THE JEWISH NET'S
Incorporating The Detroit Jewish Chronicle commencing with the issue ot11Ily 20, 1951
Member American Association of English-Jewish Newspapers. Michigan Press Association. National Editorial Association.
Published every Friday by The Jewish News Publishing; Co., 17515 W. Nine Mile. Suite 865, Southfield. Mich. -1S075.
Second-Class Postage Paid at Southfield, Michigan and Additional Mailing - Offices. Subscription $10 a year.
PHILIP SLOMOVITZ
Editor and Publisher
CARMI M. SLOMOVITZ
Business Manager
DREW LIEBERWITZ
Advertising Manager
.clan llitsky. News Editor . . . Heidi Press. kssistant New. Editor
Sabbath Scriptural Selections
This Sabbath, the nth of Ay, 5 735, the following scriptural selections will be read in our synagogues:
Pentateuch& portion. Deut. 3:23 7:11. Prophetical' portion. Isaiah 40:1-26.
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Candle lighting. Friday . . July. 18. 8:1.6 p.m ;
N01,. I,NN 11, No. 19
Page Four
Fri(111 ∎ , July 18. 1973
Diplomatic Duelling and Realism
In the process of reaching an accord in the
Middle East, assuming that the adjustments re-
portedly made in the negotiations in which the
United States played a major role truly mark
diplomatic progress, there is need for realism in
viewing the future.
It may well be that war can and will be av-
erted for at least three years, that not only An-
war el Sadat but also Hafez Assad will cooper-
ate in what, time-wise, is only a temporary
agreement to have United Nations peace keeping
troops separate the Arab military forces from
Israel's troops. Assuming that the interim ar-
rangements will lead to even more prolonged pe-
riods of cease-fire blessings, what are the expec-
tations for the future?
A basic fact remains: the terrorists, the in-
filtrating murderous groups who keep attacking
civilians in Israel under slogans of eventual de-
struction of the Jewish state, are not likely to
submit to the discipline that may be demanded
by the Egyptian and Syrian rulers who are
pledging moderate agreements with Israel. The
future is not strewn with blessings of security
and hopes for good neighborliness. As long as
there are gangs whose terrorist bombings and
mass murders of Jews in Jerusalem, Ma'alot, or
on the Syrian and Lebanese borders continues
without rebuke from a single Arab potentate,
the situation remains grave.
After the recent attack by fedayeen on the
border village of Kfar Yuval and the murder of
three Israeli settlers there, Radio Cairo, in a
broadcast that followed the tragedy by a mere
few hours, broadcast a commendation for what
it called "a daring act," and in a Hebrew com-
mentary on June 19 the Cairo broadcasters com-
mended "the humane attitude of Arafat," stat-
ing that the Palestinians "do not have to pay off
the still outstanding bills left by the Nazis."
This, clearly, is a revival of a Hitler spirit and of
an approach to genocide that becomes accepta-
ble for Arabs when applied to Jews.
The Cairo Hebrew language commentary
supplemented the inspiration to • hate with a
statement that "Israel as a state is an illegal ent-
ity which resembles a foreign limb that has not
been accepted by the body."
It is this negation of humanism that must
concern those who crave for peace and are en-
gaged in negotiations which often disintegrate
into confrontations. As long as a major party to
the peace-making fails to reject terrorism, the
aspiration for genuine amity remains in doubt
and those who condone the murder of civilians
are suspect.
Interim cease fire arrangements will pro-
vide,relief from the tensions and from fears for
renewal of warfare. Will they lead to long range
accords for amity? Will they guide the biased to-
wards roads to a lasting peace? The hopes are
genuine, the realities approaching it are greatly
disillusioning. The youth in Arab schools have
already been led to paths of hatred. The teenag-
ers among the Arabs have been drawn into sui-
cide squads with an aim for destruction of Israel
and the murder of Israelis. The _academicians
among the Moslems have added to the venom
that has been infused in Arab minds.
What are the raw possibilities for erasing
the hatreds and establishing good will among
neighbors, all of whom can benefit from peace
with the now endangered Israel? How can the
roads between Jerusalem, Cairo, Damascus,
Riadh and Beirut be cleared of destructive mili-
tary hardware? .
An accord in the Middle East must take into
account the future. The aim must be for the er-
asing of every vestige of bigotry and bitterness.
The animosities must be erased. To accomplish
it is a duty for all the Arab states, for their wise
men in their universities and mosques and their
diplomats in the high places of government. An
end to terrorism also will eliminate the causes
for hatred that inevitably emerge among Israe-
lis when their kin and kith are among the mur-
dered of infiltrating terrorists.
The diplomatic duelling' persists, the quest
for a genuine peace is far from fulfillment. The
realism that must accompany approaches to
amity is as vital as the end to the war fears by
a continuing disengagement of forces on the Is-
rael-Arab borders. Grave responsibilities evolve.
If statesmen are to be true to their calling, if
peace is to be viewed as honestly pursued, an
accompanying aim must be the aim for an end
to hatreds. As long as animosities exist peace
becomes unstable and temporary at best.
Concern for Welfare of Aging
Expressions of concern over the status of
nursing homes and the interest that should be
inspired both in the welfare of the elderly and
their spiritual and cultural activities indicates
that the human factor functions and is vocal in
creating guidelines for improvements in social
welfare.
Abuses in homes for the elderly have been
exposed here and in many other American com-
munities, and the scandals current in New York
have added to the irritations rampant in a field
that should have greater government control
and more stringent regulations to assure the ut-
most care for residents of such vitally needed
sheltering projects.
While government control and guidance,
especially since a large measure of funding
Frank Gervasi's Enlightening
'Thunder Over Mediterranean'
Frank Gervasi has one of the highest ratings among newsmen and
foreign correspondents as a man of genuine knowledge about the Mid-
dle East. His several books and his public addresses have shown an
understanding of the situation that is unparalleled.
He renews his role as a highly informed writer on the crucial
issues affecting that part of the world in his "Thurider Over the Medi-
terranean" (McKay).
Students of the early history of the area under consideration will
recall a volume of some years ago by the notorious Catholic anti-
Semite, Hillaire Belloc, who wrote about Palestine as being "The bat-
tleground of the world." In a sense, Gervasi, devoting his work to the
Mediterranean, also treats that embattled portion of the world in the
same fashion. Unlike Belloc, Gervasi is pro-Zionist, pro-Israel and
evinces a thorough understanding of the Arab as_well as the Jewish
prof)] ems .an d needs.
Thus, in his new work, he recapitulates historically every as-
pect of the matters revolving around the Middle East develop-
ments. He reviews the Zionist history, the early stages of settle-
merits and developments by Jews, the rebirth of Israel and the
many events that transpired in the process.
Because of the U. S. and USSR involvements, Gervasi has incorpo-
rated in his new book the effects of the new situations as they emerged
from other sectors of the Mediterranean, such as Greece, Cyprus, Tur-
key, all of the Arab states. •
Gervasi's approaches involve the diplomatic, the economic, the
military. His analyses of the Mediterranean involvements are up-
dated, the Egyptian and Israeli moods and conflicts are reviewed min-
utely. He probes approaches to peace and he proposes a program for
an accord between Israel and the Arabs to be based on the following:
Recooition of Israel's sovereignty by all concerned, in-
cluding, and especially, the PLO;
Peace treaties establishing normal relations-between Is-
rael and the "confrontation states;"
Creation of an autonomous but demilitarized Fqlestinian
state on the West Bank;
Adjustment in the sense of reinforcement of Israel's fron-
tiers based largely on the 1967 borders;
Retention of a united .Jerusalem as Israel's capital, but
with special privileges, perhaps even extra-territorial rights
for Moslems and Christians; and
Israel's admission into NATO.
comes from federal sources, is vital, the interest
of concerned citizens is especially urgent. With-
out the demands from constituents for strictest
He is pragmatic in his approaches and he sees the basic danger to
a peaceful future in the Russian aims for power.- On this score he
observance of human needs there could bean in-
crease of abuses and a delay in assuring action summarizes the USSR role and gives warning of what may transpire
by declaring:
for, vitally needed improvements.
"Russia is gambling that the United States, tending to isolation-
The public forums provided by newspapers ism as a result of the financial and manpower drains caused by the
can and should lead to vastly improved social futile war in Vietnam, will not react to Soviet pressures in the Middle
services and emphasis on the needs of the elder East and the Mediterranean.
citizens. There are abuses of privileges provided
"This, of course, remains to be seen. However, the prospects are
by the forums in the press. Especially in mat- for another dangerous confrontation in the eastern Mediterranean
ters involving Israel the failure to adhere to that may make the Cuban missile crisis and the quasi-confrontation
truth has been a notable cause for regret. In in- of October 1973 seem like simple exercises in power politics. For it is
stances relating to social needs the public forum ' highly unlikely that the United States would allow the Mediterranean
of Western civilization to beco -ne democracy's tomb."
is vital and constructive. The increased interest cradle
Gervasi's is one of the most realistic and very thorough reviews of
in an improved program of assistance to the the very delicate situations in the Middle East. His "Thunder Over the
aged proves the point of the positive in media
Mediterranean" is certain to occupy the most dramatic challenge to
relations.
students of the Middle East.