-
tured American jeeps and
American automatic service
rifles which were used by the
Moroccans. The Iraqis had
Centurion tanks with 135-mm
guns.
Mrs. Meir refused to dis-
cuss "operational pi a n s"
when asked if Israel intended
to capture Damascus. She
said Russia had sent more
than 120 supply planes to
Iraq, Syria and Egypt in the
past few days.
If Jordanian tanks got in
Israel's way in Syria, they
would be knocked out, she de-
clared, and of course Israel
was guarding itself in case
of direct Jordanian interven-
tion across the river.
It was reported Thursday
morning that five explosions,
believed set by Israeli frog-
men, severed an undersea
cable between Lebanon and
Europe, cutting off all com-
munications.
Lebanon declared that if it
were the intention of Isra-
elis to use that country as a
base for attacking Syria, Leb-
anon, too, would enter the
war.
Along the Egyptian front,
the major Arab attack start-
ed Sunday morning with a
massive aerial bombardment
and artillery barrage. An Is-
raeli military spokesman de-
scribed the battle as greater
than the famous battle of El
Alamein in World War II.
The Israeli air force was
called in for close support of
Mideast Crisis Will Be Topic at Delegate Assembly
The Middle East crisis will
be the focus of attention at
the Jewish Community Coun-
cil's delegate assembly 8:15
D.M.
Tuesday at Temple
Emanu-El.
Zev Furst, national direc-
tor of the Middle Eastern
affairs department of the
Anti-Defamation League of
Bnai Brith, will be guest
speaker. Furst will provide
an up-to-date review of
events and discuss the im-
pact of the war on future
Mideast developments.
Community Council Presi-
dent Hubert J. Sidlow will
formally announce several
changes in Council officer
positions. On Oct. 9, Coun-
cil's executive committee
elected John H. Shepherd,
former treasurer and chair-
man of the community re-
Senior Adults Help
Residents of Federation
Apartments hurriedly got to-
gether to stage a bazaar
Sunday, each person contri-
buting an item and buying
the articles of fellow resi-
dents. Laina Temchin, direc-
tor of the apartments for sen-
ior adults, said they raised
$1,521 for the Israel Emer-
gency Fund.
THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
lations committee, to the
post of vice president.
The committee also elected
Irving Tukel, co-chairman of
the committee on interna-
tional concerns, as treasurer
of the Counc;I. These changes
were a result of the resigna-
tion of Council Vice Presi-
dent Rabbi Hayim Donin,
who has left the community
to live in Israel. The Council
constitut7on permits the ex-
ecutive committee to elect
one of its own members to
fill officer vacancies until
Fnn(ls ord. volunteers Swamp JNF Office
Jewish National Fund of-
fices in Oak Park have been
swamped with donations of
money and time from adult
and youth organizations, and
from Jews as well as non-
Jews, according to Percy
Kaplan, director.
University and school stu-
dents have turned in filled
Blue-Boxes and are redis-
tributing them to further the
collection for emergency
funds.
Among the first to respond
to the emergency were young
Marc Cohen, Gary Stone,
Marc Charnow and Randy
Rosen, all of Southfield, who
brought in a Blue-Box and
took more for distribution.
Ted and Erika Schneider of
Oak Park solicited substgn-
tial sums from contributors.
Kaplan said funds collected
from the boxes were desig-
nated for use by Magen
David Adom, the Israel
Included in the offers of
services were volunteers who
wished to help within Israel
in towns, settlements or
kibutzim where workers
have left to serve with the
army.
Among the non-Jewish con-
tributors was Mrs. James
Dalgarno of West Bloom-
field, who sent money to
JNF last year to have trees
planted in her husband's
memory. She now has sent
$100 to JNF for Israel emer-
gency relief.
One letter from Wayne,
Mich., said, "I only wish
that it (the enclosed check)
was for more and also that
Israel was not in its present
condition."
Yet another letter — this
one from a Christian in Troy
— enclosed a check and ob-
served, "My sincere sym-
pathy is with your people,
counterpart of the Red Cross.
but I know that they will
emerge as the victors."
the next general election in
May.
Furst is a specialist in the
political and economic prob-
lems of the Middle East and
on the so-called "oil crisis."
He is a graduate of Columbia
University's school of inter-
national affairs and Middle
East Institute. He has written
many articles on such topics
as the UN and the Middle
East, international peace and
security, Mideast oil and the
Arab-Israeli conflict.
A social hour, which will
serve as a reception for dele-
gates to meet Council's new
executive director, Alvin L.
Kushner, will follow the pro-
gram. Hostesses will be
T em ple Emanu-El Sister-
hood.
ground forces, and in the af-
ternoon the battle subsided.
The Israeli position in-
flicted heavy casualties on
t h e Egyptians, including
troops landing from the sea.
Israeli attacks on Port Said
and the Gulf of Suez were re-
ported Thursday morning.
French-made Libyan Mir-
age planes were seen on the
Egyptian side participating
in attacks on Israeli soldiers.
One of the stories of the
Yom Kippur War is that of
Israelis on the jetty that
forms the southern entrance
to the Suez Canal.
Forty Israeli soldiers were
posted there and with the
aid of three tanks they fought
back the Egyptians who tr'^d
time and again to assault
storm this important positwa.
Some of the soldiers were
injured. But the position con-
tinued to maintain contact
with the new Israeli line and'
continued to fight back.
But Sunday the command-
er of the position radioed his
superior that if the injured
were to be saved they must
surrender. The position re-
layed to the rear the names
of soldiers—both injured and
not.
The Red Cross was told to
intervene and arrange for
the surrender of the 40 Is-
raelis.
They took nothing from the
position when the Egyptians
came up, but a scroll wrap-
ped in a red and yellow
cover.
By Monday, altogether 302
enemy planes were downed
by Israelis-168 on the Syr-
ian front and 134 on the
Egyptian front. Israeli naval
units acting in the Red Sea
damaged and sunk 25 small
vessels used by the Egyptian
commando units. The attack
was carried out at Ras Gha-
rib on the western shores of
the Red Sea.
A wide range of Soviet
armament and equipment, in-
cluding the personnel anti-
tank weapon, the "Frog"
half-ton warheaded missile
and the sophisticated Sukhoi
20, which is hardly known in
the West, have been captured
by the Israelis.
The latest capture was that
of a new Russian tank, the
T-62, a much more sophisti-
cated brother of the known
T-54 or T-55. Two of these
tanks, unimpaired, were ex-
hibited to the press on Israeli
soil — the first time such a
weapon was displayed in a
non-Communist or non-Arab
country.
Defense Minister Dayan, in
a TV interview, said he was
dividing his time between the
northern and southern fronts.
He said he was doubtful if
the Syrians would ask for a
cease fire even if they are
defeated.
Dayan defended the d
sion to wait for the Arabs
attack first. He said that the
Israeli army had two altern-
atives in its defense ap-
proach: the first was to start
q preventive war or to keep
the army on the alert for
years on end to counter the
continuous threat by the
Arabs; the other alternative
was to partially keep the
army on full alert.
He said that because of Is-
rael's economic needs it is
impossible to keep the whole
nation—the regular army and
its reserves — recruited for
years on end.
However, he conceded that
had Israel struck first the
number of casualties might
have been smaller and the
war easier. „