The Iranian Jews .. .
Their Apologetics
The Carters
In Our Lives
THE JEWISH NEWS
Commentary, Page 2
A Weekly Review
of Jewish Events
Are World Crises
Beckoning to
Middle Ages?
Israel Won't
Be Kicked Around
Editorials, Page 4
VOL. LXXIV, No. 26 17515 W. Nine Mile, Suite 865, Southfield, Mich. 48075 424-8833 $12.00 Per Year: This Issue 30c March 2, 1979
arter's Invitation Vindicates
israers Peace Talk Rejection
French Jew's Shop
Ripped by Bullets
PARIS (JTA) — A burst of machine gun fire shot up
the window of a shop owned by the Jewish president
of the League Against Anti-Semitism (LICA) in Bor-
deaux. The attack took place last Friday at 5 a.m.
when the shop and the street were empty. There were
no injuries. The shop's owner, Leon Levy, says he has
received a number of threatening letters in the past.
He was told "the gas chambers are still working" and
"we shall have your guts one of these days."
The police say that none of the usual anti-
Semitic underground groups have claimed re-
sponsibility for the attack and report no avail-
able clues.
LICA, in the meantime, has sued a French univer-
sity lecturer, Prof. Robert Faurisson, for "propagat-
ing racist material." Faurisson teaches literature at
Lyons University but is also an avid writer on the
history of the Second World War, generally claiming
that the figure of Jewish victims is far lower "than
what the Jews claim" and trying to question the very
existence of the Nazi death camps.
-
TEL AVIV (JTA) — President Carter's invitation to Premier Menahem Begin to
come to Washington for bilateral discussions of the issues blocking a peace treaty
with Egypt was widely viewed in Israel as a vindication of Tuesday's Cabinet decision
that Begin could not accept Carter's earlier invitation to a summit conference without
the participation of President Anwar Sadat of Egypt.
Deputy Premier Yigael Yadin said the Cabinet's 14-2 vote was justified by what
developed later. The President's invitation came just hours after Begin's detailed
letter explaining his government's position was delivered to the State Department.
Begin was reported to have told aides that rejection of President Carter's first
invitation was one of the most difficult decisions of his career. The prevailing mood in
Israel is that it was necessary if a "real peace" is to be achieved.
- The tendency in Israel is to blame the American attitude for Egypt's
refusal to compromise with Israel on outstanding treaty issues and, in fact, to
submit even tougher demands during last week's ministerial-level talks at
Camp David between Foreign Minister Moshe Dayan, Egyptian Prime Minis-
ter Mustapha Khalil and Secretary of State Cyrus Vance. It was learned that
one of Egypt's new demands was for the immediate establishment of self-
government in the Gaza Strip.
Only two Cabinet members voted against the majority decision, Dayan and
Defense Minister Ezer Weizman. Both have been more closely involved in the negoti-
ations with Egypt and the U.S. than any other member of the government except
Begin. Both felt that Begin could have accepted Carter's first invitation to meet with
him and Khalil at Camp David but for different reasons.
Weizman dismissed the view that such a meeting without the participation of
Sadat would be demeaning for Israel because Khalil is not Egypt's top political
authority. Weizman noted that Begin had many
meetings with President Carter's special .Ambas-
sador to the Middle East, Alfred Atherton, and no one
considered it an insult. He recalled that for more
than 30 years Israel has sought to sit down at the
negotiating table with the Egyptians. "Isn't Mus-
By ALAN HITSKY
tapha Khalil an Egyptian Delegate?" Weizman
A 38-year-old Syrian Jew told reporters in Detroit this week of increasing harassment
asked. But the defense minister stressed the practical
and cruelty being perpetrated against the 4,500 Jews of Syria.
need to revive the stalled peace talks. He expressed
The Syrian escaped to Israel three months ago with his wife, children and parents, but
the belief that the more extreme positions presented
wore a mask at press conferences in Toronto, New York and Detroit to protect friends and
by
the Egyptians were not serious enough to under-
acquaintances remaining in Syria from interrogations and beatings.
mine the prospects of reaching an agreement.
Speaking Arabic and answering questions through an interpreter, the man,
identified only as Mr. Albert, said that any tension between Syria and Israel, or
Dayan agreed with the cabinet majority that
any movement within the Jewish community that is viewed by the Syrians as an
Egypt's attempt to link autonomy on the West Bank
effort to leave the country leads to increased surveilance, beatings and interro-
and Gaza directly to a peace treaty contradicted the
gations by Syrian officials and an increase in hostility from Moslem neighbors
agreements reached at Camp David last September.
and Moslem customers of the small shops of the Jewish community.
But he thought that from a tactical point of view,
Albert said his trip is financed by the Isareli government. Aviva Mutchnick, executive
Begin should have accepted Carter's original invita-
director of the Labor Zionist Alliance (LZA), served as Albert's interpreter in Detroit. He
tion in order to remove the impression that Israel was
a10 met with Detroit Jewish leaders at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Norman Naimark.
blocking the peace progress.
Albert said that pressure on the Syrian Jewish community had been increased by the
MENAHEM BEGIN
Masked Man Describes Horrible
Conditions for Syria's 4,500 Jews
Syrian government in recent months because larger groups of Jews are trying to escape.
"Before it was just individuals," he said. "Now, whole families are trying to get out." He
be ieves the change is caused by the Syrian pressure on the family and friends that
remain behind when an individual escapes.
(Continded on Page 7)
Some circles in Jerusalem hinted that
Dayan should resign. They said that if a minister
finds himself at odds with the Cabinet over' is-
(C9ntinued on Page 6)
DZER WEIZMAN
MOSHE DAYAN
Formal AJC-IEF Opening Set for March 21;
Women's Phonogift Will Spark Activities
SENATOR CARL LEVIN
Carl Levin, U.S. Senator from Michigan and former Detroit City Council president, will be the guest speaker at the
formal opening of the 1979 Allied Jewish Campaign - Israel Emergency Fund on March 21, General Chairmen David
Handleman and Irving R. Seligman have announced.
His address to Campaign leaders and contributors will be his first presentation to a major Jewish group since his election
to the Senate last November, the chairmen said. The Campaign opening will be marked by a reception and dinner beginning
at 6:30 p.m. at Temple Beth El.
Phonogift, the Allied Jewish Campaign - Israel Emergency Fund Women's Division's annual telephone
fund-raising effort, will be held March 11-18. Last year's Phonogift drive reached more than 7,000 women in the
metropolitan area.
This Wednesday, the division's Phonogift, section will hold a luncheon party for Phonogift workers beginning at noon at
United Hebrew Schools. Workers will be briefed on techniques of telephone solicitation. Also on the program are a Campaign
update and an original musical revue.
Reservations are required for the Phonogift briefing and the Campaign opening. For information, call the Jewish
Welfare Federation, 965-3939.
Detailed stories about the Allied Jewish Campaign are on Page 18.