Revelations
About Truman's Defiance
of State Dept.
Obstructions
to Israel's
Rebirth as Nation
THE JEWISH NEWS
A Weekly Review
Commentary
Page 2
VOL. LXX, No. 13
cE?1
'Pressure'
as an Act of
Vengeance?
Editorials
Page 4
of Jewish Events
9 17515 W. Nine Mile, Suite 865, Southfield, Mich. 48075 424-8833
Vigilance
in Operation
•
$10.00 Per Year ; This Issue 30 4
December 3, 1976
1.0.. 'Envoys!' Met With Caution;
. Anxiety
eace
E. Germany's Low Offer
for Reparations Rejected
by War Claims Board
PARIS (JTA) — Dr. Nahum Goldmann, president of
the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Agaihst Ger-
many, instructed Benjamin Ferencz, the representative of
the Claims Conference negotiating with the East German
Committee of Anti-Fascist Resistance Fighters, to refuse
to accept $1 million offered by the Committee. The East
Germans made the offer "on humanitarian grounds, as a
one-time financial payment to needy U.S. citizens of
Jewish faith who were persecuted by the Nazi regime."
In view of the great wrong done to tens of thousands of
Jewish victims of Nazi persecution in East Germany,
Goldmann said, the offer of $1 million is not to be taken
seriously, especially in view of the fact that West Germany
has provided until now about $25 billion in reparations to
Nazi victims. Another reason for the rejection, Goldmann
said, was that it is only for Jewish victims now living in the
U.S.
The Claims Conference has never accepted any special
compensation for citizens of any one country but negotiates
for all Nazi victims, most of whom are now in Israel. The
Claims Conference will not be a party to any attempt by East
Germany to discharge its respon-
sibility by a token amount, and
will continue to claim real com-
pensation from East Germany,
Goldmann said.
Dr. NAHUM GOLDMANN
In 1974, the U.S. made re-
stitution for Nazi victims an
issue in negotiations leading to
the recognition of East Germany.
The Conference on Jewish
Claims and the East German
committee began negotiations
shortly after diplomatic ties were
established on Sept. 4, 1974.
By JOSEPH POLAKOFF
WASHINGTON (JTA) — A Bnai Brith official's 1,500-word memorandum on a secret
meeting here Nov. 15 between two Palestine Liberation Organization representatives
and five Washington Jews reports that the terrorist organization's present aims envi-
sion its takeover of Jordan and inducing the American Jewish community to move the
Israeli government into agreeing to Palestinian and Jewish states "in Palestine."
According to a copy of the memorandum obtained by the Jewish Telegraphic
Agency, it was prepared on the day after the meeting by Herman Edelsberg, recently
retired director of Bnai Brith's international council and now a consultant to it, who was
one of those present at the meeting.
Edelsberg confirmed to JTA that he wrote the paper. Copies are understood to have
been provided to the State Department, the Israeli Embassy, the American Jewish
-
Committee and top Bnai Brith officials.
The meeting here and those by seven or eight Jews with the same PLO representatiVes
in New York and by other PLO officials with non-official Israelis in 'Paris have been
criticized as lending both respectability and credibility to the terrorist organization.
The critics pointed out that the Israeli government will not deal with the PLO under
any circumstances while the U.S. official position is refusal to have "substantative"
contacts with it until it agrees to recognize Israel's existence and abides by UN Security
Council Resolutions 242 and 338.
The Edelsberg memorandum identified
those present at the Washington meeting as
B. Tartt Bell, director of the international
affairs seminars of the American Friends
Service Committee at whose office-
JERUSALEM (JTA) — Yosef Tekoah,
residence the meeting was held; Dr. Isam
president of Ben-Gurion University in
Sartawi and Sabri Jiryis, both of the PLO in
Beersheba and Israel's former Ambas-
sador to the United Nations has disputed
Beirut; Arthur Waskow, Institute for Policy
former Foreign Minister Abba Eban's
Studies; Max Ticktin, of Breira; Olya Mar-
views on the problem of Soviet Jewish
golin, National Council of Jewish Women;
"dropouts."
David Gorin, American Jewish Congress,
Writing in the Jerusalem Post, Tekoah
and Edelsberg.
was critical of the way the "dropout" prob-
lem was being handled and rejected Eban's
The meeting in New York, held in a pri-
contention that however they may be de-
vate home on Nov. 1, is understood to have
plored, Jewish tradi-
been sponsored by a peace group of Vietnam
tion and humanita-
War origin. One of those present was Dr.
rian - concerns de-
George Gruen, who specializes in Middle
manded that "drop-
East affairs for the American Jewish Com-
outs" be helped. Eban
mittee in New York.
expressed his views
in an article written
He said the "ground rules" for the meet-
for the Jewish Tele-
ing included a ban on disclosure of the
graphic Agency
names of those attending. He stressed, as
which appeared in
had others in Washington, that he attended
last week's Detroit
not as an official of his organization but as
Jewish News.
an individual.
Tekoah wrote:
"Dr. Sartawi, fashionably dressed and
Israel and the entire
Jewish people are
poised, was the obvious leader of the two-man
deeply concerned
delegation," the Edelsberg paper said. "He
YOSEF TEKOAH
about the freedom and
(Continued on Page 14)
Tekoah Opposes
Aid to Dropouts
(Continued on Page 16)
Writer: Bad UN Votes Dilute Valid Criticism
By CARL ROWAN
(Editor's note: Mr. Rowan is a nationally syndicated newspaper columnist. This article was provided by the Black-Jewish
Information Center in New York.)
The fragile chances for peace in the Middle East would be enhanced to some degree if the Arabs and their allies in the
UN would stop trying to blame Israel for everything.
When they push resolution after resolution through the General Assembly, foolishly trying to make Israel the villain
in every despicable situation on earth, they cheapen criticism to the point where a valid censuring of Israel has little or no
impact.
Only a few days ago a huge majority in the UN passed a batch of resolutions designed to portray
Israel as a monstrous collaborator with white racists in South Africa, Rhodesia and the rest of southern
Africa. These resolutions are a waste of UN time, a bum rap against Israel and they do nothing to
hasten a just peace in a very explosive area.
From all that I can determine, Israel has been circumspect in obeying sanctions against Ian Smith's
minority white regime in Rhodesia. We might all wish that the U.S. Congress and all U.S. business had been
as circumspect.
One resolution condeinns Israel for trading with South Africa. Yet most of the countries condemn-
ing Israel do more business with South Africa than does Israel.
CARL ROWAN
(Continued on Page 5)
Center Dedication
Festivities Sunday
The Jewish Community Center of
Metropolitan Detroit will celebrate its
golden anniversary and the dedication of
its new Main Building complex on Sun-
day.
In the early 1900's the Hannah
Schloss Memorial Building provided the
first quarters for the United Jewish
Charities, and a second wing was later
added, called the Jewish Institute. This
was the forerunner of the Jewish Com-
munity Center.
Its services included the Young
Men's Hebrew Association, the Self-
Help Circle, the Ida Ginsberg Day Nur-
sery, the Oakland Mother's Club. the
(Continued on Page 8)