•
Begin's Defiance
of Sadat's
Unreasonable
Distortions;
Dayan's 'Fear
Not' Admonition
Commentary, Page 2
VOL. LXXII, No 25
THE JEWISH NEWS
A ‘Veekly Review
of Jewish Events
17515 W. Nine Mile, Suite 865, Southfield, Mich. 48075 424-8833 $12.00 Per Year: This Issue 30`
Solving Refugee
Problems:
Realities
Versus Myths
Editorial, Page 4
February 24, 1978
Dulzin Wins Zionist Election,
Lashes HIAS Drop-Out Help
JERUSALEM (JTA) — The 29th World Zionist Congress on Wednesday
unanimously elected Leon Dulzin chairman of the World Zionist Organization
executive. His succession to that office was a forgone conclusion. There was no
opposition candidate. But a certain amount of suspense prevailed until the last
minute over whether the Labor faction would vote for Dulzin, a member of
Likud.
However, Yigal Allon, chairman of the Labor Zionist Movement, was one of
several who seconded Dulzin's nomination. The others were Finance Minister
Simha Ehrlich, Interior Minister Joseph Burg, and Fay Schenk, chairman of the
American Zionist Federation. Labor's support of Dulzin is expected to smooth
some of the political bumps facing this Congress although a bitter fight still
looms over Labor 's demand for the post of WZO treasurer vacated by Dulzin.
Dulzin earlier demanded that world Jewry stop providing assistance
to Jews who leave the Soviet Union but go to countries other than Israel.
In his opening speech Dulzin repeated his charges that HIAS (Hebrew
Immigrant Aid Society) was responsible to a large extent for the high rate
of "drop-outs" among Soviet Jewish emigres.
According to Dulzin, HIAS enables Jews leaving the USSR to spend weeks in
Vienna at "fancy hotels" and months in Rome at the expense "of the Jewish
people." He said, "This is intolerable. The Jewish people can no longer afford it."
Dulzin said the drop-outs were utilizing Soviet exit permits which otherwise
might have gone to Jews who would come to Israel.
"There is no perfect justice, but those who fight for the
exit of Jews from the USSR do not do so to immigrate
to the U.S. and Canada," Dulzin said, an apparent
reference to the immigration activists in the Soviet
Union.
Although the number of Soviet Jewish immigrants
arriving in Israel increased during the last six
months from 1,000-1,200 to 2,000 per month, the
drop-out rate among those reaching Vienna is still 50
percent, Dulzin said. He noted that a committee set
up to deal with the problem a year ago no longer
meets and the "issue must be raised again."
LEON DULZIN
(Continued on Page 5)
Israelis Say Bad Planning, World `Survival of Diaspora's Jewry
Passiveness Hurt Cyprus Rescue at Lowest Post-Holocaust Point'
TEL AVIV (JTA) — Israeli experts, analyzing the costly Egyptian effort to free 15
terrorist-held hostages at Larnaca Airport in Cyprus over the weekend, blamed the failed
aspects of the mission on a general lag in world-wide attempts to fight international
terrorism. They also found serious flaws in the way the Egyptians organized and exe-
cuted the commando raid that left 15 Egyptian soldiers dead and two Palestinian
terrorists in the hands of Cypriot authorities. The -hostages were returned safely to
Egypt.
The Egyptian failure seemed all the more glaring against the background of Israel's
spectacularly successful rescue-raid on Entebbe Airport in Uganda on July 3-4, 1976, and
last year's feat by West German commandos at Mogadishu, Somalia. The Israelis were
not gloating. In fact, security circles here stressed that any and all efforts to fight
terrorism were welcomed and if the action failed, all civilized nations were the losers.
The experts, who said they based their opinions entirely on three counts: lack of proper
intelligence information, lack of coordination, and lack of surprise. They said the Egyp-
tian commandos were unaware of the fact that when they landed at Larnaca the ter-
rorists had already agreed to release the hostages and surrender themselves. They also
lacked basic knowledge of the airports lay-out, the position of the Cypriot airliner in
which the hostages were held, the position of the hijackers and the presence of the Cypriot
national guardsmen. However, the Washington Post claimed this week that PLO ter-
rorists in civilian clothes fought with the Cypriots against the Egyptians.
JERUSALEM (JTA) — Warnings that Israel is losing the battle for public support in
the United States, that its relations with Diaspora Jews have become "more difficult" of
late and that Jewish survival now is less certain than at any time since the Holocaust,
were sounded before the 29th World Zionist Congress. The speakers were Rabbi Alexan-
der Schindler, chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish
Organizations; Philip Klutznick, president of the World Jewish Congress; and former
WJC president Dr. Nahum Goldmann.
Goldmann said the problem of Jewish survival troubled
him deeply because, while there was no longer a danger of
pogroms or persecution, the younger generation of Jews is
being lost to "indifference." He observed that "the position
of the Jew has become more dignified but it has not been
simplified." He said it was unrealistic to demand that the
entire Jewish people should come to Israel. However, Israel
should be a spiritual center and 'example to all of world
Jewry, Goldmann said.
He recalled that whenever he visited Israel in the past he
had read in the press of the development of the country.
This time, however, the biggest story concerned the find-
ings of a special committee that organized crime existed
NAHUM GOLDMANN
(Continued on Page 6)
Wter Power Canal to Save Jordan River
Israel Studying - a Salta
`> partnership. The
A-Tel Aviv University panel explains the proposed
hydro-electric canal plans to a Knesset committee.
Shown are, from left, geologist Akiva Flexer, Middle
East expert Haim Shaked and economist Zeev Hirsch.
The top lines on the map are the proposed canal and
the bottom lines show proposed tunnels.
TEL AVIV — A Tel Aviv University team of experts has recommended an urgent study and evaluation of a plan for a
cross-country canal dropping from Haifa to the Dead Sea to produce hydroelectric power by exploiting the natural drop
from the Mediterranean Sea to the Dead Sea's approximately 1,300 feet (400 meters) below sea level. In addition to the
economic advantages of the plan, the canal offers promising opportunities for peaceful cooperation with Jordan.
The Tel Aviv University panel, which included economists, engineers, geologists and Middle East experts presented
their findings before a gathering of ,Knesset members and senior administration officials of the Knesset at the
university. The canal, proposed by engineer Shlomo Gur in 1970, as well as other plans of cross-country tunnels, have
in recent years become the subject of interest due to the spiraling cost of energy.
The government of Jordan is constructing an irrigation network which will divert the waters of the
Yarmoukh River, the principal tributary of the Jordan River. By 1981 or 1982, the Jordan River will begin to
dry up and degenerate into something like a drainage channel. The proposed canal scheme would keep the
waters of the Jordan River flowing, although with salt water.
The canal plans are projected on several possible levels. On a modest level, a small project would produce 80
megawatts of current at an estimated investment of $100 million.
On a grander scale, the plan can yield 700 megawatts, and more under emergency conditions, at a cost of
approximately $500 million. This could, in principle, be shared with the Jordanians, should they choose to enter a
scheme could be taken as far as affording the Jordanians a much-needed shipping outlet to the
Mediterranean Sea. The larger plan requires Jordanian approval, but the small scale plan, which does not, could be
expanded at a later date.
As the necessity for additional energy sources increases and the prospect of the Jordan River drying up draws
irrevocably nearer, the government of Israel is quickly approaching the necessity to reach a decision. Towards this end,
Deputy Minister of Finance Yehezkel Flomin has appointed a committee of experts headed by the former president of
Tel Aviv University, Prof. Yuval Ne'eman, to examine the existing proposals and advise towards a course of action.