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Friday, April 29, 1977
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THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS
Purely
pu rel y Commentary
Moralities and Expediencies:
Confusions over Arab Boycott
It may well be that the Arab boycott will prove a dud
and that all the combined efforts to harm Israel will prove
ineffective. Yet the issue can not be neglected and must
not be hushed. The dragging of the issue legislatively is
proving very annoying. News analysts were given a topic
for juggling and a pledge by President Jimmy Carter, who
was very emphatic about preventing harm to Israel via a
boycott by the Arab states, still is awaiting fulfillment.
One of the leading Black newspapers in the country,
the New York Voice, dealt emphatically with the subject
and viewed the issue as follows:
We applaud the news that the Carter Adminis-
tration will support passage of a bill barring Ameri-
can companies from participating in the Arab econom-
ic boycott of Israel, but hope that pressures from the
Arab nations and their friends do not convince the
President to soften his stand.
In reversing the policy of the Ford Administration
of looking the other way while pretending to be in-
dignant, President Carter appears to be intent on en-
ding this discrimination.
We have been reading countless stories in the past
31/2 years, or since the oil embargo of 1973, about the
various ways the suddenly wealthy Arabs are using
their money to influence world policy. We saw the
French government collapse in the face of such pres-
sure and release Abu Daoud, who was reported to
have been the mastermind of the 1972 Munich mas-
sacre.
With so many of these wealthy Arab nations engag-
ing in political blackmail, buying off those they can
and intimidating others, a strong stand must be taken
in opposition.
Israel was abandoned in 1973 by many of her for-
mer friends. Only a few courageous nations, most no-
tably the Dutch, resisted. It is time for more countries
to step forward and tell the world that money is not
the determining force in world affairs.
It is essential that we not allow the Arab nations
to fan the fires of religious prejudice that always
seem to be smoldering, waiting for a sudden wind.
Because of the fear that involvement with the Thfrd
World prejudices may stimulate an increase in anti-Israel
sentiments, bordering on anti-Semitism, in the ranks of the
Blacks, this editorial is especially interesting. It is effec-
tive in in its approach.
What is disturbing, however, is the lack of under-
standing of the issue and the spread of views which would
justify rejection of the moral issue involved in a boycott of
Jews and Israel in the interest of trade with the Arabs and
the fear of new threats of oil embargos. That is why the
basic facts regarding the boycott as an . American issue,
outlined by the Conference of Presidents of Major Ameri-
can Jewish Organizations, is very vital to the debates over
the proposed legislation and the obstacles that have been
set up against the proposed rejections of the discrimina-
tory acts. The Conference of Presidents has outlined the
issue as follows:
Do Arab states have the right to boycott Israel?
Yes. Do Arab states have the right to insist that Amer-
icans with whom they do business boycott Israel? No.
This is the issue behind current moves in Congress to
enact legislation that would prevent Arab states from
distorting American business practices and attacking
American principles of non-discrimination.
International law and custom give every sovereign
state the right to decide with whom it will or will not
trade. Today the United States does not trade with
Cuba, North Korea, or Vietnam. Arab states refuse to
trade with Israel. And there is nothing wrong with
this. What is wrong is when the boycotting country de-
cides to extend this so-called "primary" boycott to sec-
ond and third parties. France trades with Cuba, but
the United States does not boycott France. However,
because the Bechtel Corp. had lucrative construction
contracts in the Arab world, it refused to do business
with Israel (the "secondary" boycott) and also re-
fused to do business with other American firms that
happened to be on the Arab blacklist (the "tertiary"
boycott).
Because of the pernicious effect of the Arab boy-
cott on American business practices and principles of
free trade, pressure is growing for a strong federal
law that would make it illegal for American com-
panies to surrender to Arab boycott demands. The
strongest bill has been introduced in the Senate by Sen-
ators William Proxmire (D-Wis.) and Harrison A. Wil-
liams, Jr. (D-NJ) and in the House by Representa-
tives Benjamin Rosenthal (D-NY) and Jonathan Bing-
ham (D-NY). It deserves wide support.
The Threatened Arab Boycott and the American Reaction
Against the Immorality of Disruptive Aims to Injure
Israel and Those Trading With Jews and the Jewish State
According to pollster Louis Harris, a 71-to-6 per-
cent majority of Americans disapproves of the refusal
by Arab states to do business with U.S. companies
that trade with Israel. By 42 to 29 percent they favor
penalties against U.S. firms found guilty of coopera-
ting with the boycott. There is broad public under-
standing that if every U.S. company were required by
law to reject the boycott, the Arabs would no longer
be able to impose it.
The fundamental weakness of the boycott is that
the, Arabs desperately need American goods and serv-
ices in their frantic effort to move into the 20th Cen-
tury. Arabs do not buy American because they like us
but because of our technological superiority, price ad-
vantage and quality. And they will continue to do so
even if American law bars them from making com-
pliance with the boycott a condition of that trade.
But the Arab boycott is an American issue not
only because of the effort to use American industry as
a weapon in the war against Israel; it is equally a
matter of Arab discrimination against American
Jews. For, much as they insist that their enemy is Is-
rael and not the Jews, in fact the Arab states draw no
distinctions between Israel and the Jewish people. It
is Jews, not Zionists, who are regarded as "undesi-
rables" by Saudi Arabia. It is against Jews that the
Saudi visa requirement of a baptismal certificate is
aimed. It is Americans with Jewish names and Ameri-
can companies with Jewish officers and directors who
find themselves on the Arab blacklist, whether or not
they have ever traded with Israel.
Outlawing American participation in the Arab boy-
cott will signal to the world that our country will not
permit the importation of foreign bigotry to our
shores and will not tolerate attempts by foreign gov-
ernments to enlist Americp citizens in their battles
against other nations.
There is no ignoring these facts. They are vital to the
issue and must be viewed seriously. The only opposition to
the projected statement might be that it was framed by a
Jewish group, and this, too, is a matter to be tackled with
all earnestness. Just because a defense of moral rights
and rejection of immoralities in international relations is
penned by Jews does not mean that the framers of such a
document must hide in shame and must be apologetic.
People have a right—they have a duty—to come to the aid
of kinsmen, or any one else, who is threatened by weapons
such as a boycott. Therefore the analysis of the existing
problem must be treated seriously and the Jewish view
must keep gathering supporters in the interest of a just
cause and in opposition to the' immoral acts of those who
seek to destroy Israel by whatever means they can secure
at their disposal.
The U.S. House of Representatives has already acted
firmly to reject threatened discriminations and the U.S.
Senate is expected also to register an Overwhelming vote
against the Arab boycott. And it is urgent that public opin-
ion not be misled by the nonsensical pankking that rejec-
tion of the Arab bigotries will be detrimental to American
economic policies. The Americans surely will let it be
known that bigotries can not be imposed on this free so-
ciety.
Gordon-Riegle Refrain: Echo
Psalmist in 'Trust Not in Princes'
Popular TV personality Lou Gordon and U.S. Senator
Donald Riegle had not concurred on speeches they deliv-
ered at a testimonial dinner at Cong. Beth Achim for
Harry Laker on April 21. Yet the combined tenor of their
speeches was like a refrain from the Psalms, admonishing
the Jewish citizens in the historic warning of "trust not
in princes . . . ."
The dragging of action to end the immorality of the
Arab boycott of Israel and those doing business with Israel
contributed to the discussion of current issues which seem
to point to irresoluteness in Washington, the possibility
that President Jimmy Carter, who had spoken so vehe-
mently against the boycott and the danger stemming from
"business above all," was hedging, and the dollar was
more valuable than the morals of social decency.
,
Senator Riegle was in a joking mood when he addressed
the opening dinner meeting of the Allied Jewish
Campaign weeks earlier. He then referred to the Arab
boycott only in passing and said he would fight against it.
Many wanted to hear more. What could he say at that
time when the committee of which he is a member had
not yet acted on the issue? But last week that committee
had overruled him and six other members of the U.S. Sen-
By Philip
Slomovitz
ate in their quest for strongest action against the boycott.
The 8 to 7 vote against the firmest position by the Senate
infuriated him and he spoke with greater emphasis on the
need for action.
So, the Michigan Senator urged vigilance.
So did Lou Gordon—and a special word is in order here
regarding the controversial television commentator. His
star shined brightly that night at the Beth Achim dinner
and rose in stature with his address and his expression of
pride in being an American and a Jew, dedicated to both
ideals.
Gordon has been an extremist in his approach to Israel's
needs. Few have critized Henry Kissinger as severely a5-
LOU GORDON
SEN. RIEGLE
he has. Many in our ranks disagree with him on that
score: the larger issue still merits consideration vis-a-vis
Kissinger: the long term compulsion for peace. But the
Gordon view is shared by many. Years ago he would have
been in Vladimir Jabotinsky's corner in Zionism. In Israel,
as one who demands fullest rights for Jewish citizens, he
could have been counted in Menahem Begin's Herut Party.
That is why he condemns complacence, demands action,
warns that one day Jews in this country will have to aban-
don silence and speak more loudly than ever against any
effort to undermine Israel.
Lou Gordon rose to a high plane not only with his Ameri-
can-Jewish allegiance but because he proved that he had
not forgotten his heritage and remembers his Hebrew. He
related a personal experience, when he and the late ex-
Vice President Henry Wallace were on a walk in Washing-
ton one morning and they stopped at a small synagogue.
When Wallace asked for the meaning of an inscription on
the Aron Kodesh, Gordon asked for the right to do it and
he recited the lengthy quotation of "Etz hayyim . . ." in
its fullest, with the English translation (the Torah is a
"tree of life for those who become attached to it...").
That's how it is with a good heritage. Gordon's father
was a revered leader in Shaarey Zedek. His brother Albert
is a rabbi in Sioux City, Iowa, and was the "Message of
Israel" speaker last Sunday on the national radio broad-
cast. Another brother, Milton, is a prominent Democrat.
He lost some four years ago as the Democratic candidate
for Treasurer of California. It's a good name, Gordon,
in its totality.
Irving I. Katz: The Communal,
Historically-Minded Septuagenerian
Irving I. Katz is rightfully regarded as the cosmopoli-
tan, historically-minded citizen who fits into every cate- --
gory of Jewish thinking and identification.
The honors accorded him on his 70th birthday, and to
mark an important anniversary of his association with
Temple Beth El, will be by the leading Michigan Reform
congregation. But all other Jewish denominations will con-
tribute towards the event with the acknowledgement of his
deep interest in everything Jewish.
He is the historian who probes for facts about every
aspect of Jewish life. He is a Zionist. He is devoted to the
Allied Jewish Campaign. He helps.Israel Bond efforts. He
encourages youth activities. He is not only historically-ori-
ented but especially educationally dedicated.
He works with and for Reform Jews, but as a youth he
received s'miha, having been ordained for the rabbinate in
Orthodoxy, and his Hebraic and Talmudic knowledge is
noteworthy.
As the pioneer in synagogue administrative activities he
has recorded his name in American Jewish history as the
founder of the National Association of Temple Adminis-
trators.
His affiliations are so extensive that he is among the
most deeply dedicated of the Jewish-enrolled and commu-
nal-minded citizens, and for that reason the honors to be
accorded him assume widest proportions.