Alpena's Jewish Community Celebrates Centennial Story on Page fi More About London Times Distortion • 'Invitation' to Jews to Return to Arab Lands Among the Biggest Fakes THE JEWIS NEWS A Weekly Review Commentary, Page 2 VOL. LXXI, No. 25 The Puzzles of the Middle East • Refuting a Libel: Mattter of Conscience • Go to Good Fence, Mr. President f Jewish Events 17515 W. Nine Mile, Suite 865, Southfield, Mich. 48075 424 8833 - Editorials, Page 4 $10.00 Per Year; This Issue 30 4 August 26. 1977 Low-Key U.S. Tone on West Bank Forerunner of PLO Recognition? Absence from Nigeria Meeting Won't Halt WJC Racism Fight NEW YORK (JTA)—Philip M. Klutznich, chairman of the Governing Board of the World Jewish Congress (WJC), said the denial of permission to attend the United Nations-sponsored World Conference for Action Against Apartheid held this week in Lagos, Nigeria, will in no way diminish the WJC's fight against racism. Klutznick declared, "We very much regret that our efforts as an inter- national Non-Governmental Organization in consultative status with the UN since 1947 to be helpful at a UN-sponsored conference in whose purposes we have a very real concern, have been rejected. Many observers will conclude that there has taken place an act of discrimination unworthy of a conference held under the auspices of the UN. The refusal to permit our participation created a situation that led Israel to feel compelled to withdraw from the Lagos conference. "The efforts of the World Jewish Congress to strengthen human rights and advance human freedom date back to its establishment in 1936. We contrib- uted actively to the drafting of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948. "Our disappointment at the action of the conference organizers will in no way diminish our efforts to promote and encourage respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms for all, regardless of race, color, religion or ethnic origin, nor will it affect our commitment to the struggle against apartheid and all forms of racism and racial discrimination." The meeting in Lagos was sponsored by the UN, the Organization of Afri- can Unity and other organizations. About 50 countries, most of them Third World or Communist, attended. Israel, which can attend as a member of the UN, announced last week that it would not do so in protest against the exclusion of the WJC, while the Palestine Liberation Organization and a pro-PLO UN committee were in- vited. The New York Times, in a Sunday editorial under the heading "Israel, Apartheid and Hypocrisy," stated: "Israel's withdrawal from a United Nations conference on apartheid begin- ning tomorrow (Monday) in Lagos, Nigeria, should be a source of concern to the governments of the black African states at whose urging the meeting is being held. It demonstrates that the Palestine Liberation Organization and its Arab and Soviet bloc supporters are more interested in using the con- ference to express hostility to Israel than to address seriously the racial poli- cies of South Africa. "Israel's stated reason for withdrawing is that the conference will not allow the World Jewish Congress to participate but will admit many other non-governmental organizations, some of which have far less of a record of concern for Africa and for human rights. But Israel's real concern is that (Continued on Page 9) By MURRAY ZUCKOFF and JOSEPH POLAKOFF WASHINGTON (JTA)—The Carter Administration's apparent effort to create a cli- mate of "world opinion" in favor of its Middle East policy continues to center on legitimizing the Palestine Liberation Organization and paving the way to have the PLO participate in reconvened Geneva talks. At the same time, there seems to be an easing off of any harsh criticism of Israel regarding its anncJnced policy of establishing more settlements on the West Bank and aiding militarily the Christians in southern Lebanon. There are some analysts who feel that "toned down" statements on Israel's West Bank policy indicates a policy of trade-off. The thinking among these analysts is that President Carter realizes there is nothing he can do, short of strong statements of concern and rebukes and adminishments, about Israel's West Bank policy. He is in the same position in that regard as he was when he was admonishing and rebuk- ing the Soviet Union on the issue of human rights. After a series of strongly-worded statements he had to concede, during a press conference, that he cannot, after all, use physic- JERUSALEM (JTA)—An effort by the prime minister to al means to pursuade the Rus- have the Knesset vote Wednesday in near-unanimous ma- sians to change their policy. jority for a resolution utterly ruling out all possibilities of But if Carter cannot use negotiations with the Palestine Liberation Organization physical means to pursuade has become unstuck because of the opposition of both Labor and the Democratic Movement for Change. the Israeli government to change its West Bank settle- Both opposition blocs informed Men- ahem Begin that, while they agreed ment policy—and strong with the anti-PLO sentiment, they statements of concern and re- could not in good conscience agree to bukes do not seem to have any give their support to a motion of this affect—he can find a way of kind. dealing with the PLO and "We must stress the positive, not thereby place Israel on the only the negative," former Foreign Begin Anti-PLO Move Foiled by Labor, DMC Minister Yigal Allon explained. He re- ferTed to his party's longtime pro- posal for a Palestinian solution "with- in the Jordanian context," which spe- cifically advocates a territorial corn- promise on the West Bank—anathema ALLON to the Likud government. The DMC gave much the same response, calling for a full- scale Knesset debate on foreign policy, not merely a solid" arity resolution on this single aspect of the peace problem. In the face of this situation, the premier withdrew his in- itiative and the Knesset convened Wednesday to discuss budgetary matters. diplomatic griddle. In fact, Carter said earlier this month while Secretary of State Cyrus Vance was in Saudi Arabia during his Mideast trip, that the U.S. has contact with the PLO, not di- rect contact, "but of course they are sending us messages through the Syrians, the Saudi Arabians, the Egyptians and (Continued on Page 6) eorge Meany Appeals to Jimmy Carter to Pressure Soviets on Sharansky Case WASHINGTON—The AFL-CIO on Aug. 19 released a letter sent by its president, George Meany, to President Carter in which Meany appealed to the President on behalf of Anatoly Sharansky, the 29- year-old Soviet Jew arrested in Moscow and accused of working for the CIA. The letter followed a meeting Meany had with Sharansky's wife, Natalia, in his office on Aug. 9. In his letter, Meany tells the President that in our conversation, Mrs. Sharansky expressed her gratitude for your public declaration that her husband has had no connections with the CIA. That was very helpful. Yet, the cause of human rights will not be greatly advanced if the Soviet authorities drop that absurd charge—which could carry the death sentence—and substitute "slander of 'the Soviet system," which might bring seven years in prison and five years internal exile. While any amelioration of his plight would be welcome, true justice can only be served by the release of Anatoly Sharansky and the granting of permission for him to be reunited with his wife." Meany went on to ask the President to employ whatever means he had to "impress upon the Soviet authorities the gravity of our concern for Mr. Sharansky and his associates," stating that ''not only the future of Anatoly Sharansky is at stake, but the credibility of the Helsinki Agreement." • - (Continued on Page 13) Mrs. Sharansky is shown during the meeting with George Meany, at right. - Giora Hadar, at left, of the Washington Committee for Soviet Jewry, served as interpreter.