THE JEWISH NEWS

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Sabbath Scriptural Selections

This Su bba th „the 1.3th day al Elul, 5737, the fol low i seri pt ra 1 selections trill he read »t en, r svna;:ogu us:

Penta te uch a 1 port ion, Deuteronomr 21: 10:19, Prophet ica / portion, Isa ia h 54: 1-10.

Candle lighting-Friday Aug. 26. 7:38 p.m.

VOL LXXI. No. 23

"age Four

Friday, August 26. 1977

Go to the Good Fence, Mr. President

Upon his election to the Presidency Jimmy Carter
invited advice as well as cooperation in establishing
good government. If this Editor were to offer advice
to the President in the current aggravated situation
involving Israel in Judaea and Samaria, he would
also ask him to apply the experiences farther north
of Israel's Galilee area, with a request that he ac-
company us to the Good Fence.

Israel's Foreign Minister Moshe Dayan has- al-
ready differed with the President on the question of
new settlements being created by Israelis, advising
President Carer that such settlements must contrib-
ute additionally to the benefit of the Arabs as well as
Jews.
The Good Fence has the proof. In the interest of
emphasis on the good side of life rather than destruc-
tion, as Israel's enemies would -pursue their tasks on
the endangered borders, let there be a second read-
ing of an important Jewish Telegraphic Agency
cable from Tel Aviv, Israel. It speaks for itself and
it invites elation over amity, good will, brotherly
love and peaceful neighborliness. That report reads:

TEL AVIV (JTA )-
The Israel Philharmonic
Orchestra under the
baton of Zubin Mehta
performed Tchaikowsky
and Offenbach in an un-
likely setting last Friday
before an audience unfa-
miliar with the works of
European composers but
appreciative nonethe-
less.
The place was the
open fence in the Israeli
border village of Doves'
and the listeners were-
several hundred south
Lebanese—school chil-
dren, border police,
Phalangists
Christian
arms,
wearing
side
Druze, Circassians, Is-

raeli settlers and Leba-
nese farmers.
It was a holiday for
the Lebanese and a prop-
aganda victory for the Is-
raelis through the univer-
sal language of music.
Mehta, who visited the
open fence a week ear-
lier, decided that it
would be an excellent
spot for a concert.
Mehta's 100-member
orchestra arrived in
buses from Tel Aviv
with their instruments
and sheet music. They
set up in a clearing near
the border, under a few
trees that offered mea-
ger shade from the burn-
ing sun.

The Lebanese, who
might have expected Ori-
ental tunes and a belly
dancer, were intrigued
by the violins, French
horns and bass drums.
The • percussion in-
struments they have
been used to for many
months are machineguns
and mortars.

Tzvi Baer, Israeli bor-
der police chief, in what
appeared to be a refer-
ence to the bitter fight-
* that had broken out
between Egypt and Libya,
said: "While somewhere
the guns are roaring be-
tween two states that
have defined themselves
as sisters, we here pro-
duce wonderful sounds,
the eternal tones of
music to our neighbors."
Mehta expressed hope

that someday "soon we
shall perform in Cairo
and the Egyptian nation-
al orchestra will per-
form in Tel Aviv."
A Phalangist major
presented the maestro
with a Lebanese flag
painted on cedar wood
as a gesture of apprecia-
tion. He said his people
may not have under-
stood Tchaikovsky but
they understand "the
call for a brotherly al-
liance between you and
us."
Reality intruded, how-
ever, when a wounded
Lebanese soldier was
carried through the
fence opening for medi-
cal treatment at the bor-
der clinic. But for a
while the tragedy of
Lebanon's civil war had
been forgotten.

.

Now let there be another re-reading of related
news, of the stories about a fratricide involving
Egypt and Libya, of Moslems and Christians battling
for power in Lebanon and Christians being helped
health-wise, sociologically, economically, at the
Good Fence on the Israel-Lebanese border. Let there
be a re-reading of a PLO program that has nearly
destroyed Lebanon and continues to menace the
Christian population of that country.
Therefore, Mr. President, this invitation to the
Good Fence is not in person. but by a re-reading of
the just quoted piece fron'i The Jewish News of July
29, 1977. Doesn't this offer a lesson for amity on the
borders, for good relations when there is mutual
good will? Why not the Good Fence wherever there
are people. wherever there are Israelis and Arabs,
Jews, Moslems and Christians? Isn't this the road to
peace? And isn't the Israeli the guide trekking such
a road to peace?

Refuting a Libel: Matter of Conscience

There will be no surprise for anyone who
knows and understands the manipulations of
the Arab-Soviet and Third World blocs at the
United Nations that there will be charges of
brutality against Israel in her treatment of
Arab prisoners, when the debate on the Middle
East commences soon in the next General As-
sembly of the UN.
The charges, in the main unproven either by
the London Times, which has given credence to
the accusations, or the anti-Israeli delegates at
the UN, are part of an organized campaign to
discredit Israel, regardless of the situations in-
volved. It is all part of a single scheme, in-
tended to harm Israel, whether in UNESCO,
WHO, ILO or any other function in which the
Third World_ predominates.
Because the London Times charges were so
shocking, a responsible Christian Britisher, the
eminent journalist and author David Pryce-
Jones, viewed it as a matter of conscience to
write his refutations of the charges, based on
his personal investigations of the methods pur-
sued by Israel in the treatment of prisoners.
Because it has become a matter of con-
science not to submit to libels, whether they
are leveled against individuals or a nation, Mr.
Pryce-Jones diverted the renurneration for his

article to the Leukemia Research Fund in Lon-
don.
Would that the conscience of mankind could
similarly be agitated not to permit untruthS to
circulate against a people that is battling for
justice, thereby setting an example for liber-
tarians everywhere not to yield to tyranny. Is
conscience too rare a state of mind for diplo-
mats?

The New M.E. Puzzle

When the Arab •chieftains speak of "peace"
(sic!) they invariably introduce new puzzles.
And the State Department makes use of them
to flaunt them as if they were realities con-
trasted by their charges that Israel is in-
transigent.
If . the spokesmen for Egypt, Syria and Jor-
dan are sincere in gesturing amity, why don't
they sit with Israel to arrange it? Why are t ey
fraternizing with the PLO they hate secretly
while refusing to meet Israelis face-to-face to
for truthful peace talks? What kind of double
talk is it from Washington that gives credence
to such maneuvering while the sword is swing-
ing with threats to destroy Israel?

Harkabi Defines Big Obstacles,
Some Hopes for an Arab Accord

Yehoshafat Harkabi. former Israeli chief of army intelligence, is
the acknowledged major authority on Arab-Israeli problems. One of
the best informed men on the subject in the Middle East, his author-
itative approach to the issues is based on the studies he has pursured
and the fact that has read most of the books published in Arabic on
the subject. in addition to his Israeli involvements.
In "Arab Strategies and Israel's Response - (MacMillan—Free
Press Division) he pursures his analyses of the conflict. It is not an
entirely hopeful document, yet it entertains some hope of a possible
reduction in confrontations. He believes there are changes in the
basic positions of Israel as - well as the Arab states.
Harkabi believes that "changes which now seem unlikely may
come true." He adds:
"We may hope that such a day is imminent and still maintain a
skeptical, judicious view as to how near it may be. Such a caution-
ary attitude will fortify us to meet future events and developments".
With a realistic admission, Har-
kabi views the Russian in-
volvement and the oil aspect as
being elements beyond Israel's con-
trol. although the time element
could in his view lead to an easing
of the problem.
It is on the questions of Israel's
rolewith thePalestinans , the demands
for Israel's withdrawal from terri-
tories now administered by the
Jewish state that there are expres-
sions of notable interest in Har-
kabi's new book. He states:
Their (the Palestinians') pre-
tensions to dictate the Arab line in
the conflict, by virtue of their close
knowledge of it or their direct in-
volvement in it, have already pro-
duced a considerable amount of
acrimony against them. Many Pa-
YEHOSHAFAT HARKABI
lestinians have been displaced in
various Arab states. not only because these states prefer to give jobs
previously held by Palestinians to their indigenous intelligentsia. but
because of the Palestinians' reputation for subversion.
"The demands they make on Arab governments, arrogating to
themselves roles these governments are unwilling to let them have.
tend to put them on a collision course with these governments.
In desperation the Palestinians may develop apocalyptic, cataclys-
mic tendencies—such as Dr. Habash's declared wish for a th'"
world war inasmuch as the Palestinians have nothing to lose fro:
global catastrophe.
"But the Arab states do have a lot to lose, and may well see it
differently, refusing to condemn themselves to endless upheavals
simply because some Palestinians cannot find a solution that satis-
fies them.
'Israel, too, has to set forth practical national objectives. This
may require some rethinking on Zionism'itself or in any case some
changes in emphasis.
"The West Rank will remain Arab by virtue of its preponderant
Arab population. Israel may not be able to transcend its destiny of
remaining a small country. Yet the quality of life and the size of a
country are not necessarily in direct correlation. It is the quality of
life within the country that should be the real national objective, for
it is this alone that will enable the people to withstand a prolonged
conflict. "
General Harkabi's views have predominated on the Arab issue. Es-
pecially now the analyses in his "Arab Strategies and Israel's Re-
sponse" are of immense value in the consideration of problems that
demand realistic approaches. -

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