Purely Commentary

Arie (Lev) Eliav's Vision of Peace

Visions of peace in the Middle East provide a measure
of hope for a brighter future for Israel and her neighbors.
Like so many visionaries in many ages, their optimism
seems like a defiance of realities. Prophecy, however,
was never expressed under more favorable conditions. It
is therefore to be treated by sharing their hopes and
respecting their visions.
Arie (Lev) Eliav is one such visionary. He is a leader
among Israel's doves. He has advocated Israel's with-
drawal from some occupied areas and he has been among
the chief supporters of the establishment of a Palestinian
state for those who would not accept Jordanian over-
lordship and who prefer not to become citizens of Israel.
This commentator was among endorsers of his major
ideas, in adherence to what we viewed as a basic threat
to Israel and eventual domination by a growing horde of
Arabs under Israel's administration.
Eliav, a member of the Knesset, former secretary of
the Israel Histadrut, a former first secretary of the
Israel Embassy in Moscow, expressed his views in an
essay in the New York Times in which he recognized
that the hope for a peaceful future cannot be attained in
"a single stroke." He believes, however, that there are
Arabs who subscribe to peaceful aims and he has out-
lined a program for action to solve the terrifying Middle
East problem. His basic proposals are:
"We must tell the great Egyptian people without
yet budging one inch that in return for a real peace—
negotiations, the signing of a peace agreement, mutual
guarantees and stages of implementation, the establish-
ment of relations, development of trade, tourism and
cultural relations—for such a peace we shall restore
Egyptian sovereignty over Sinai, stage by stage, after
negotiations and as part of an interim settlement, along
with the complete demilitarization of the peninsula, under
joint Egypto-Israeli supervision, and with an Israel pres-
ence at the Straits.
"We must turn to the Palestinian Arabs and to
Jordan, where the root of the conflict lies, and say that
in return for real peace we will share with them the
inheritance of our forefathers—this Israel—from sea tq
desert, on both sides of the Jordan River.
"We must be prepared to negotiate with their legiti-
mate representatives so as to create a basis for a state, or
perhaps states, of their own, consisting of the land east of
the Jordan River and most of the area of the West Bank
and the Gaza strip, the latter two being demilitarized
under joint supervision.
"Together we must find a special solution for Jeru-
salem, so that the city may continue as the undivided
capital of Israel, while at the same time furnishing the
Arabs a corridor to their holy places. We must offer to
help find imaginative solutions for the settlement of the
Arab refugees in territories that will be restored to them
once peace is established.
"We must turn to the Syrians and offer in return for
real peace to divide the Golan, and, after negotiations, to
proceed to the stage-by-stage settlement of their (Syrian)
refugees, demilitarization and joint supervision of the
parts restored.
"I know a declaration of this sort is not yet going
to bring peace or an immediate settlement, and that there
is still a long way ahead. But I do believe it will - serve
to dispel the tension prevailing in the Middle East. A
declaration of this sort neither requires nor necessitates
any retreat from any position we now hold; and it will
not materialize unless we have partners among the Arabs
who are prepared to conduct negotiations with us, with-
out any victorious trumpetings but with the mutual respect
of proud peoples.
"I believe that while maintaining Israel's friendship
with the United States we can begin to think of renewed
and improved relations between us and the Soviet Union.
In the future, as the processes of peace begin, we shall
also be able to reach various arrangements with the
Soviet Union for the large-scale immigration of Jews from
that country.
"When settlements begin to prevail, I envision an age
of peace for Israel that she has never known before.

Soviets Renew Persecution of Jews

The Student Struggle for Soviet Jewry has charged
that the imprisonment of engineer Leonid Zabeleshinsky of
Sverdlovsk, left, and carpenter Petya Pinkhasov of Der-
bent, shown with two of his children, is part of a harsh
renewed drive against Jews seeking emigration.

2 Friday, Dec. 28, 1973

—

THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS

Visions and Hopes for Peace . . . Eliav and Crossman
Evaluate the Crises . . . Slavery in Arab Countries
Admonishes Blacks Against Anti-Israel Alignment

• "When that age comes, we shall be at leisure to attend
to our truly great tasks. While maintaining a deterrent
and unconventional army, we shall devote our energies
to the upbuilding of a Jewish society, setting an example
of justice, equality and dignity. I believe that Israel will
one day be a spiritual center for the entire Jewish people,
and a medical and scientific center for the entire world.
It will export the knowhow needed by the devleloping
world in the fields of health, food and water production.
Israel will re-establish its ties and relations with Africa
and Asia. It will send brigades of engineers and divisions
of doctors to every part of the world where they might
be needed."
Eliav "envisions" peace. For the skeptical this will
be viewed as hope—and hopefulness has been a guideline
for many who keep disagreeing with him.
Nevertheless, there is the alternative that spells more
wars, and the accompanying danger of a continuing
animosity in the ranks of a million and a half Arabs
under Israel's sovereignty who are not resisting that rule
but are not accepting it; who won't have Hussein of
Jordan as their ruler but who might be the dough for
peace as an independent people receiving Israel's bless-
ings for their own independent status. Eliav's proposals
cannot be ignored.

Richard Crossman's View of 'Realism'

There is another viewpoint, nearly akin to that of Arie
Eliav that is worth viewing seriously.
Richard Crossman, an eminent political analyst, one
of the most respected British journalists and who has
been in the inner circles of the British government, sees
dangers unless there are Israeli concessions.
Crossman has exposed the Arabists in the British par-
liament and government. He had been close to the late
Chaim Weizmann and was closely aligned with activities
for the Weizmann Institute in Rehovot. In one of his early
essays on the subject of the Middle East crises, in the
London Times, soon after the Yom Kippur War, he stated:
"There is an obvious danger that Dr. Kissinger—egged
on, alas, by Sir Alec Douglas-Home and M. Pompidou—
will be tempted to extract from the Israelis greater
sacrifices than a proud people can accept.
"This makes it all the more important for the Israeli
leaders to see clearly what is vital to their national ex-
istence in the period ahead and what is not. In terms of
military security, the occupied territories may seem
essential after this latest experience. But in political
terms they are an incubus which could destroy the demo-
cracy they have been won to defend. Even before 1967,
the growing proportion of Arab citizens in Israel was a
matter of grave concern. Nevertheless, these Israeli Arabs
were conceded full citizen rights and have shown their
appreciation of the advantages they enjoy by their co-
operative attitude during the recent war.
"The Palestinians of the West Bank, in contrast, are
an isoluable problem. They are far too numerous either
to be given the vote or to be kept in subjection as second•
class citizens. A peace which required Israel to withdraw
from the Jordan to its pre-1967 frontiers would be a
marciful deliverance from a danger that is already cor-
roding Israel democracy.
"Provided that the Russian-American concert ensures
a permanent United Nations presence from the Golan
Heights to Sharm el-Shaikh, I believe that Israel should
be prepared in her own self-interest to let a demilitarized
Sinai revert to Egyptian sovereignty and to see the West
Bank become the nucleus of a Palestinian state. Once
they had made it clear that their aim is to secure the
development of a genuinely Jewish state, and not to sub-
ject Arabs to Jewish colonial rule, the Israelis would be
in a far stronger position to insist on the retention of the
Gaza Strip as part of Israel, and to defend successfully
the unified Jerusalem which was the one creative outcome
of the Six-Day War. My fear is that in trying to retain the
whole West Bank, they will jeopardize the future of Jeru-
salem as well."
Perhaps he is extreme. Perhaps what Crossman and
Eliav advocate, accepted with moderation, may solve a
grave problem for Israel, the Arabs and the world.
Detroit is not Geneva. Neither are Jerusalem and
London, whence the above excerpts stem. But as guides
for peace they cannot be ignored.
_ *
*

Prentis M. Brown, the Friend,
More Statesman Than Politician

A friend is never forgotten.
Prentis M. Brown will always be remembered as the
understanding and compassionate representative of the
people of Michigan in both houses of Congress. As con-
gressman and as senator he established an enviable record
marked by devotion to service.
When the press corps voted him
the ablest Democrat in the Senate
in 1942 it paid him a partial tribute.
Perhaps he should have been voted
among the most deserving of that
honor in both parties.
He will be remembered as one
of the outspoken and cooperative
supporters of the Zionist cause in a
time when the help of every Chris-
Prentis M. Brown
tian friend was urgently needed.
This commentator twice introduced him to capacity
audiences in the main sanctuary of the Shaarey Zedek
when the congregation was still on Chicago Boulevard. It
was in the early 1940s when the Hitler scourge was denud-
ing Jewish ranks, when there was no hope for Jews any-

By Philip
Slomovitz

where except in what was then Palestine.
Therefore, in the record of the Zionist movement,
Prentis M. Brown was among the most dedicated friends
the Jewish people gained in the U.S. Congress. It could
well be said of him that he was among the hasidei umot
haolam—the saintly in mankind's ranks. It is as such
that the memory of this wonderful man will be cherished
by friend for friend.

An Admonition to Blacks Whose
Pro-Arab Attitudes Harm Israel

Why have the African nations betrayed Israel?
Why are Blacks antagonistic to Jews and to Israel? Israel
and Jewry keep striving to cement the best relations with
Blacks. Why are they building up animosities against us?
Arab nations have maltreated Blacks. Whatever there
is left of slavery in the world is centered mostly in Arab
countries. Ten years ago Saudi Arabian King Faisal said
he was abolishing slavery. Now, La Tribune de Geneve
exposes continuation of the slave trade.
An article from the Geneva periodical, translated f,
the French, was inserted in the Congressional Record',
Dec. 11, by Congressman Lester L. Wolff of New York,
exposing the slave auctions as follows:
SLAVE TRADE GROWING ON SEMI-CLANDESTINE
ARABIAN MARKETS
"The prettiest teenagers are destined for harems."
One discusses the price, and after that the father and
the uncles count the money, the young woman is taken
away, bewildered and fearful. She is added to the flock
of female captives.
The young blacks seem to make their way towards
the harems of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Yemen . . .—the
Arabs have been fond of young black women, these young
women are treated with sweetness and are well nourished;
one sees from this treatment that they will not be tested
too much throughout the trip.
A representative of the Anti-Slavery Society, finding
himself in the South of Libya, met with a group from
Touraegs, who accompanied a dozen slaves, teenagers and
young black men who have been bought to Mali or to
Nigeria. The slave dealers act as if they are members of
their families.
But it is without a doubt that these captives are des-
tined to be sent to the Middle East and sold for about a
week's wages later into the half secret slave march from
Djabba, Riya, Mecca or Nassaria.
Saudi Arabia officially counted 250,000 slaves in 1962.
At that time, King Faisal proclaimed a law emancipating
them. An important act .. .
A considerable expenditure was foreseen for their
masters to buy back some of the slaves. In fact, Faisal's
measure did not produce any effect. So what did the
masters lose?
Since that time, the export of slaves toward the . . .
harems of the Middle East have not stopped, but have
increased
Rep. Wolff properly referred to the details of "clan-
destine slavery operations which involve the buying and
selling of young blacks in North Africa and the Mideast"
as "reprehensible and inimical to man's moral sense."
Aren't the Blacks aware of this, and don't they recog-
nize who their enemies are? Will the La Tribune de
Geneve expose awaken them and cause them to deal
justly with Israel and world Jewry?

The Dedicated 'Cincy' Sachs

To have seen Philip "Cincy" Sachs in action was to
be enchanted with athletic genius. He left an indelible
record in basketball, as player and coach. and it deserv-
edly earned for him the inclusion in the Michigan Sports
Hall of Fame, an honor that has gone to only a handful
I
-
of greats.
He attained the high esteem in sports in recognition
of an unmatched dedication. On the basketball court his
influence was like magic. While supervising his team,
he was also the player: his exciting direction drew as
much attention to him, on the sideline, from his audiences,
as his entire team. He was the team. He played all roles
at once while coaching his players.
For "Cincy" basketball was not a business. It was a
love for a sport that to him became a profession. He
trained some of the very great basketball players, and
he defied the barriers of race or religion. He was .as
dedicated to the young basketball players in the Je•
congregational teams he coached as to the profession, .
"Cincy" was a great sportsman and an honored ath-
lete. He didn't seek honors. All he coveted was the satis-
faction derived from his sport. That's why his name will
be recorded with distinction in Michigan's sports history.
*
*

4";

The Late Dr. J. Russell Bright

Another loss to our community is the death of the
distinguished Wayne State University administrator, Dr. J.
Russell Bright.
He played many roles in the academic world, and he
had made many important contributions to scholarship.
He was closely aligned with efforts in advancing
Hebraic studies. He was a member of the advisory boards
of the Borman Lecture Series, the department for the
advancement of Hebrew and related studies, the tasks of
encouraging the community relations programs in which
University Professor John Dorsey was a directing force,
and he was closely associated with the introduction of
Jewish history courses and Hebrew language classes under
the direction of the late Dr. Abram Spiro.
Prof. Bright left a good record by which to be re-
membered by his colleagues and many friends.

