THE JEWISH NEWS Incorporating The Detroit Jewish Chronicle commencing with the issue of July 20. 1951 Member American Association of English-Jewish Newspapers, Michigan Press Association, National Editorial Assoc-I:akin Published every Friday by The Jewish News Publishing Co., 17515 W. Nine Mile, Suite 865, Southfield, Mich. 48075 KPIESSET Second-Class Postage Paid at Southfield, Michigan and Additional Mailing Offices. Subscription $12 a year r CARMI M. SLOMOVITZ PHILIP SLOMOVITZ Business Manager Editor and Publisher DREW LIEBERWITZ HEIDI PRESS ALAN HITSKY Advertising Manager Assistant News Editor News Editor Sabbath Scriptural Selections This Sabbath, the 16th day of Au. 5738, the following scriptural selections will be read in our synagogues: Pentateuchal portion, Deuteronomy 3:23-7:11. Prophetical portion, Isaiah 40:1-26. RJTON BeFoRs ENTERINq Candle lighting, Friday. Aug. 18, 8:10 pan. VOL. LXXIII, No. 24 Page Four Friday, August 18, 1978 Homework for Politicians Understandably, candidates for the United States Senate were confronted with questions relating to foreign affairs, with emphasis on the situation in the Middle East. Whoever goes to the Senate, from any area, will, inevitably, be challenged to take a stand on issues in the area that has become a source of continuing disputes. The energy problem has added to the agonies of the situation marked by bitterness. There have arisen misunderstandings that have not been helpful in the quest for calmness and an elimi- nation of hatreds. A tendency among politicians to satisfy the constituents and listening audiences during campaigns, to provide all things to all men, to give unto Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's, can't operate well in issues like the Middle East. The situation there is too dynamite-laden. There are too many historic factors to contend with. Therefore, whether it is in the Arab-Jewish relations or the energy prob- lem, any one who aspires to positions of respon- sibility that require decisions on foreign affairs must qualify on the basis of knowledge and un- derstanding of what is transpiring. Indeed, a politician must do his homework well before even asking for the right to act on foreign affairs issues. The threats to the peace of the world, the urgency of retaining the best relations with the nations of the world, the urgency of avoiding incitement to hatred, all are related to the duties that link legislators to decisions that may affect the very security of this nation. In the Middle East there is the duty to assure stability and avoidance of domination by ele- ments like the Kremlin-inspired authoritaa- rian aspirants to acquiring control of the Middle East to the detriment of libertarian principles. The divisiveness that seeks to perpetuate hat- reds between Jew and Arab is part of the chal- lenge to the liberty-loving elements to strive for a logical peace that will eliminate all threats, whether they are from the USSR or from the oil-producing magnates whose tactics are op- pressive to their own people who are fed on war-mongering against Israel while they are in an impoverished and illiterate status. Therefore the need for homework, for an un- derstanding of the issues, for a sympathetic ap- preciation of historic facts and the rights of a small nation like Israel to survive, to live in security, to have a role in an area in which 21 Arab nations, protected by oil wealth, seek the destruction of the smallest of the nations in that part of the world that is compelled to seek pro- tection by the plane and the tank. A politician who has done his homework will know that there are many opportunities to ele- vate the standards of people now living under medieval conditions and to make life livable for all, provided the powerful and numerically overwhelming will not seek the annihilation of a neighbor and historical kinsman. It is the all-things-to-all-men that becomes menacing. It is such a tongue-in-cheek attitude of making vote-getting the most vital factor in politics that underlines justice in dealing with foreign affairs. This is what causes office seek- ers who lack the background for the fullest un- derstanding of the issues to grab at a term like Palestinian without realizing that a Jew in that area is as much a Palestinian as his Arab neighbor. That's why there is need for those seeking the glory of seats in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives to be fully informed and factu- ally fortified. There is need for homework in attaining knowledge of the facts about the Mid- dle East by those claiming the right to deal with such issues. The voter has a right to demand such knowledge from the politician. Soviet Russia could have avoided the inevita- ble embarrassment of facing a boycott of the Olympic Games scheduled to be held in Moscow in 1980. A pledge not to harass the Israelis and others who are on the Communist blacklist, a guarantee under international agreements, if that is possible, providing security for athletes participating in the games and the guests who are due from many lands, could have created amity among the nations of the world on this occasion of the international gatherings. But such guarantees are not forthcoming and the only way the free peoples of the world can act is to boycott the games. The only way for Americans to act is to demand a change in the location of the games. Is this possible? Sadly it must be admitted that the anxiety to participate in games for world athletic honors may tempt the athletes to such an extent that self-glory may dominate over self-respect. There is always the hope that Americans who love sports for sport's sake will keep in mind the horrors of Munich in 1972, the Hitler-imposed indecencies during the 1936 games and the threats to the dignity of the games from Nazi and other discriminating sources since then. The injection of Arab anti- Israelism has been especially harmful. Therefore, the battle against impending bigotries and the stubbornness of the Com- munist regime that apparently is determined to run the games the Kremlin-way becomes a duty for liberty-loving peoples everywhere. The boycott may succeed. If it meets with obstacles, there will at least be the satisfaction on the part of the activists that they were not silent when prejudice was in evidence. Sportsmansh ip to the Test Peace Now Movement Demonstrations by the "Peace Now" move- ment in Israel in protests against the estab- lishment of new border settlements are being welcomed as a wholesome approach to an ag- gravated Israeli issue. The overwhelming sen- timent in Israel is in opposition to the creation of new settlements.While hailing a movement functioning under the term "Peace Now" there emerges at the same time the hope that the more embracing hope for peace in Israel is univ- ersal and not limited to a small clique. It is the dominant aspiration of all Israelis and not that of a limited group. It is with such an under- standing of Israel sentiments that the issues to be brought to the conference convened by Presi- dent Carter for Sept. 5 must be understood.